The Meaning of Lamentations 4:16 Explained

Lamentations 4:16

KJV: The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.

YLT: The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.

Darby: The face of Jehovah hath divided them; he will no more regard them. They respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the aged.

ASV: The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The anger  of the LORD  hath divided  them; he will no more  regard  them: they respected  not the persons  of the priests,  they favoured  not the elders. 

What does Lamentations 4:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh had scattered these leaders because He had no regard for them. They had also failed to honor those who should have received honor in Judah, people like the priests and the elders of the people.

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 4:16 mean?

The face of Yahweh scattered them no longer He regards them the persons the priests not [The people] do respect - the elders Nor show favor to -
פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ [זקנים] (וּזְקֵנִ֖ים‪‬) לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ ס

פְּנֵ֤י  The  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
חִלְּקָ֔ם  scattered  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלַק 
Sense: to divide, share, plunder, allot, apportion, assign.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יוֹסִ֖יף  longer 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם  He  regards  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
פְּנֵ֤י  the  persons 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כֹהֲנִים֙  the  priests 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
נָשָׂ֔אוּ  [The  people]  do  respect 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
[זקנים]  - 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
(וּזְקֵנִ֖ים‪‬)  the  elders 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
לֹ֥א  Nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָנָֽנוּ  show  favor  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָנַן 
Sense: to be gracious, show favour, pity.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation