Verse (Click for Chapter) 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. New Living Translation Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields. 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. Berean Standard Bible Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. 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. New King James Version Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. New American Standard Bible Better off are those killed by the sword Than those killed by hunger; For they waste away, stricken By the lack of the produce of the field. NASB 1995 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. NASB 1977 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. Legacy Standard Bible Better are those pierced through with the sword Than those pierced through with hunger; For their life flows away, being stricken For lack of the produce of the field. Amplified Bible Those killed with the sword Are more fortunate than those killed with hunger; For the hungry pine and ebb away, For the lack of the fruits of the field. 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. 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. 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. Contemporary English Version Being killed with a sword is better than slowly starving to death. English Revised 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Those who were killed with swords are better off than those who are dying from starvation. Those who were stabbed bled to death. The others are dying because there is nothing in the fields to eat. Good News Translation Those who died in the war were better off than those who died later, who starved slowly to death, with no food to keep them alive. 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. Majority Standard Bible Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. NET Bible Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food. New Heart English Bible Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; those who waste away, pierced through, for lack of the fruits of the field. Webster's Bible Translation 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. World English Bible Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBetter have been the pierced of a sword "" Than the pierced of famine, "" For these flow away, pierced through, "" Without the increase 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. Smith's Literal Translation Those wounded by the sword were good above those wounded by famine: these will flow away, being thrust through from the produce of the field. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTeth. 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. Catholic Public Domain Version TETH. It was better for those slain by the sword, than for those put to death by famine. For these waste away, being consumed by the sterility of the land. New American Bible Better for those pierced by the sword than for those pierced by hunger, Better for those who bleed from wounds than for those who lack food. New Revised Standard Version Happier were those pierced by the sword than those pierced by hunger, whose life drains away, deprived of the produce of the field. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThose who were slain by the sword are better than those who are slain with hunger; for these pine away, like those who are wounded and thrown in the field. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Teth The slain of the sword are better than those killed by famine, for they waste away like those who are wounded and are thrown out in a field OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917They 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation TETH. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from want of the fruits of the field. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Distress of Zion…8But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick. 9Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. 10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.… Cross References Deuteronomy 28:53-57 Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you. / The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, / refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates. ... Jeremiah 19:9 I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’ Ezekiel 5:10 As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’ 2 Kings 6:28-29 Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ / So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.” Leviticus 26:29 You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters. Jeremiah 14:18 If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’” Jeremiah 52:6 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. 2 Kings 25:3 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. Isaiah 9:20 They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring. Isaiah 49:26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Matthew 24:7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and pestilences in various places, along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Revelation 6:8 Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth. Revelation 18:8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” Mark 13:8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Treasury of Scripture 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. for 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. Ezekiel 24:23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. Ezekiel 33:10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? pine away. Jump to Previous 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 WasteJump to Next 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 WasteLamentations 4 1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate13. She confesses her sins 21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted. Those slain by the sword The phrase "those slain by the sword" refers to individuals who have died in battle or through acts of violence. In the Hebrew context, the sword is often a symbol of war and divine judgment. The Hebrew word for "sword" is "חֶרֶב" (chereb), which frequently appears in the Old Testament as an instrument of God's judgment. Historically, being slain by the sword was considered a quicker and more honorable death compared to the slow suffering of famine. This reflects the harsh realities of ancient warfare and the belief that a swift death was preferable to prolonged suffering. are better off than those who die of famine who waste away pierced with pain because the fields lack produce Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Those slainחַלְלֵי־ (ḥal·lê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted by the sword חֶ֔רֶב (ḥe·reḇ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword are הָיוּ֙ (hā·yū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be better off טוֹבִ֤ים (ṭō·w·ḇîm) Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good than those who die מֵֽחַלְלֵ֖י (mê·ḥal·lê) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted of hunger, רָעָ֑ב (rā·‘āḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger who שֶׁ֣הֵ֤ם (še·hêm) Pronoun - relative | Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They waste away, יָז֙וּבוּ֙ (yā·zū·ḇū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 2100: To flow freely, to have a, flux, to waste away, to overflow pierced with pain מְדֻקָּרִ֔ים (mə·ḏuq·qā·rîm) Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 1856: To stab, to starve, to revile because the fields שָׂדָֽי׃ (śā·ḏāy) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7704: Field, land lack produce. מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת (mit·tə·nū·ḇōṯ) Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 8570: Fruit, produce Links Lamentations 4:9 NIVLamentations 4:9 NLT Lamentations 4:9 ESV Lamentations 4:9 NASB Lamentations 4:9 KJV Lamentations 4:9 BibleApps.com Lamentations 4:9 Biblia Paralela Lamentations 4:9 Chinese Bible Lamentations 4:9 French Bible Lamentations 4:9 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:9 Those who are killed with the sword (Lam. La Lm) |