Lamentations 5:10

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

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

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

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

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

Commentary

Lamentations 5:10 (KJV) paints a stark and harrowing picture of the extreme suffering endured by the people of Jerusalem during and after the Babylonian siege and destruction of the city in 586 BC. This verse is part of a collective lament, where the survivors describe their horrific conditions to God, pleading for mercy and restoration.

Context

The entire Book of Lamentations is a poetic expression of grief and sorrow over the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem and the Temple. The city had been besieged by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army for an extended period, leading to unimaginable hardship. This verse specifically highlights the devastating impact of the terrible famine that gripped the city, a direct consequence of the siege. The people were cut off from all supplies, leading to starvation and disease, which the prophet attributes to God's righteous judgment for Israel's persistent sin and idolatry, as warned in passages like Deuteronomy 28.

Key Themes

  • Extreme Physical Suffering: The phrase "Our skin was black like an oven" is a powerful, visceral image. It describes not a racial characteristic, but the severe physical deterioration from extreme dehydration, malnutrition, and possibly fever. Their skin was shriveled, darkened, and scorched, akin to the inside of an intensely hot, dark clay oven, reflecting the internal agony and external decay. This imagery emphasizes the depth of their physical agony.
  • The Horrors of Famine: The verse directly links the physical state to "the terrible famine." Famine was a common and devastating consequence of ancient sieges, and Lamentations frequently references its brutal effects, even describing instances of cannibalism (Lamentations 2:20) and people preferring to die by the sword than by starvation (Lamentations 4:9).
  • Consequences of Disobedience: While Lamentations is a cry of pain, it also implicitly acknowledges that this suffering is a result of God's judgment upon His people for their unfaithfulness. The famine serves as a stark reminder of the covenant curses pronounced upon Israel if they turned away from God.
  • Desperate Plea: This graphic description is not just a historical report but part of a desperate plea to God for Him to witness their suffering and to act on their behalf. The lament is a form of prayer, pouring out the soul's anguish before the divine.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "black" here, qadar (ืงึธื“ึทืจ), can mean to be dark, mournful, or gloomy. It is often used in contexts of mourning or desolation. The comparison to an "oven" (tannur, ืชึทึผื ึผื•ึผืจ) emphasizes the extreme heat and dryness, painting a picture of skin that is literally scorched and shriveled, not just dark in color. This vivid simile underscores the severity of their physical condition.

Practical Application

Lamentations 5:10 serves as a powerful reminder of several timeless truths:

  • The Reality of Suffering: It helps us grasp the profound depths of human suffering, especially in times of war, famine, or societal collapse. It calls for empathy and compassion for those who endure such hardships today.
  • Understanding Consequences: While the direct link to God's judgment for sin is specific to ancient Israel's covenant, the verse broadly illustrates that choices (individual or national) can lead to severe and painful consequences.
  • Importance of Lament: The book itself teaches us the importance of expressing our pain and grief honestly before God, even in the darkest times. It shows that lament is a legitimate and necessary part of faith.
  • Hope for Restoration: Although this verse is grim, the broader context of Lamentations, particularly Lamentations 3:22-23, reminds us of God's enduring mercies and faithfulness, which ultimately lead to a plea for restoration in Lamentations 5:21. Even in despair, there is an underlying hope in God's character.
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Cross-References

  • Lamentations 4:8 (7 votes)

    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 (5 votes)

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

  • Psalms 119:83 (3 votes)

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

  • Lamentations 3:4 (2 votes)

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