Lamentations 4:9 Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.

◄ Lamentations 4:9 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.

English Standard Version
Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.

New American Standard Bible
Better are those slain with the sword Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of the field.

King James Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

International Standard Version
Those who die by the sword are better off than those who die from starvation, who slowly waste away like those pierced through for lack of food from the fields.

American Standard Version
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

Darby Bible Translation
The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

Young's Literal Translation
Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

Cross References

Exodus 16:3
And the children of Israel said to them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for you have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Leviticus 26:39
And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

2 Kings 25:3
And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

Jeremiah 16:4
They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung on the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcasses shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

Ezekiel 24:23
And your tires shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

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Better Burned Caused Death Die Famine Field Flow Food Fruit Fruits Happier Hunger Increase Killed Lack Need Pierced Pine Pined Slain Slowly Stricken Sword Victims Want Waste

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

4:1-12 What a change is here! Sin tarnishes the beauty of the most exalted powers and the most excellent gifts; but that gold, tried in the fire, which Christ bestows, never will be taken from us; its outward appearance may be dimmed, but its real value can never be changed. The horrors of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem are again described. Beholding the sad consequences of sin in the church of old, let us seriously consider to what the same causes may justly bring down the church now. But, Lord, though we have gone from thee in rebellion, yet turn to us, and turn our hearts to thee, that we may fear thy name. Come to us, bless us with awakening, converting, renewing, confirming grace.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. The speedy death by the sword is better than the lingering death by famine.

pine away—literally, "flow out"; referring to the flow of blood. This expression, and "stricken through," are drawn from death by "the sword."

want of … fruits—The words in italics have to be supplied in the original (Ge 18:28; Ps 109:24).

Jod.