TRV
Translation
King James Version
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
Complete Jewish Bible
Her princes were purer than snow; they were whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than pink pearls, as beautiful as sapphires.
Berean Standard Bible
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
American Standard Version
Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.
World English Bible Messianic
Her Nazirites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Her Nazarites were purer then the snowe, and whiter then ye milke: they were more ruddie in bodie, then the redde precious stones; they were like polished saphir.
Young's Literal Translation
Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.
See also
In the KJVVerse 20,428 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Lamentations 4 verses 1–12
1 ¶ How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
The elegy in this chapter begins with a lamentation of the very sad and doleful change which the judgments of God had made in Jerusalem. The city that was formerly as gold, as the most fine gold, so rich and splendid, the perfection of beauty and the joy of the whole earth, has become dim, and is changed, has lost its lustre, lost its value, is not what it was; it has become dross. Alas! what an alteration is here!
I. The temple was laid waste, which was the glory of Jerusalem and its protection. it is given up into the hands of the enemy. And some understand the gold spoken of (Lam 4:1) to be the gold of the temple, the fine gold with which it was overlaid (Kg1 6:22); when the temple was burned the gold of it was smoked and sullied, as if it had been of little value. it was thrown among the rubbish; it was changed, converted to common uses and made nothing of. The stones of the sanctuary, which were curiously wrought, were thrown down by the Chaldeans, when they demolished it, or were brought down by the force of the fire, and were poured out, and thrown about in the top of every street; they lay mingled without distinction among the common ruins. When the God of the sanctuary was by sin provoked to withdraw no wonder that the stones of the sanctuary were thus profaned.
II. The princes and priests, who were in a special manner the sons of Zion, were trampled upon and abused, Lam 4:2. Both the house of God and the house of David were in Zion. The sons of both those houses were upon this account precious, that they were heirs to the privileges of those two covenants of priesthood and royalty. They were comparable to fine gold. Israel was more rich in them than in treasures of gold and silver. But now they are esteemed as earthen pitchers; they are broken as earthen pitchers, thrown by as vessels in which there is no pleasure. They have grown poor, and are brought into captivity, and thereby are rendered mean and despicable, and every one treads upon them and insults over them. Note, The contempt put upon God's people ought to be matter of lamentation to us.
III. Little children were starved for want of bread and water, Lam 4:3, Lam 4:4. The nursing-mothers, having no meat for themselves, had no milk for the babes at their breast, so that, though in disposition they were really compassionate, yet in fact they seemed to be cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness, that leave their eggs in the dust (Job 39:14, Job 39:15); having no food for their children, they were forced to neglect them and do what they could to forget them, because it was a pain to them to think of them when they had nothing for them; in this they were worse than the seals, or sea-monsters, or whales (as some render it), for they drew out the breast, and gave suck to their young, which the daughter of my people will not do. Children cannot shift for themselves as grown people can; and therefore it was the more painful to see the tongue of the sucking-child cleave to the roof of his mouth for thirst, because there was not a drop of water to moisten it; and to hear the young children, that could but just speak, ask bread of their parents, who had none to give them, no, nor any friend that could supply them. As doleful as our thoughts are of this case, so thankful should our thoughts be of the great plenty we enjoy, and the food convenient we have for ourselves and for our children, and for those of our own house.
IV. Persons of good rank were reduced to extreme poverty, Lam 4:5. Those who were well-born and well bred, and had been accustomed to the best, both for food and clothing, who had fed delicately, had every thing that was curious and nice (they call it eating well, whereas those only eat well who eat to the glory of God), and fared sumptuously every day; they had not only been advanced to the scarlet, but from their beginning were brought up in scarlet, and were never acquainted with any thing mean or ordinary. They were brought up upon scarlet (so the word is); their foot-cloths, and the carpets they walked on, were scarlet, yet these, being stripped of all by the war, are desolate in the streets, have not a house to put their head in, nor a bed to lie on, nor clothes to cover them, nor fire to warm them. They embrace dunghills; on them they were glad to lie to get a little rest, and perhaps raked in the dunghills for something to eat, as the prodigal son who would fain have filled his belly with the husks. Note, Those who live in the greatest pomp and plenty know not what straits they may be reduced to before they die; as sometimes the needy are raised out of the dunghill. Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread, Sa1 2:5. It is therefore the wisdom of those who have abundance not to use themselves too nicely, for then hardships, when they come, will be doubly hard, Deu 28:56.
V. Persons who were eminent for dignity, nay, perhaps for sanctity, shared with others in the common calamity, Lam 4:7, Lam 4:8. Her Nazarites are extremely charged. Some understand it only of her honourable ones, the young gentlemen, who were very clean, and neat, and well-dressed, washed and perfumed; but I see not why we may not understand it of those devout people among them who separated themselves to the Lord by the Nazarites' vow, Num. 6. 2. That there were such among them in the most degenerate times appears from Amo 2:11, I raised up of your young men for Nazarites. These Nazarites, though they were not to cut their hair, yet by reason of their temperate diet, their frequent washings, and especially the pleasure they had in devoting themselves to God and conversing with him, which made their faces to shine as Moses's, were purer than snow and whiter than milk; drinking no wine nor strong drink, they had a more healthful complexion and cheerful countenance than those who regaled themselves daily with the blood of the grape, as Daniel and his fellows with pulse and water. Or it may denote the great respect and veneration which all good people had for them; though perhaps to the eye they had no form nor comeliness, yet, being separated to the Lord, they were valued as if they had been more ruddy than rubies and their polishing had been of sapphire. But now their visage is marred (as is said of Christ, Isa 52:14); it is blacker than a coal; they look miserably, partly through hunger and partly through grief and perplexity. They are not known in the streets; those who respected them now take no notice of them, and those who had been intimately acquainted with them now scarcely knew them, their countenance was so altered by the miseries that attended the long siege. Their skin cleaves to their bones, their flesh being quite consumed and wasted away; it is withered; it has become like a stick, as dry and hard as a piece of wood. Note, It is a thing to be much lamented that even those who are separated to God are yet, when desolating judgments are abroad, often involved with others in the common calamity.
VI. Jerusalem came down slowly, and died a lingering death; for the famine contributed more to her destruction than any other judgment whatsoever. Upon this account the destruction of Jerusalem was greater than that of Sodom (Lam 4:6), for that was overthrown in a moment; one shower of fire and brimstone dispatched it; no hand staid on her; she did not endure any long siege, as Jerusalem has done; she fell immediately into the hands of the Lord, who strikes home at a blow, and did not fall into the hands of man, who, being weak, is long in doing execution, Jdg 8:21. Jerusalem is kept many months upon the rack, in pain and misery, and dies by inches, dies so as to feel herself die. And, when the iniquity of Jerusalem is more aggravated than that of Sodom, no wonder that the punishment of it is so. Sodom never had the means of grace the Jerusalem had, the oracles of God and his prophets, and therefore the condemnation of Jerusalem will be more intolerable than that of Sodom, Mat 11:23, Mat 11:24. The extremity of the famine is here set forth by two frightful instances of it: - 1. The tedious deaths that it was the cause of (Lam 4:9); many were slain with hunger, were famished to death, their stores being spent, and the public stores so nearly spent that they could not have any relief out of them. They were stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field; those who were starved were as sure to die as if they had been stabbed and stricken through; only their case was much more miserable. Those who are slain with the sword are soon put out of their pain; in a moment they go down to the grave, Job 21:13. They have not the terror of seeing death make its advances towards them, and scarcely feel it when the blow is given; it is but one sharp struggle, and the work is done. And, if we be ready for another world, we need not be afraid of a short passage to it; the quicker the better. But those who die by famine pine away; hunger preys upon their spirits and wastes them gradually; nay, and it frets their spirits, and fills them with vexation, and is as great a torture to the mind as to the body. There are bands in their death, Psa 73:4. 2. The barbarous murders that it was the occasion of (Lam 4:10): The hands of the pitiful women have first slain and then sodden their own children. This was lamented before (Lam 2:20); and it was a thing to be greatly lamented that any should be so wicked as to do it and that they should be brought to such extremities as to be tempted to it. But this horrid effect of long sieges had been threatened in general (Lev 26:29, Deu 28:53), and particularly against Jerusalem in the siege of the Chaldeans, Jer 19:9; Eze 5:10. The case was sad enough that they had not wherewithal to feed their children and make meat for them (Lam 4:4), but much worse that they could find in their hearts to feed upon their children and make meat of them. I know not whether to make it an instance of the power of necessity or of the power of iniquity; but, as the Gentile idolaters were justly given up to vile affections (Rom 1:26), so these Jewish idolaters, and the women particularly, who had made cakes to the queen of heaven and taught their children to do so too, were stripped of natural affection and that to their own children. Being thus left to dishonour their own nature was a righteous judgment upon them for the dishonour they had done to God.
VII. Jerusalem comes down utterly and wonderfully. 1. The destruction of Jerusalem is a complete destruction (Lam 4:11): The Lord has accomplished his fury; he has made thorough work of it, has executed all that he purposed in wrath against Jerusalem, and has remitted no part of the sentence. He has poured out the full vials of his fierce anger, poured them out to the bottom, even the dregs of them. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has not only consumed the houses, and levelled them with the ground, but, beyond what other fires do, has devoured the foundations thereof, as if they were to be no more built upon. 2. It is an amazing destruction, Lam 4:12. It was a surprise to the kings of the earth, who are acquainted with, and inquisitive about, the state of their neighbours; nay, it was so to all the inhabitants of the world who knew Jerusalem, or had ever heard or read of it; they could not have believed that the adversary and enemy would ever enter into the gates of Jerusalem; for, (1.) They knew that Jerusalem was strongly fortified, not only by walls and bulwarks, but by the numbers and strength of its inhabitants; the strong hold of Zion was thought to be impregnable. (2.) They knew that it was the city of the great King, where the Lord of the whole earth had in a more peculiar manner his residence; it was the holy city, and therefore they thought that it was so much under the divine protection that it would be in vain for any of its enemies to make an attack upon it. (3.) They knew that many an attempt made upon it had been baffled, witness that of Sennacherib. They were therefore amazed when they heard of the Chaldeans making themselves masters of it, and concluded that it was certainly by an immediate hand of God that Jerusalem was given up to them; it was by a commission from him that the enemy broke through and entered the gates of Jerusalem.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
Copy as
TertullianAD 220
AGAINST MARCION 4.8
The Christ of the Creator had to be called a Nazarene according to prophecy; thus the Jews also designate us, on that very account, Nazarenes after him. For we are they of whom it is written, “Its Nazarites were whiter than snow,” even they who were once defiled with the stains of sin and darkened with the clouds of ignorance. But to Christ the title Nazarene was destined to become a suitable one, from the hiding place of his infancy, for which he went down and dwelled at Nazareth, to escape from Archelaus the son of Herod.
Gregory of NazianzusAD 390
ON HOLY BAPTISM, ORATION 40:25
Take my advice, my friend, and be slow to do evil but swift to your salvation; for readiness to evil and tardiness to good are equally bad. If you are invited to a revel, be not swift to go; if to apostasy, leap away; if a company of evildoers say to you, “Come with us, share our blood guiltiness, let us hide in the earth a righteous person unjustly,” do not lend them even your ears. Thus you will make two very great gains; you will make known to the other his sin, and you will deliver yourself from evil company. But if David the Great says to you, Come and let us rejoice in the Lord, or another prophet, Come and let us ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or our Savior himself, Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, or, Arise, let us go hence, shining brightly, glittering above snow, whiter than milk, shining above the sapphire stone, let us not resist or delay. Let us be like Peter and John, and let us hasten, as they did to the sepulcher and the resurrection, so we to the font; running together, racing against each other, striving to be first to obtain this blessing.
Thomas AquinasAD 1274
Here is viewed the knowledge of those consecrated to God, namely, the Nazarites, concerning whose consecration Numbers 6:13, and following, reports.
So, first is spoken of their beauty, second, their knowledge and subsequent shame. As said in Verse 8: "Now their visage is blacker than soot, they are not recognised in the streets; their skin has shriveled upon their bones, it has become as dry as wood." Thirdly, a comparison is considered as to punishment, as next said in Verse 9: "Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who pined away, stricken by want of the fruits of the field."
As to corporal beauty, a decent appearance is required, by which is a countenance of joyulness. As Verse 7 says: "Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire."
Also, an old dual color is required, namely,"red". As Verse 7 says: "their bodies were more ruddy than coral." And also as "white". Again, as Verse 7 states: "Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk". Now, the philosopher (Aristotle) claims, the color "white" is exceedingly receptive to other colors. It is befitting that "white" be minus any stain. As Verse 7 refers to this idea: "whiter than milk".
So, such are extreme statements, howsoever false. For, they are figures of speech in which another idea is referred to, as sigiified. So literally such persons were adorned, due to cleanness, and abstinences of their life. As reported of the prophet Daniel, and his ssociates. Also as reported in Deuteronomy: 33:16: "with the best gifts of the earth and its fulness, and the favor of him that dwelt in the bush. Let these come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of him that is prince among his brothers."
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Lamentations 4:7 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Lamentations 4:7 offers a poignant lament, vividly contrasting the past splendor and purity of Jerusalem's most consecrated and prominent citizens, metaphorically depicted as "Nazarites," with their present state of degradation and suffering. The verse recalls a time when these individuals radiated with vibrant health, moral integrity, and spiritual devotion, their physical beauty likened to the most precious gems, thereby setting a stark backdrop for the ensuing descriptions of famine, disease, and defilement that befell the city during the Babylonian siege.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Lamentations 4:7 employs several powerful literary devices to underscore the dramatic contrast between past glory and present desolation. Simile is prominently used, comparing the Nazarites' purity to "snow" and "milk," and their ruddy complexion to "rubies," while their overall refinement is likened to "sapphire." These comparisons evoke images of pristine beauty, vibrant health, and immense value. The verse also utilizes Hyperbole, exaggerating the Nazarites' former beauty and perfection to emphasize the profound depth of their subsequent fall. The entire verse functions as a form of Juxtaposition, implicitly setting up a stark contrast with the grim descriptions of suffering that follow in the chapter, making the subsequent verses all the more impactful. Finally, Symbolism is at play with "Nazarites" representing not just literal vow-takers but the ideal spiritual and physical state of Jerusalem's elite, and the precious stones symbolizing their intrinsic worth, beauty, and the divine favor they once enjoyed.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 4:7 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine judgment and the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. By depicting Jerusalem's consecrated elite in such glorious terms, the prophet highlights the immense privilege and blessing that was once theirs, rooted in their special relationship with God. The subsequent loss of this radiant beauty and vitality is a stark illustration of how deeply sin and disobedience can degrade a people, both physically and spiritually. It underscores that God's judgment is not arbitrary but a righteous response to a nation that has forsaken its covenant obligations, turning from the source of true life and beauty. This verse implicitly teaches that true beauty and flourishing are ultimately tied to spiritual purity and faithfulness to God, and that their absence leads to decay and desolation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 4:7 is a powerful mirror for both individuals and communities, prompting us to examine our own spiritual state. The verse's lament over lost glory serves as a poignant reminder that outward appearances, material wealth, or even past spiritual achievements are transient if not rooted in ongoing faithfulness and purity before God. It challenges us to consider the "polishing" of our own lives—are we cultivating a character that reflects God's beauty and holiness, or are we allowing spiritual complacency and compromise to erode our vitality? The dramatic fall of Jerusalem's elite from radiant health and consecration to degradation warns against the deceptive nature of sin, which promises freedom but delivers bondage and decay. This passage calls us to a renewed commitment to purity, both inward and outward, recognizing that true flourishing comes from a devoted walk with God, and that deviation from His path inevitably leads to a loss of spiritual vibrancy and a diminished reflection of His glory.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who were the "Nazarites" mentioned in Lamentations 4:7, and why are they significant here?
Answer: In a literal sense, "Nazarites" (Hebrew: nâzîyr) were individuals who took a special vow of separation to the Lord, as detailed in Numbers 6. This vow involved abstaining from wine, not cutting their hair, and avoiding contact with dead bodies, symbolizing a heightened level of dedication and purity. In Lamentations 4:7, while it could refer to actual Nazarites, the term is likely used in a broader, poetic sense to represent the most noble, consecrated, and spiritually ideal members of Jerusalem's society. Their former radiant health and purity, described in vivid terms, symbolize the peak of Judah's spiritual and physical well-being before its catastrophic fall. Their inclusion emphasizes the complete and tragic reversal of fortune, as even the most dedicated and outwardly perfect among them succumbed to the widespread suffering.
What is the significance of the precious stones and natural elements used to describe the Nazarites' appearance?
Answer: The comparisons to "snow," "milk," "rubies," and "sapphire" are highly significant. "Snow" and "milk" symbolize pristine purity, whiteness, and natural beauty, suggesting an unblemished and healthful state. "Rubies" (or pearls, depending on interpretation) convey a sense of deep, vibrant color, immense value, and robust health, indicating a ruddy, vital complexion. "Sapphire," a highly prized and beautiful gemstone, represents flawless perfection, brilliance, and perhaps even a connection to divine glory (as sapphire is often associated with God's throne, e.g., Exodus 24:10). Together, these elements create a cumulative image of extraordinary beauty, health, value, and refinement. Their use in this verse serves to heighten the tragic contrast with the subsequent verses, which describe the emaciated, blackened, and defiled state of the very same people, emphasizing the devastating impact of God's judgment.
How does Lamentations 4:7 relate to the broader message of the book of Lamentations?
Answer: Lamentations 4:7 is pivotal in establishing the profound depth of Jerusalem's fall. The book of Lamentations is a dirge, a mournful song over the destruction of the city and the suffering of its people. This verse, by vividly portraying the former glory, purity, and beauty of Jerusalem's elite, creates a stark and heartbreaking contrast with the current state of degradation, starvation, and defilement described throughout Chapter 4 (e.g., Lamentations 4:8-10). This dramatic juxtaposition amplifies the tragedy and the severity of God's judgment, underscoring the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness to the covenant. It reminds the reader of what was lost and emphasizes the complete reversal of fortune, making the lament all the more poignant and impactful.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 4:7, with its lament over lost purity, beauty, and consecration, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reversal in Jesus Christ. The "Nazarites" of Judah, representing an ideal of human purity and devotion, ultimately failed, leading to the desolation described. However, Jesus is the true and perfect "Nazarite," the One "separated" and consecrated to God in an absolute sense, not by a temporary vow but by His very nature and mission (Hebrews 7:26). While the people of Jerusalem lost their radiant health and beauty due to sin, Christ, though without blemish Himself, willingly took on the ugliness of sin and suffering, becoming "more marred than any man" (Isaiah 52:14). His body, unlike the "ruddy" and healthy Nazarites, was broken and bruised for our transgressions. Through His perfect sacrifice, He offers a new and eternal "polishing"—a spiritual cleansing that makes us "purer than snow" (Isaiah 1:18) and "whiter than milk," not based on our own fleeting human efforts, but on the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:18-19). He restores not merely a physical beauty, but a spiritual glory, transforming those who were defiled by sin into His own image, reflecting His divine splendor (2 Corinthians 3:18). In Christ, the lost glory lamented in Lamentations is not just remembered but eternally regained and surpassed.