Lamentations 4:2 BSB

Lamentations 4:2

How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

KJV

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

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Commentary

3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold,.... This explains what is meant in Lam 4:1; by gold, fine gold, and stones of the sanctuary; not Josiah and his sons, as some Jewish interpreters; but all the sons of Zion, or children of God; not the inhabitants of Zion literally, but spiritually; see Zec 9:

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

They were comparable to fine gold. Israel was more rich in them than in treasures of gold and silver. But now they are esteemed as earthen pitchers; they are broken as earthen pitchers, thrown by as vessels in which there is no pleasure.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

The precious sons of Zion - The Jewish priests and Jewish believers. Comparable to fine gold - Who were of the pure standard of holiness; holy, because God who called them is holy; but now esteemed no better than earthen pitchers - vessels of dishonor in comparison of what they once were.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

12 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
בְּנֵ֤י	be.Nei	[the] children of	H1121 →
צִיּוֹן֙	tzi.yOn	Zion	H6726 →
הַיְקָרִ֔ים	hay.ka.Rim	<the> precious	H3368 →
הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים	ham.su.la.'Im	who were weighed	H5537 →
בַּפָּ֑ז	ba.Paz	with <the> pure gold	H6337 →
אֵיכָ֤ה	'ei.Khah	how!	H349 →
נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙	nech.she.Vu	they are considered	H2803 →
לְנִבְלֵי־	le.niv.lei-	to jars of	H5035 →
חֶ֔רֶשׂ	Che.res	earthenware	H2789 →
מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה	ma.'a.Seh	[the] work of	H4639 →
יְדֵ֥י	ye.Dei	[the] hands of	H3027 →
יוֹצֵֽר׃ ס	yo.Tzer	a potter	H3335 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
2 Corinthians 4:7
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 3:5–6
  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1
  Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
- Ephesians 2:8–9
  For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- 1 Corinthians 1:28
  He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
- Colossians 2:3
  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Through
2 Timothy 2:20
A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.
leads to
- Romans 9:21–23
  Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
- 1 Timothy 3:15
  in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Through
Isaiah 30:14
It will break in pieces like a potter’s jar, shattered so that no fragment can be found. Not a shard will be found in the dust large enough to scoop the coals from a…
leads to
- Psalms 2:9
  You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.

About Lamentations

People Mourn over the Destruction of Jerusalem — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Lamentations: the study guide →Read chapter 4 →The featured study →

PlaceJerusalemZionThe eastern ridge David took from the Jebusites and made his stronghold, the name the Psalms and the prophets give the city the LO…

Continue: Lamentations 4 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

06About Lamentations

Where the connections lead

The record, by era

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

About Lamentations