Lamentations 5:10

KJV

Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

KJV (with Strong's)

Our skin {H5785} was black {H3648} like an oven {H8574} because {H6440} of the terrible {H2152} famine {H7458}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Our skins are as black as a furnace because of the searing blasts of famine.

Berean Standard Bible

Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.

American Standard Version

Our skin is black like an oven, Because of the burning heat of famine.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Lamentations 5:10 offers a harrowing and visceral depiction of the extreme physical degradation and suffering endured by the inhabitants of Jerusalem during the devastating Babylonian siege and its aftermath. It is a raw cry from a community ravaged by starvation, describing their skin as shriveled, darkened, and parched, not by ethnicity, but by the consuming and dehumanizing effects of a catastrophic famine, serving as a poignant and unforgettable testament to the horrors of divine judgment and profound human despair.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Lamentations 5 functions as the concluding chapter of the book, presenting a collective prayer or communal lament from the survivors of Jerusalem's destruction. Distinct from the preceding four chapters, which are meticulously structured acrostic poems, chapter 5 is a twenty-two-verse prayer that, while not acrostic, still maintains twenty-two verses, perhaps symbolizing completeness or mirroring the Hebrew alphabet's length. This chapter serves as a direct, fervent petition to God, recounting the depths of their suffering and pleading for divine intervention and restoration. Verse 10 specifically contributes to this litany of woes, offering a stark and unforgettable physical description of the famine's impact, thereby underscoring the severity of the conditions that prompt their desperate appeal to the Lord, as initiated by the plea for remembrance in [Lamentations 5:1](/lamentations/5-1 "Lamentations 5:1 - A Plea for Remembrance"). The entire chapter is a direct address to Yahweh, cataloging the various forms of suffering and injustice experienced.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** This verse is set against the grim backdrop of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (588-586 BC) and its subsequent catastrophic destruction. King Nebuchadnezzar's formidable army executed a brutal blockade of the city, meticulously cutting off all food and water supplies, which inevitably led to a protracted and agonizing famine. This tactic was a common and effective strategy in ancient warfare, designed to systematically break the will and resistance of the besieged populace. In ancient Israelite culture, famine was understood as a profound calamity, often interpreted as a direct consequence of divine judgment for covenant unfaithfulness, a concept explicitly prophesied in passages such as [Deuteronomy 28:48](/deuteronomy/28-48 "Deuteronomy 28:48 - Curses for Disobedience and Famine"). The striking description of skin "black like an oven" is not a racial identifier but a vivid, culturally resonant image conveying extreme dehydration, severe malnutrition, and the effects of exposure and disease, akin to scorched earth or a shriveled, burned object. The "oven" (Hebrew: *tannûwr*) was typically a clay or brick structure, heated intensely for baking, and its interior would become dark, parched, and shriveled.
* **Key Themes:** Lamentations 5:10 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes pervasive within the book of Lamentations and the broader prophetic literature. Primarily, it vividly illustrates the **extreme physical suffering** inflicted by God's judgment, demonstrating the horrific and dehumanizing consequences of prolonged siege and famine. It graphically portrays the **depths of despair** experienced by the survivors, emphasizing their abject helplessness and the complete breakdown of societal order and human dignity. Furthermore, the verse implicitly underscores the profound theme of **divine judgment for covenant unfaithfulness**, as the famine was a predicted curse for disobedience within the Mosaic covenant (e.g., [Leviticus 26:26](/leviticus/26-26 "Leviticus 26:26 - Breaking the Staff of Bread")). Finally, even amidst this graphic depiction of suffering, the very act of communal lament in chapter 5 embodies the theme of **honest lament and desperate prayer**, demonstrating that even in the darkest moments of desolation, the people turned to God, pouring out their anguish and implicitly appealing to His mercy and faithfulness, a fragile hope that flickers through the darkness in passages like [Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22-23 "Lamentations 3:22-23 - God's Steadfast Love and Mercies").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **black (Hebrew, _kâmar'_):** H3648. A primitive root meaning "to intertwine or contract," and by implication, "to shrivel (as with heat)." Figuratively, it can also mean "to be deeply affected with passion." In Lamentations 5:10, *kâmar* describes the physical darkening and shriveling of the skin, consistent with severe dehydration, malnutrition, and the effects of extreme heat or illness, making the skin appear scorched, withered, and discolored. It paints a picture of intense physical deterioration.
* **oven (Hebrew, _tannûwr'_):** H8574. Refers to a fire-pot or a clay oven used for baking bread. The comparison of the skin to an "oven" is highly evocative, emphasizing extreme heat, dryness, and a dark, shriveled appearance. It conveys a sense of being parched and consumed from within, highlighting the intensity of their suffering and the profound desiccation of their bodies, much like the interior of a intensely heated, dry clay structure.
* **terrible (Hebrew, _zalʻâphâh'_):** H2152. Derived from a root meaning "to glow (of wind or anger)," this word can refer to a consuming glow or a famine (as consuming). It denotes something horrible, dreadful, or consuming. When applied to "famine" in this verse, *zalʻâphâh* intensifies the description, portraying the famine not merely as a lack of food but as a terrifying, consuming force that brings about such a horrific and dehumanizing physical state.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Our skin was black like an oven":** This clause presents a shocking and visceral simile, graphically describing the physical state of the people. "Our skin" (Hebrew: *ʻôwr*) refers to their very outer being, the most visible part of their bodies, which now bears the undeniable marks of their suffering. "Black" (Hebrew: *kâmar*) here signifies not a racial characteristic, but a deep discoloration, a parched, shriveled, and withered appearance. The powerful comparison to an "oven" (Hebrew: *tannûwr*) evokes the image of a clay oven's dark, intensely hot, and dry interior, suggesting that their skin was scorched, shriveled, and darkened by the extreme conditions of the siege, reflecting severe dehydration, malnutrition, fever, and disease. It paints a horrifying picture of bodies consumed and desiccated from within.
* **"because of the terrible famine":** This clause explicitly and unequivocally states the direct cause of the horrific physical condition described in the first part of the verse. The "terrible famine" (Hebrew: *zalʻâphâh râʻâb*) was the direct and devastating consequence of the prolonged Babylonian siege, which systematically cut off all food supplies to Jerusalem. The adjective "terrible" (Hebrew: *zalʻâphâh*) emphasizes the consuming, dreadful, and inescapable nature of this famine, highlighting its profound and destructive impact on the entire population, leading to the extreme physical deterioration so vividly depicted.

#### Literary Devices
Lamentations 5:10 employs powerful literary devices to convey the profound and agonizing suffering of the people. The most prominent device is **Simile**, explicitly stated in "Our skin was black **like an oven**." This comparison is not merely descriptive; it is deeply evocative and visceral, drawing upon the common experience of a hot, dark, and dry oven to convey the shriveled, scorched, and discolored state of their skin due to extreme dehydration and starvation. This vivid **Imagery** creates a palpable sense of their internal and external agony, allowing the reader to almost feel the parchedness and heat. The description also contains elements of **Hyperbole**, as "black like an oven" might be an exaggeration to underscore the extreme severity and near-death state of their condition, though it powerfully communicates the devastating physical toll. The raw, unvarnished depiction contributes significantly to the overall tone of **Lament**, serving as a direct, desperate cry of anguish and despair addressed to God.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 5:10 stands as a stark and sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of sin and divine judgment, particularly as experienced through the covenant curses meticulously outlined in the Mosaic Law. It underscores the profound physical, psychological, and spiritual toll that persistent rebellion against God can exact upon a people, serving as a tangible and horrifying manifestation of God's holy wrath against unfaithfulness. Yet, even in this horrific depiction of suffering, the very act of lamenting itself is a profound theological statement, demonstrating a continued, albeit desperate, engagement with God. It acknowledges His absolute sovereignty even over their suffering and implicitly appeals to His justice and mercy. This verse highlights the enduring Old Testament principle that God's justice is real and has tangible, often devastating, effects, while simultaneously inviting the community to turn to Him in their distress, even when the path to restoration seems utterly obscured.

* [Deuteronomy 28:48](/deuteronomy/28-48 "Deuteronomy 28:48 - Curses for Disobedience and Famine")
* [Leviticus 26:26](/leviticus/26-26 "Leviticus 26:26 - Breaking the Staff of Bread")
* [Jeremiah 14:12](/jeremiah/14-12 "Jeremiah 14:12 - Famine, Sword, and Pestilence")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 5:10 compels us to confront the harsh and often uncomfortable realities of suffering, particularly that which arises from human sin and its profound consequences, both individual and corporate. It serves as a powerful and urgent call to cultivate deep empathy for those who endure famine, war, and societal collapse in our own time, reminding us that such conditions are not abstract statistics but inflict profound, dehumanizing physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. The verse also implicitly challenges us to soberly consider the long-term, often devastating, outcomes of persistent disobedience and turning away from God's established ways. While the direct covenantal judgment is specific to ancient Israel, the universal principle that actions have consequences remains profoundly true. Moreover, the very act of lamenting, of crying out to God in such raw and unvarnished honesty, teaches us a vital spiritual discipline: the necessity of bringing our deepest pain, despair, and confusion before the Lord, trusting that even in the darkest valleys, He hears the cries of His people and remains sovereign.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this vivid description of suffering challenge my understanding of God's justice and His boundless mercy?**
* **In what specific ways might I be desensitized to the suffering of others in the world today, and how can this verse cultivate a deeper, more active empathy within me?**
* **What does this passage teach me about the profound importance of honest lament and persistent prayer in times of profound personal or collective crisis?**

### FAQ
**Was the "black skin" in Lamentations 5:10 a reference to race?**

Answer: No, the "black skin" described in [Lamentations 5:10](/lamentations/5-10 "Lamentations 5:10 - Skin Blackened by Famine") is not a racial characteristic or an ethnic descriptor. The Hebrew word *kâmar* (H3648) for "black" in this context refers to the darkening, shriveling, and parching of the skin, a condition entirely consistent with severe dehydration, extreme malnutrition, and the effects of intense heat or illness. The powerful comparison to an "oven" (Hebrew: *tannûwr*, H8574) further clarifies this imagery, evoking the appearance of something parched, scorched, and withered, much like the intensely heated and dry interior of a clay oven. This vivid description portrays the horrifying physical deterioration caused by the "terrible famine" (Hebrew: *zalʻâphâh râʻâb*, H2152, H7458) that gripped Jerusalem during the prolonged Babylonian siege, a common and devastating consequence of ancient warfare, as also tragically seen in [Jeremiah 52:6](/jeremiah/52-6 "Jeremiah 52:6 - Famine in Jerusalem").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 5:10, with its harrowing depiction of profound suffering and desolation due to divine judgment, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "terrible famine" and its physically consuming consequences point profoundly to the spiritual famine that grips all humanity apart from God—a deep starvation for truth, righteousness, and eternal life that only Christ can fully satisfy. Just as the people's skin was "black like an oven" from the consuming effects of judgment, Christ, on the cross, bore the full, consuming wrath of God for the sins of humanity, experiencing a spiritual desolation and abandonment far deeper and more agonizing than any physical famine. He willingly became the ultimate "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), enduring the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13) so that all who believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God's Love and Eternal Life")). Through His vicarious suffering, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus provides the true bread of life ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")) and living water ([John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus Offers Living Water")), satisfying the deepest spiritual hunger and thirst of the human soul, and offering abundant restoration and new life where there was once only desolation, death, and despair, thereby transforming the lament into an eternal song of redemption and hope.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Lamentations 4:8

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.

Job 30:30

My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

Psalms 119:83

¶ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; [yet] do I not forget thy statutes.

Lamentations 3:4

My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.