Lamentations 3:4
Lamentations 3:4 in Multiple Translations
He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
My flesh and my skin have been used up by him and my bones broken.
He has worn me out; he has broken me in pieces.
My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.
He hath worn out my flesh and my skin. He hath broken my bones.
He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
Beth. My skin and my flesh he hath made old, he hath broken my bones.
He has caused my skin and my flesh to become old. He has broken my bones.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 3:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Lamentations 3:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בִּלָּ֤ה
בְשָׂרִ/י֙
וְ/עוֹרִ֔/י
שִׁבַּ֖ר
עַצְמוֹתָֽ/י
בִּלָּ֤ה
bâlâh
H1086
to become old
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
בְשָׂרִ/י֙
bâsâr
H1320
flesh
N-ms | Suff
וְ/עוֹרִ֔/י
ʻôwr
H5785
skin
Conj | N-ms | Suff
שִׁבַּ֖ר
shâbar
H7665
to break
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
עַצְמוֹתָֽ/י
ʻetsem
H6106
bone
N-fp | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 3:4
בִּלָּ֤ה
bâlâh
H1086
"to become old"
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
To wear out or become old, like something that's been used up or decayed over time, as seen in the book of Isaiah. This concept is also related to consuming or spending something completely. It implies a sense of depletion or exhaustion.
Definition: 1) to wear out, become old 1a) (Qal) to wear out 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to wear out 1b2) to wear out by use, use up completely 1b3) to enjoy, use to the full Aramaic equivalent: be.la (בְּלָא "to wear out" H1080)
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: consume, enjoy long, become (make, wax) old, spend, waste. See also: Genesis 18:12; Job 21:13; Psalms 32:3.
בְשָׂרִ/י֙
bâsâr
H1320
"flesh"
N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for flesh refers to the body or a person, and can also describe living things or animals. In the Bible, it is used to describe humans and animals, as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: 1) flesh 1a) of the body 1a1) of humans 1a2) of animals 1b) the body itself 1c) male organ of generation (euphemism) 1d) kindred, blood-relations 1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God) 1f) all living things 1g) animals 1h) mankind Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321)
Usage: Occurs in 241 OT verses. KJV: body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin. See also: Genesis 2:21; Numbers 11:21; Psalms 16:9.
וְ/עוֹרִ֔/י
ʻôwr
H5785
"skin"
Conj | N-ms | Suff
This Hebrew word means skin, like human skin or animal hide, and is used in the Bible to describe leather. It appears in Exodus 25:5 to describe the materials used to build the tabernacle. The word is also used in Genesis 3:21 to describe the clothing God made for Adam and Eve.
Definition: 1) skin, hide 1a) skin (of men) 1b) hide (of animals)
Usage: Occurs in 82 OT verses. KJV: hide, leather, skin. See also: Genesis 3:21; Leviticus 13:35; Jeremiah 13:23.
שִׁבַּ֖ר
shâbar
H7665
"to break"
V-Piel-Perf-3ms
This word means to break or shatter something, either physically or emotionally. It can also mean to burst or rupture, and is often used to describe intense violence or destruction. In the Bible, it's translated as break or crush.
Definition: 1) to break, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench 1a2) to break, rupture (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked 1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig) 1c) (Piel) to shatter, break 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth 1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)
Usage: Occurs in 143 OT verses. KJV: break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)). See also: Genesis 19:9; Isaiah 27:11; Psalms 3:8.
עַצְמוֹתָֽ/י
ʻetsem
H6106
"bone"
N-fp | Suff
In the original Hebrew, this word refers to a bone or the body, and can also mean the substance or essence of something. It is used in many parts of the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and Psalms, to describe the physical body.
Definition: : bone/limb 1) bone, essence, substance 1a) bone 1a1) body, limbs, members, external body 1b) bone (of animal) 1c) substance, self
Usage: Occurs in 108 OT verses. KJV: body, bone, [idiom] life, (self-) same, strength, [idiom] very. See also: Genesis 2:23; Job 33:19; Psalms 6:3.
Study Notes — Lamentations 3:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 3:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:4
- Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 3:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
- Sermons on Lamentations 3:4
Context — The Prophet’s Afflictions
2He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light.
3Indeed, He keeps turning His hand against me all day long.
4He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones.
5He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. 6He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 38:13 | I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me. |
| 2 | Psalms 51:8 | Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. |
| 3 | Psalms 31:9–10 | Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well. For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 50:17 | Israel is a scattered flock, chased away by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” |
| 5 | Psalms 38:2–8 | For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my body because of Your anger; there is no rest in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds are foul and festering because of my sinful folly. I am bent and brought low; all day long I go about mourning. For my loins are full of burning pain, and no soundness remains in my body. I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. |
| 6 | Psalms 102:3–5 | For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread. Through my loud groaning my flesh clings to my bones. |
| 7 | Psalms 32:3 | When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. |
| 8 | Job 16:8–9 | You have bound me, and it has become a witness; my frailty rises up and testifies against me. His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. |
| 9 | Psalms 22:14 | I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me. |
Lamentations 3:4 Summary
This verse in Lamentations 3:4 describes a feeling of being completely overwhelmed and crushed by life's challenges, like our bodies are being worn down to the bone. It's a feeling of being in a very dark place, where it's hard to see God's goodness, but we can still trust in His love and care for us, just like Jeremiah does in Lamentations 3:22-23. Even when we feel like we're at our breaking point, we can remember that God is still with us and working all things together for our good, as Romans 8:28 promises. By trusting in God's sovereignty, we can find hope and strength to persevere, even in the midst of suffering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'wear away my flesh and skin' in Lamentations 3:4?
This phrase is a metaphor for the intense suffering and pain that the speaker is experiencing, much like Job's affliction in Job 19:20, where he says his flesh is torn and his bones are burned with fever.
Is God's shattering of bones a literal or figurative act?
In this context, it's likely a figurative expression of the depth of emotional and spiritual pain the speaker is feeling, similar to how David describes his bones being crushed in Psalm 51:8, where he's expressing deep sorrow and repentance.
How can a loving God cause such suffering and hardship?
The Bible teaches that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than ours, as seen in Isaiah 55:8-9, and sometimes He allows suffering to refine and purify us, as Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:7, where he says that trials test our faith.
Can this verse be applied to our lives today?
Yes, just as the prophet Jeremiah expresses his trust in God's goodness despite his suffering in Lamentations 3:22-23, we can apply this verse to our own lives by trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, even in the midst of hardship, as Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for our good.
Reflection Questions
- How do you respond when you feel like God is 'wearing away' your strength and resources?
- In what ways can you identify with the feeling of having your 'bones shattered' by the pressures and challenges of life?
- What are some ways you can 'trust in the Lord' even when it feels like He's 'turning His hand against' you, as mentioned in Lamentations 3:3?
- How can you apply the principle of trusting God's sovereignty in your life, even when you don't understand what's happening, as expressed in Proverbs 3:5-6?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:4
My flesh and my skin hath he made old,.... His flesh with blows, and his skin with smiting, as the Targum; his flesh was so emaciated, and his skin so withered and wrinkled, that he looked like an
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:4
My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. My flesh and my skin hath he made old - (Job 16:8, "Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me, and my leanness rising up"). Verse 5.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
I was a virgin, young and fair, but I am quite altered, and am now as an old woman whose flesh is decayed, and my skin wrinkled; all my beauty is gone, and all my strength is gone; my bones, those in whom my strength consisted, are slain and broken.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
Lamentations 3:4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.Ver. 4. My flesh and my skin hath he made old.] Withered it and wanzed it, so that I am not like myself; facta videbor anus, as she said. See Psalms 32:3. He hath broken my bones.] Decayed and impaired, and that with greatest torment, as befalleth when bones are broken.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
(4) Hath he made old.—Better, He hath wasted, the verb describing the wear and tear of life rather than the effects of age. “Flesh,” “skin,” “bones,” are grouped together as representing the whole being of the mourner.
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:4
4. Here commences a series of figures illustrating the miseries endured. They find many parallels in the Psalms and Job. For instances of the latter see Lamentations 3:7. he hath broken my bones] For this phrase cp. Isaiah 38:13; Jeremiah 50:17.
Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 3:4
Made old - Or, wasted: his strength slowly wasted as he pined away in sorrow. He hath broken my bones - This clause completes the representation of the sufferer’s physical agonies. Here the idea is that of acute pain.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:4
4. Flesh and… skin… made old — The verb means to wear out by rubbing. Flesh, skin, and bones make up the whole body; the softer and the firmer parts.
Sermons on Lamentations 3:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the pastor emphasizes the lack of hope and spiritual decline in society. He criticizes the focus on material comforts and theological debates while neglecting the u |
|
(Through the Bible) 2 Samuel 8-16 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of following God's rules and the consequences of violating them. He uses the story of Tamar, who was publicly humiliated and e |
|
The Battle in Your Mind Over Sexual Sin by Tim Conway | This sermon emphasizes the importance of faith that breaks the dominion of sin in our lives, particularly focusing on the need for faith to save us from sexual immorality. It highl |
|
The Worst Things by Thomas Watson | Thomas Watson preaches about how the worst things, such as afflictions, temptations, desertions, and sins, can be overruled by God for the good of His people. He explains how affli |
|
Learning to Forgive Ourselves by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the challenge of self-forgiveness, illustrating this struggle through the life of King David, who, despite being forgiven by God, grappled with guilt and |
|
Letter 62 by James Bourne | James Bourne, in a letter to Mr. Nunn in Maidstone, August 1834, expresses his struggles with doubts about his own honesty and the fear of darkness at the end, yet finds comfort in |
|
The Glorious Opposites by Teresa Conlon | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal story about his son going skydiving and the intense emotions he experienced during the jump. He relates this to the need for believers |