King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Complete Jewish Bible:
He has worn away my skin and flesh, he has broken my bones.
Berean Standard Bible:
He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.
American Standard Version:
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
My flesh{H1320} and my skin{H5785} hath he made old{H1086}; he hath broken{H7665} my bones{H6106}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Isaiah 38:13
- I reckoned till morning, [that], as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day [even] to night wilt thou make an end of me.
Psalms 51:8
- Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice.
Jeremiah 50:17
- Israel [is] a scattered sheep; the lions have driven [him] away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
Psalms 38:2
- For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
Psalms 38:8
- I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Psalms 102:3
- For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
Psalms 102:5
- By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Lamentations 3:4
Lamentations 3:4, "My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones," is part of a larger poem found in the book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. This verse is situated within a communal lament over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The book expresses the profound grief and suffering experienced by the Judeans as they endure the consequences of their nation's downfall, which they interpret as divine punishment for their sins.
In the verse, the speaker describes the physical and emotional toll of this catastrophe using vivid imagery. The phrases "made old" and "broken my bones" suggest extreme weariness and injury, conveying a sense of premature aging and deep trauma. The use of bodily metaphors underscores the profound impact of the tragedy on the people's very being, indicating that the suffering is not just spiritual or emotional but extends to the body itself, symbolizing the totality of their devastation.
The historical context of this verse is crucial for understanding its themes. It reflects the collective pain of a people in exile, grappling with loss, displacement, and the dismantling of their religious and political institutions. The verse captures the essence of the book's exploration of theodicy—the question of how a just and loving God could allow such suffering. It also touches on themes of penitence and hope, as the people acknowledge their wrongdoing and look toward divine mercy and restoration, despite their current state of despair. This cry of anguish is a testament to the human capacity to lament in the face of overwhelming adversity, while still clinging to faith in the midst of apparent divine abandonment.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1320
There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּשָׂר
Transliteration: bâsâr
Pronunciation: baw-sawr'
Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. - Strong's Number: H5785
There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עוֹר
Transliteration: ʻôwr
Pronunciation: ore
Description: from עוּר; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather; hide, leather, skin. - Strong's Number: H1086
There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּלָה
Transliteration: bâlâh
Pronunciation: baw-law'
Description: a primitive root; to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend); consume, enjoy long, become (make, wax) old, spend, waste. - Strong's Number: H7665
There are 145 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁבַר
Transliteration: shâbar
Pronunciation: shaw-bar'
Description: a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively); break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for שָׂבַר). - Strong's Number: H6106
There are 108 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶצֶם
Transliteration: ʻetsem
Pronunciation: eh'tsem
Description: from עָצַם; a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame; body, bone, [idiom] life, (self-) same, strength, [idiom] very.