King James Version
What Does Lamentations 4:19 Mean?
“Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.”
Context
17
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
18
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(19) **Our persecutors.**—Better, *Our pursuers, *the words referring to the Chaldæan enemies rather than to persecutors in the modern sense of the word. The comparison with eagles has a parallel in Deuteronomy 28:49. If we take the second clause as referring to the flight of Zedekiah, mentioned in the next verse, the mountains would be the heights east of Jerusalem, beginning with the Mount of Olives, and the wilderness that of the *Ghor, *or Jordan Valley (Jeremiah 39:5).
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Lamentations. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Lamentations 4:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Lamentations 4:19
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge