Lamentations 4:9

They that are slain with the cherev 1 are better than they that are slain with hunger; 1 for these pine away, 1 being pierced for want of the increase of the sadeh. 1

Orthodox Jewish Bible

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

8Their visage is blacker than soot; 1 they are not known in the streets; 1 their skin cleaveth to their atzmot; 1 it is dried up, it is become like a stick. 1

10The hands of the pitiful nashim 1 have cooked their own yeladim; 1 they were their meat 1 in the destruction of the Bat Ami. 1

Read all of Lamentations 4

Cross References

Deuteronomy 28:51And he shall eat the pri of thy animals, and the pri of thy adamah, until thou be shmad; which also shall not leave thee either dagan, tirosh, or yitzhar, or the increase of thy livestock, or flocks of thy sheep, until it hath destroyed thee.

Jeremiah 16:4The mot (death) they die will be of deadly diseases; they shall not be mourned; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as refuse upon the face of ha'adamah; and they shall be consumed by the cherev, and by ra'av (famine); and their nevelot (dead bodies) shall be food for the oph haShomayim, and for the behemat ha'aretz.

Ezekiel 7:15The cherev is outside, and the dever and the ra'av (famine) inside; he that is in the sadeh shall die with the cherev; and he that is in the Ir, ra'av (famine) and dever shall devour him.

Ezekiel 33:10Therefore, O thou Ben Adam, speak unto Bais Yisroel: Thus ye have spoken, saying, If peysha'einu (our transgressions, rebellions) and chattoteinu (our sins) be upon us, and because of them we are rotting away, how should we then live?

Matthew Henry on Lamentations 4:2-13

Desolate Condition of Jerusalem; Effects of Famine in Jerusalem; Destruction of Jerusalem. ( b. c. 588.) 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Lamentations 4:9