TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Lamentations 4:13–20. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here,
I.The sins they were charged with, for which God brought this destruction upon them, and which served to justify God in it (Lam 4:13, Lam 4:14): It is for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests. Not that the people were innocent; no, they loved to have it so (Jer 5:31), and it was to please them that the prophets and priests did as they did; but the fault is chiefly laid upon them, who should have taught them better, should have reproved and admonished them, and told them what would be in the end hereof; of the hands of those watchmen who did not give them warning will their blood be required. Note, Nothing ripens a people more for ruin, nor fills the measure faster, than the sins of their priests and prophets. The particular sin charged upon them is persecution; the false prophets and corrupt priests joined their power and interest to shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, the blood of God's prophets and of those that adhered to them. They not only shed the blood of their innocent children, whom they sacrificed to Moloch, but the blood of the righteous men that were among them, whom they sacrificed to that more cruel idol of enmity to the truth and true religion. This was that sin which the Lord would not pardon (Kg2 24:4) and which brought the last destruction upon Jerusalem (Jam 5:6): You have condemned and killed the just. And the priests and prophets were the ringleaders in persecution, as in Christ's time the chief priests and scribes were the men that incensed the people against him, who otherwise would have persisted in their hosannas. Now these are those that wandered as blind men in the streets, Lam 4:14. They strayed from the paths of justice, were blind to every thing that is good, but to do evil they were quick-sighted. God says of corrupt judges, They know not, neither do they understand; they walk in darkness (Psa 82:5); and Christ says of the corrupt teachers, They are blind leaders of the blind, Mat 15:14. They have so polluted themselves with innocent blood, the blood of the saints, that men could not touch their garments; they made themselves odious to all about them, so that good men were as shy of touching them as of touching a dead body, which contracted a ceremonial pollution, or of touching the bloody clothes of one slain, which tender spirits care not to do. There is nothing that will make prophets and priests to be abhorred so much as a spirit of persecution.
II.The testimony of their neighbours produced in evidence against them, both to convict them of sin and to show the equity of God's proceedings against them. Some that have grown very impudent in sin boast that they care not what people say of them; but God, by the prophet, would have the Jews to take notice of what people said of them and what was the opinion of the standers by concerning them (Lam 4:15, Lam 4:16), what they said, nay, what they cried unto them, especially to the corrupt priests and prophets, among the heathen. 1. They upbraided them with their pretended purity, while they lived in all manner of real iniquity. They cried to them, "Depart you; it is unclean. You were so precise that you would not touch a Gentile, by cried, Depart, depart; stand by thyself; I am holier than thou," Isa 65:5. Thus the prosecutors of Christ would not go into the judgment-hall, lest they should be defiled. "But can you now keep the Gentiles from touching you, when God has delivered you into their hands? When you flee away and wander you will bid them stand off and not touch you, because they are unclean. But in vain; these serpents will not be charmed or enchanted thus; no, they will no respect the persons of the priests, nor favour the elders; the most venerable persons will to them be despicable." 2. They upbraided them with their sins, and the anger of God against them for their sins, and the direful effects of that anger. They cried to them, Depart you; it is unclean. They all cried out shame on them, and could easily foresee that God would not long suffer so provoking a people to continue in so good a land. They knew their statutes and judgments were righteous, and expected they should be a wise and understanding people, Deu 4:6. But, when they saw them quite otherwise, they cried, Depart, depart; they soon read their doom, that the land would spue them out, as it had done their predecessors, and, when they saw the dispersed of Jacob fleeing and wandering, they told them of it. They said, Now the anger of the Lord has divided them, has dispersed them into all countries, because they respected not the persons of the priests, the pious priests that were among them, such as Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, Jeremiah, and others; neither did they favour the elders, but despised them and their authority when they went about to check them for their vicious courses. The very heathen foresaw that this would ruin them. 3. They triumphed in their ruin as irrecoverable. They said, when they saw them expelled out of their own land, "Now they shall no more sojourn there; they have bidden it a final farewell, never more to return to it, for God will no more regard them, and how then can they help themselves?" Herein they were mistaken. God had not cast them off, for all this. yet thus much is intimated, that all about them observed them to be so very provoking to their God that there was not reason to expect any other than that they should be quite abandoned.
III.The despair which they themselves were almost brought to under their calamities.
Having heard what they said concerning them among the heathen, let us now hear what they say concerning themselves (Lam 4:17): "As for us, we look upon our case to be in a manner helpless. Our end is near (Lam 4:18), the end both of our church and of our state; we are just at the brink of the ruin of both; nay, our end has come; we are utterly undone; a fatal final period is put to all our comforts; the days of our prosperity are fulfilled; they are numbered and finished." Thus their fears concurred with the hopes of their enemies that the Lord would no more regard them. For,
1.The refuges they fled to disappointed them. They looked for help from this and the other powerful ally, but to no purpose; it proved vain help. The succours they expected did not come in, or at least they had not the success they expected, and their eyes failed with looking for that which never came (Lam 4:17); they watched in watching; they watched long, and with a great deal of earnestness and impatience, for a nation that promised them assistance, but failed the, and frustrated their expectation. They could not save them; they were too weak to contend with the Chaldean army and therefore retired. Help from creatures is vain help (Psa 60:11), and we may look for it till our eyes fail, till our hearts fail, and come short of it at last.
2.The persecutors they fled from overtook them and overcame them (Lam 4:18): They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets. When the Chaldeans besieged the city they raised their batteries so high above the walls that they could command the town, and shoot at people as they went along the streets. They hunted them with their arrows from place to place. When the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, their persecutors were swifter than the eagles of heaven when they fly upon their prey, Lam 4:19. There was no escaping them; they pursued them upon the mountains, and, when they thought they had got clear of them, they fell into the hands of those that laid wait for them in the wilderness, to cut off their retreat, and to pick up stragglers. nay, the king himself, though he may be supposed to have had all the advantages the exigence of the case would admit to favour his flight, yet could not escape, for divine vengeance pursued him with them, and then (Lam 4:20), The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits. Some apply it to Josiah, who was killed in battle by the king of Egypt; but it is rather to be understood of Zedekiah, who was the last king of the house of David, and who was pursued by the Chaldeans and seized in the plains of Jericho, Jer 39:5. He was the anointed of the Lord, heir of that family which God had appointed to the government. he was very much confided in by the Jewish state: They said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. They promised themselves that the remnant which were left after Jeconiah's captivity should, under the protection of his government, yet again take root downward and bear fruit upward. They thought, though they were so reduced that they could not think of reigning over the heathen, as they had done, yet they might make a shift to live among them and not be insulted and pulled to pieces by them. Thus apt are sinking interests not only to catch at every twig, but to think it will recover them. Jerusalem died of a consumption, a flattering distemper. Even when she was ready to expire she formed some hopeful symptoms to herself, and on them grounded a hope that she should recover; but what came of it? The shadow under which they thought they should live proved like that of Jonah's gourd, which withered in a night. He that was the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits, as if he had been but a beast of prey; so little account did they make of a person deemed sacred and not to be violated. Note, When we make any creature the breath of our nostrils, and promise ourselves that we shall live by it, it is just with God to stop that breath, and deprive us of the life we expected by it; for God will have the honour of being himself along our life and the length of our days.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Here is assigned a reason for the destruction. As a result, wonder would cease. And first, as to fault of prelates: "for the sins of prophets and the iniquities of her priests." Namely, those who ought to govern the people. As the Prophet Daniel 13:5 says: "In that year two elders from the people were appointed as judges.
Concerning them the Lord had said: "Iniquity came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people."
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Summary
Lamentations 4:13 serves as a profound and devastating indictment, pinpointing the moral and spiritual failures of Jerusalem's religious leadership as the direct cause of the city's catastrophic destruction. The verse explicitly attributes the divine judgment to "the sins of her prophets" and "the iniquities of her priests," highlighting their most egregious offense: shedding "the blood of the just" within the very heart of the city. This powerful accusation underscores how those entrusted with guiding the nation in righteousness instead became instruments of corruption and injustice, ultimately leading to Jerusalem's utter desolation.
Context
Literary Context
Lamentations 4 offers a vivid and harrowing portrayal of Jerusalem's suffering during and immediately following its destruction by the Babylonian Empire. Unlike earlier chapters that might alternate between lament and hope, this chapter focuses intensely on the physical degradation, social collapse, and moral decay that afflicted the once-glorious city. It describes the horrors of famine, the humiliation of its inhabitants, and the abject state of its princes. Verse 13 marks a pivotal shift, moving from a description of the suffering to a theological explanation of its root cause. It functions as a direct and severe accusation against the spiritual leaders, providing the crucial moral rationale for the divine judgment experienced by the city. This verse is essential for understanding the book's overarching argument: Jerusalem's downfall was not merely a military defeat but a just consequence of deep-seated sin, particularly the pervasive corruption within its religious institutions.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Lamentations is a visceral poetic response to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and its sacred Temple in 586 BC by the Babylonian forces, an event that heralded the end of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the Babylonian exile. This period was not only a political and military disaster but also a profound theological crisis for Israel, challenging their understanding of God's covenant promises and His presence among them. The decades leading up to the exile were marked by rampant apostasy, idolatry, widespread social injustice, and a blatant disregard for God's divine law, despite the persistent warnings issued by true prophets like Jeremiah. Within this context, religious leaders—the prophets and priests—wielded immense influence over the populace. However, many prophets delivered deceptive messages of peace and prosperity, directly contradicting God's authentic word, while priests frequently neglected their sacred duties, engaged in corrupt practices, and failed to instruct the people in righteousness. The grave charge of shedding "the blood of the just" points to the persecution, imprisonment, and even murder of righteous individuals, including those who faithfully proclaimed God's truth, such as Jeremiah himself, who faced imprisonment and threats of death for his prophecies of doom, as recorded in Jeremiah 38:6. This historical backdrop profoundly emphasizes the severity of the leaders' betrayal of their divine trust and the covenant.
Key Themes
Lamentations 4:13 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent throughout the book and the broader prophetic tradition. First, it underscores the Accountability of Leadership, particularly spiritual leaders. The "sins of her prophets" and "iniquities of her priests" are presented as the primary and direct catalysts for the nation's ruin, emphasizing that those entrusted with guiding God's people face severe divine consequences for their unfaithfulness and pervasive corruption. Second, the verse highlights Spiritual Corruption as a Root Cause of national disaster. The destruction of Jerusalem is portrayed not merely as a political or military defeat but as a divine judgment stemming from profound moral and spiritual decay, where the very institutions designed to uphold God's law became agents of injustice and moral compromise. Third, the accusation of shedding Innocent Blood is a profoundly grave charge, signifying the ultimate depravity and a direct violation of God's covenant. This heinous act, repeatedly condemned throughout the Old Testament, as seen in Deuteronomy 19:10, demonstrates a complete disregard for human life and divine justice. Finally, the verse powerfully reinforces the theme of Divine Justice, portraying Jerusalem's suffering as a direct and just consequence of these severe sins, particularly the widespread corruption of religious leadership and the shedding of righteous blood, confirming that God holds His people, and especially their leaders, responsible for their actions, echoing warnings found in passages like Jeremiah 23:1-2.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (H2403) refers to an offense, often implying a "missing of the mark" or a deviation from God's righteous standard. It can also denote the penalty for sin, or even a sin offering. In this context, it speaks to the inherent moral failings and transgressions of the prophets, highlighting their active disobedience and departure from divine truth. Their "sins" were not mere mistakes but deliberate acts of rebellion against God's revealed will, leading the people astray.
This word (H5771) carries a stronger connotation than "sins," emphasizing perversity, moral evil, and the resulting guilt. It suggests a twistedness or distortion of character and action. The "iniquities" of the priests point to their deep-seated corruption, their willful engagement in wrongdoing, and the accumulated guilt that made them deserving of punishment. It implies a deliberate turning away from what is right and a perversion of their sacred duties.
This term (H1818) fundamentally refers to the life force, that which when shed causes death. Figuratively, especially in the plural, it signifies bloodshed, violence, and bloodguiltiness. The phrase "shed the blood of the just" is a powerful and horrifying accusation, indicating not merely indirect culpability but active participation in the violence, oppression, and murder of innocent, righteous individuals. This act is the ultimate profanation of life and a direct affront to God's justice.
Verse Breakdown
"For the sins of her prophets,"
This opening clause immediately establishes the primary cause of Jerusalem's devastation. The "prophets," who were divinely appointed to be God's spokespersons, delivering His truth and warning, instead engaged in "sins"—actions that missed God's mark, likely including the promulgation of false prophecies, self-enrichment, and misleading the people with comforting lies rather than challenging them with divine truth.
"and the iniquities of her priests,"
This parallel clause further implicates the other major spiritual leadership group. The "priests" were responsible for mediating between God and the people, teaching the divine law, and maintaining the sanctity of the Temple. Their "iniquities" suggest a deep-seated perversity and moral corruption, implying they profaned sacred spaces, neglected their solemn duties, engaged in social injustice, and perhaps even participated in idolatry, thereby leading the people into greater apostasy and moral decay.
"that have shed the blood of the just"
This is the gravest and most damning charge, specifying the heinous nature of their collective sin. "Shedding blood" implies acts of violence, oppression, and ultimately murder. The victims are described as "the just" (Hebrew: tsaddîyq), meaning the righteous, the innocent, those who lived according to God's standards or courageously spoke His truth. This refers to the persecution, imprisonment, and even execution of those who opposed the corrupt religious and political establishment. This act of shedding innocent blood was a profound violation of God's covenant and a sign of ultimate depravity.
"in the midst of her,"
This concluding phrase emphasizes the public, pervasive, and brazen nature of these atrocities. The innocent blood was shed not in secret, but openly within the very heart of Jerusalem, the city meant to be God's holy dwelling place and the center of His presence. This public display of injustice and violence further highlights the utter moral decay and the leaders' flagrant disregard for God's presence and law within His own sacred city.
Literary Devices
Lamentations 4:13 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and devastating message. The most prominent is Juxtaposition, which powerfully contrasts the sacred, divinely appointed roles of "prophets" and "priests" with their heinous actions of "shedding the blood of the just." This creates a profound sense of Irony, as those meant to be guardians of righteousness and life became agents of sin and death. The phrase "shed the blood of the just" is a striking example of Metonymy, where "blood" stands for the act of murder, the violence perpetrated, and the resulting bloodguilt. The verse also utilizes Parallelism in its structure, pairing "sins of her prophets" with "iniquities of her priests," which reinforces the shared culpability of both leadership groups and emphasizes the pervasive nature of their corruption. The entire verse functions as a concise yet devastating Accusation, directly attributing the city's profound suffering to specific moral failures, thereby rendering the divine judgment understandable and just.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Lamentations 4:13 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine justice and the severe consequences of spiritual corruption, particularly among those in positions of leadership. It powerfully echoes a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament: God holds His chosen people, and especially their leaders, to an exceptionally high standard of righteousness and accountability. The shedding of innocent blood is consistently presented as a sin that cries out to heaven, defiling the land and demanding divine retribution. This verse underscores the principle that national calamity is often a direct result of a nation's profound moral and spiritual decline, particularly when those meant to guide the people into obedience instead lead them into sin and injustice. It highlights the sanctity of human life and the abhorrence of God towards violence against the righteous, demonstrating unequivocally that such acts cannot go unpunished. The suffering of Jerusalem is thus portrayed not as arbitrary cruelty but as a just consequence of profound covenant infidelity, epitomized by the actions of its spiritual guides who betrayed their sacred trust.
Reflection and Application
Lamentations 4:13 offers timeless and profoundly sobering lessons for every generation, serving as a powerful reminder that leadership, particularly within spiritual and moral contexts, carries immense responsibility and accountability before God. When those entrusted with guiding others in truth and righteousness succumb to corruption, injustice, or the pursuit of self-interest, the consequences can be devastating, not only for themselves but for the entire community they lead. This verse challenges believers to exercise profound discernment, to not blindly follow those who claim spiritual authority, but to diligently test all teachings and actions against the unchanging, infallible standard of God's Word. It also calls us to a deep and unwavering commitment to justice, especially for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the innocent. The shedding of innocent blood, whether literal or figurative (through neglect, oppression, or culpable silence in the face of injustice), remains an abomination to God. Therefore, we are compelled to actively advocate for righteousness, to courageously speak truth to power, and to ensure that our own lives and the institutions we are a part of faithfully reflect God's immutable character of justice, mercy, and truth, lest we, too, incur divine displeasure through our complicity or inaction.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests" specifically refer to?
This phrase refers to the profound moral and spiritual failures of Jerusalem's religious leaders during the period leading up to its catastrophic destruction. The "prophets" were often false prophets who delivered deceptive messages of peace and prosperity that directly contradicted God's true warnings, thereby misleading the people and encouraging them in their sin, as vividly described in Jeremiah 14:13-14. The "priests" were divinely appointed to teach God's law, offer sacrifices, and maintain the sanctity of the Temple, but many became deeply corrupt, neglected their sacred duties, engaged in social injustice, and even participated in idolatrous practices, as condemned in Ezekiel 22:26. Their combined corruption contributed significantly to the nation's pervasive spiritual decay and ultimately to God's subsequent, just judgment.
What is the meaning of "shed the blood of the just"?
"Shedding the blood of the just" is a profoundly grave accusation implying the systematic persecution, oppression, and even murder of righteous, innocent individuals. These "just" people (Hebrew: tsaddîyq) were likely those who remained faithful to God, courageously spoke His truth, and openly challenged the prevailing corruption of the religious and political establishment. This pattern is exemplified by the prophet Jeremiah himself, who faced severe persecution, imprisonment, and threats of death from the authorities, as documented in Jeremiah 26:20-23. This act signifies the ultimate depravity of the leaders, as they not only failed to uphold justice but actively participated in the destruction of those who sought to live righteously. It represents a profound violation of God's covenant and a sin that fundamentally defiled the land, crying out for divine retribution.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Lamentations 4:13, with its stark indictment of corrupt religious leaders shedding the blood of the just, finds its ultimate and tragic fulfillment, yet also its glorious reversal, in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The very pattern of righteous individuals being persecuted and murdered by those in religious authority culminates in the crucifixion of Jesus. He was the truly Just One, the perfect Lamb of God without blemish or spot, whose innocent blood was shed "in the midst" of Jerusalem, at the hands of a corrupt religious establishment (the chief priests and elders) and a complicit political power (Pontius Pilate). Unlike the unjust blood shed by the prophets and priests of old, Christ's blood was not shed for His own sin, but as the perfect, once-for-all atoning sacrifice for the sins of humanity, as affirmed in Hebrews 9:22. He is the ultimate Prophet, who perfectly declared God's truth and revealed the Father, as stated in John 1:18, and the Great High Priest, who offered Himself as the final, efficacious sacrifice, entering the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf, as described in Hebrews 4:14. Thus, where the leaders of Judah brought judgment through their corruption and the shedding of innocent blood, Christ, through His innocent suffering and the voluntary shedding of His own blood, brought forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life, establishing a new covenant that perfectly fulfills the law's demands and redeems all who believe, as declared in Matthew 26:28.