4
Distress of the Siege Described
1 How AEzek 7:19-22dark the gold has become,
How the pure gold has changed!
The sacred stones are poured out
At the 1Lit headcorner of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion,
Weighed against fine gold,
How they are regarded as AIs 30:14; Jer 19:1, 11earthen jars,
The work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even AIs 13:22; 34:13jackals offer the breast,
They nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people has become BIs 49:15; Ezek 5:10cruel
Like CJob 39:14-17ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The APs 22:15tongue of the infant cleaves
To the roof of its mouth because of BJer 14:3thirst;
The little ones CLam 2:12ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.
5 Those who ate AJer 6:2; Amos 6:3-7delicacies
Are desolate in the streets;
Those 1Lit established in crimsonreared in purple
Embrace ash pits.
6 For the 1Or punishment for iniquityiniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the 2Or punishment for sinAGen 19:24sin of Sodom,
Which was BGen 19:25; Jer 20:16overthrown as in a moment,
And no hands were 3Or wrung over herturned toward her.
7 Her 1Or Naziritesconsecrated ones were APs 51:7purer than snow,
They were whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in 2Lit bonesbody than corals,
Their polishing was like 3Heb sappirBEx 24:10; Job 28:16lapis lazuli.
8 Their appearance is AJob 30:30; Lam 5:10blacker than soot,
They are not recognized in the streets;
Their BJob 19:20; Ps 102:3-5skin is shriveled on their bones,
It is withered, it has become like wood.
9 Better are those 1Lit piercedAJer 16:4slain with the sword
Than those 1Lit piercedslain with hunger;
For they 2Lit flow awayBLev 26:39; Ezek 24:23pine away, being stricken
For lack of the fruits of 3Lit my fieldsthe field.
10 The hands of compassionate women
ALev 26:29; Deut 28:57; 2 Kin 6:29; Jer 19:9; Lam 2:20; Ezek 5:10Boiled their own children;
They became BDeut 28:53-55food for them
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Loʀᴅ has AJer 7:20; Lam 2:17; Ezek 22:31accomplished His wrath,
He has poured out His fierce anger;
And He has BDeut 32:22; Jer 17:27kindled a fire in Zion
Which has consumed its foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
Nor did any of ADeut 29:24the inhabitants of the world,
That the adversary and the enemy
Could BJer 21:13enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Because of the sins of her AJer 5:31; 6:13; Lam 2:14; Ezek 22:26-28prophets
And the iniquities of her priests,
Who have shed in her midst
The BJer 2:30; 26:8, 9; Matt 23:31blood of the righteous;
14 They wandered, ADeut 28:28, 29; Is 29:10; 56:10; 59:9, 10blind, in the streets;
They were defiled with BIs 1:15blood
So that no one could touch their CJer 2:34garments.
15 “Depart! ALev 13:45, 46Unclean!” 1Or they (men) cried to themthey cried of themselves.
“Depart, depart, do not touch!”
So they BJer 49:5fled and wandered;
Men among the nations said,
“They shall not continue to dwell with us.”
16 The presence of the Loʀᴅ has scattered them,
He will not continue to regard them;
They did not 1Lit lift up the faces ofAIs 9:14-16; Jer 52:24-27honor the priests,
They did not favor the elders.
17 Yet our eyes failed,
Looking for 1Lit our helphelp was AJer 37:7; Lam 1:7useless;
In our watching we have watched
For a BEzek 29:6, 7, 16nation that could not save.
18 They AJer 16:16hunted our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets;
Our BJer 5:31; Ezek 7:2-12; Amos 8:2end drew near,
Our days were 1Lit fullfinished
For our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were AIs 5:26-28; 30:16, 17; Jer 4:13; Hab 1:8swifter
Than the eagles of the sky;
They chased us on the mountains,
They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
20 The AGen 2:7breath of our nostrils, the B2 Sam 1:14; 19:21Loʀᴅ’s anointed,
Was CJer 39:5; 52:9captured in their pits,
Of whom we had said, “Under his DDan 4:12shadow
We shall live among the nations.”
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of APs 137:7; Jer 25:21Edom,
Who dwells in the land of Uz;
But the BObad 16cup will come around to you as well,
You will become drunk and make yourself naked.
22 The punishment of your iniquity has been AIs 40:2; Jer 33:7, 8completed, O daughter of Zion;
He will exile you no longer.
But He BJer 49:10; Mal 1:3, 4will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom;
He will expose your sins!

A4:1 Ezek 7:19-22

14:1 Lit head

A4:2 Is 30:14; Jer 19:1, 11

A4:3 Is 13:22; 34:13

B4:3 Is 49:15; Ezek 5:10

C4:3 Job 39:14-17

A4:4 Ps 22:15

B4:4 Jer 14:3

C4:4 Lam 2:12

A4:5 Jer 6:2; Amos 6:3-7

14:5 Lit established in crimson

14:6 Or punishment for iniquity

24:6 Or punishment for sin

A4:6 Gen 19:24

B4:6 Gen 19:25; Jer 20:16

34:6 Or wrung over her

14:7 Or Nazirites

A4:7 Ps 51:7

24:7 Lit bones

34:7 Heb sappir

B4:7 Ex 24:10; Job 28:16

A4:8 Job 30:30; Lam 5:10

B4:8 Job 19:20; Ps 102:3-5

14:9 Lit pierced

A4:9 Jer 16:4

14:9 Lit pierced

24:9 Lit flow away

B4:9 Lev 26:39; Ezek 24:23

34:9 Lit my fields

A4:10 Lev 26:29; Deut 28:57; 2 Kin 6:29; Jer 19:9; Lam 2:20; Ezek 5:10

B4:10 Deut 28:53-55

A4:11 Jer 7:20; Lam 2:17; Ezek 22:31

B4:11 Deut 32:22; Jer 17:27

A4:12 Deut 29:24

B4:12 Jer 21:13

A4:13 Jer 5:31; 6:13; Lam 2:14; Ezek 22:26-28

B4:13 Jer 2:30; 26:8, 9; Matt 23:31

A4:14 Deut 28:28, 29; Is 29:10; 56:10; 59:9, 10

B4:14 Is 1:15

C4:14 Jer 2:34

A4:15 Lev 13:45, 46

14:15 Or they (men) cried to them

B4:15 Jer 49:5

14:16 Lit lift up the faces of

A4:16 Is 9:14-16; Jer 52:24-27

14:17 Lit our help

A4:17 Jer 37:7; Lam 1:7

B4:17 Ezek 29:6, 7, 16

A4:18 Jer 16:16

B4:18 Jer 5:31; Ezek 7:2-12; Amos 8:2

14:18 Lit full

A4:19 Is 5:26-28; 30:16, 17; Jer 4:13; Hab 1:8

A4:20 Gen 2:7

B4:20 2 Sam 1:14; 19:21

C4:20 Jer 39:5; 52:9

D4:20 Dan 4:12

A4:21 Ps 137:7; Jer 25:21

B4:21 Obad 16

A4:22 Is 40:2; Jer 33:7, 8

B4:22 Jer 49:10; Mal 1:3, 4

© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 Lockman Foundation