The Meaning of Lamentations 4:13 Explained

Lamentations 4:13

KJV: For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,

YLT: Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

Darby: It is for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the righteous in the midst of her.

ASV: It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the sins  of her prophets,  [and] the iniquities  of her priests,  that have shed  the blood  of the just  in the midst  of her, 

What does Lamentations 4:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jerusalem"s overthrow had come because her religious leaders, represented by the priests and the false prophets, had perverted justice and forsaken the Lord"s covenant. They had even put people to death who did not deserve it.

Chapter Summary: Lamentations 4

1  Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13  She confesses her sins
21  Edom is threatened and Zion comforted

What do the individual words in Lamentations 4:13 mean?

Because of the sins of her prophets [And] the iniquities of her priests who shed in her midst the blood of the just -
מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֺנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים ס

מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את  Because  of  the  sins 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ  of  her  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
עֲוֺנ֖וֹת  [And]  the  iniquities 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ  of  her  priests 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים  who  shed 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ  in  her  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
דַּ֥ם  the  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
צַדִּיקִֽים  of  the  just 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation