Lamentations 4:4
Lamentations 4:4 in Multiple Translations
The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.
The nursing babies are so thirsty that their tongues stick to the roof of their mouths. Little children beg for food, but nobody gives them anything.
The tongue of the sucking childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst: the yong children aske bread, but no man breaketh it vnto them.
Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.
The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it to them.
Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.
My people’s infants’ tongues cling to the roofs/tops of their mouths because they are extremely thirsty; the children plead for some food, but no one gives them any.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 4:4
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 4:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
דָּבַ֨ק
לְשׁ֥וֹן
יוֹנֵ֛ק
אֶל
חכּ֖/וֹ
בַּ/צָּמָ֑א
עֽוֹלָלִים֙
שָׁ֣אֲלוּ
לֶ֔חֶם
פֹּרֵ֖שׂ
אֵ֥ין
לָ/הֶֽם
דָּבַ֨ק
dâbaq
H1692
to cleave
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
לְשׁ֥וֹן
lâshôwn
H3956
tongue
N-cs
יוֹנֵ֛ק
yânaq
H3243
to suckle
V-Qal
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
to(wards)
Prep
חכּ֖/וֹ
chêk
H2441
palate
N-ms | Suff
בַּ/צָּמָ֑א
tsâmâʼ
H6772
thirst
Prep | N-ms
עֽוֹלָלִים֙
ʻôwlêl
H5768
infant
N-mp
שָׁ֣אֲלוּ
shâʼal
H7592
to ask
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
לֶ֔חֶם
lechem
H3899
food
N-cs
פֹּרֵ֖שׂ
pâras
H6566
to spread
V-Qal
אֵ֥ין
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Part
לָ/הֶֽם
Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 4:4
דָּבַ֨ק
dâbaq
H1692
"to cleave"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
To cleave means to cling or stick to something, like pursuing something closely. It's used in the Bible to describe following God or others.
Definition: 1) to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cling, cleave to 1a2) to stay with 1b) (Pual) to be joined together 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cleave to 1c2) to pursue closely 1c3) to overtake 1d) (Hophal) to be made to cleave Aramaic equivalent: de.vaq (דְּבֵק "to cleave" H1693)
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take. See also: Genesis 2:24; 2 Samuel 20:2; Psalms 22:16.
לְשׁ֥וֹן
lâshôwn
H3956
"tongue"
N-cs
The tongue, used for eating, speaking, or describing a language. In the Bible, it appears in many books, including Genesis 11:1 and Acts 2:4.
Definition: : tongue/words 1) tongue 1a) tongue (of men) 1a1) tongue (literal) 1a2) tongue (organ of speech) 1b) language 1c) tongue (of animals) 1d) tongue (of fire) 1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)
Usage: Occurs in 115 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge. See also: Genesis 10:5; Psalms 126:2; Psalms 5:10.
יוֹנֵ֛ק
yânaq
H3243
"to suckle"
V-Qal
To suckle or nurse is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which also means to give milk. It describes the act of nursing a child.
Definition: 1) to suckle, nurse, suck 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to suck 1a2) suckling, babe (subst) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to give suck to, nurse 1b2) nursing, nursing woman, nurse (participle)
Usage: Occurs in 30 OT verses. KJV: milch, nurse(-ing mother), (give, make to) suck(-ing child, -ling). See also: Genesis 21:7; 2 Chronicles 22:11; Psalms 8:3.
אֶל
ʼêl
H413
"to(wards)"
Prep
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Definition: 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Usage: Occurs in 4205 OT verses. KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:9; Genesis 21:14; Genesis 31:13.
חכּ֖/וֹ
chêk
H2441
"palate"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to the roof of the mouth or palate, like when Isaiah describes the mouth as a source of praise or shame. It's also related to taste and speech, as seen in the book of Job.
Definition: mouth, palate, taste, gums
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: (roof of the) mouth, taste. See also: Job 6:30; Proverbs 5:3; Psalms 119:103.
בַּ/צָּמָ֑א
tsâmâʼ
H6772
"thirst"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to the feeling of thirst itself, whether physical or spiritual, and is used in the Bible to describe a strong desire or need, like in Exodus 17:3 where the Israelites complain about lacking water in the desert. It can also symbolize a longing for God.
Definition: thirst
Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: thirst(-y). See also: Exodus 17:3; Isaiah 5:13; Psalms 69:22.
עֽוֹלָלִים֙
ʻôwlêl
H5768
"infant"
N-mp
This word refers to a young child or infant, often describing a baby or toddler. It is used in the Bible to describe the early stages of life.
Definition: child, boy
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: babe, (young) child, infant, little one. See also: 1 Samuel 15:3; Jeremiah 44:7; Psalms 8:3.
שָׁ֣אֲלוּ
shâʼal
H7592
"to ask"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
To ask or inquire, this Hebrew word is used in the Bible to describe seeking information or requesting something. It can also mean to beg or borrow, and is used in many different contexts throughout the Old Testament. The KJV translates it as ask, beg, or borrow.
Definition: 1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to ask, ask for 1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow 1a3) to enquire, enquire of 1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle) 1a5) to seek 1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully 1c2) to beg, practise beggary 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to be given on request 1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)
Usage: Occurs in 157 OT verses. KJV: ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish. See also: Genesis 24:47; 2 Samuel 8:10; Psalms 2:8.
לֶ֔חֶם
lechem
H3899
"food"
N-cs
This Hebrew word refers to food, especially bread or grain. It's used throughout the Bible to describe meals, sacrifices, and daily life, highlighting the importance of food in ancient Israelite culture.
Definition: : food(eating) 1) bread, food, grain 1a) bread 1a1) bread 1a2) bread-corn 1b) food (in general)
Usage: Occurs in 277 OT verses. KJV: (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. See also: Genesis 3:19; 1 Samuel 20:34; Psalms 14:4.
פֹּרֵ֖שׂ
pâras
H6566
"to spread"
V-Qal
This word means to spread or break something apart, like scattering or stretching out. It is used to describe physical and figurative actions in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to spread out, display 1a2) to spread over 1b) (Niphal) to be scattered, be spread out 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to spread out 1c1) to scatter
Usage: Occurs in 66 OT verses. KJV: break, chop in pieces, lay open, scatter, spread (abroad, forth, selves, out), stretch (forth, out). See also: Exodus 9:29; Psalms 44:21; Psalms 68:15.
אֵ֥ין
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Part
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
לָ/הֶֽם
""
Prep | Suff
Study Notes — Lamentations 4:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 4:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 4:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 4:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
- Sermons on Lamentations 4:4
Context — The Distress of Zion
2How 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!
3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
4The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. 6The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 22:15 | My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death. |
| 2 | Lamentations 2:11–12 | My eyes fail from weeping; I am churning within. My heart is poured out in grief over the destruction of the daughter of my people, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city. They cry out to their mothers: “Where is the grain and wine?” as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their lives fade away in the arms of their mothers. |
| 3 | Matthew 7:9–11 | Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 32:24 | They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust. |
| 5 | Lamentations 1:11 | All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised. |
| 6 | Psalms 137:6 | May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! |
Lamentations 4:4 Summary
Lamentations 4:4 describes a heartbreaking scene where infants are so thirsty that their tongues are stuck to the roofs of their mouths, and little children are begging for food but no one has any to give. This verse shows how badly God's people were suffering because of their sin, and it reminds us of the importance of taking care of the most vulnerable among us, as seen in Matthew 25:31-46. Just as our physical bodies need food and water to survive, our spirits need spiritual nourishment to thrive, as expressed in Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3. We can learn from this verse to prioritize our relationship with God and to care for those around us who are in need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the nursing infant's tongue clinging to the roof of his mouth in Lamentations 4:4?
This describes the severe dehydration and thirst experienced by infants during the siege of Jerusalem, emphasizing the dire circumstances of the people, as seen in Lamentations 4:4 and also in Jeremiah 14:3 where the people suffered from drought and famine.
How does the image of little children begging for bread relate to the spiritual state of God's people?
The fact that no one gives them bread symbolizes the lack of spiritual nourishment among God's people, as described in Amos 8:11, where a famine of hearing the words of the Lord is prophesied.
What does this verse reveal about God's judgment on His people?
This verse shows that God's judgment can be severe, as seen in the physical suffering of the most vulnerable, such as infants and children, and it serves as a warning to His people to return to Him, as expressed in Deuteronomy 30:1-3.
How does this verse relate to the theme of Lamentations?
Lamentations 4:4 contributes to the overall theme of lament and sorrow, highlighting the devastating consequences of sin and the importance of repentance, as seen in Lamentations 3:40-41 and 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can be sensitive to the needs of the vulnerable, such as infants and children, in my community, and how can I demonstrate God's love to them?
- In what ways can I prioritize spiritual nourishment in my own life, and how can I seek to provide it for others, as seen in Matthew 4:4 and Deuteronomy 8:3?
- How can I respond to the call to repentance in the face of God's judgment, and what are some practical steps I can take to return to Him, as expressed in Joel 2:12-13 and 1 John 1:9?
- What are some ways I can trust in God's sovereignty, even in the midst of suffering and hardship, as described in Romans 8:28 and Psalm 23:4?
- How can I use my own experiences of hardship to minister to others who are suffering, and what are some ways I can point them to God's comfort and hope, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and Psalm 119:50?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 4:4
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst,.... Through want of the milk of the breast, which is both food and drink unto it: the young children ask bread; of their
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 4:4
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
As the fatness of the mother’ s milk makes it instead of bread and flesh to the sucking child, so the moisture of it makes it to be as drink to allay its heat; the children wanting this moisture, their mouths were hot and dry. It was a time of famine; the little children, understanding not-the case of the city, were importunate for something to eat, but none had enough for himself, much less for others. See ,13.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
Lamentations 4:4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] unto them.Ver. 4. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth.] For want of suck. That was a miracle which is recorded of the old woman of Bolton, in Lancashire, who took up a poor child that lay crying at the breasts of her dead mother - slain, among many others, by Prince Rupert’ s party - and laying it to her own dry breasts, that had not yielded suck for above twenty years before, on purpose to still it, had milk came to nourish it, to the admiration and astonishment of all beholders. This and another like example of God’ s good providence for the relief of little ones whom their mothers could not relieve, may be read of in Mr Clark’ s "Mirror for Saints and Sinners," edit. 3, fol. 495, 507. And no man breaketh it unto them.] The parents either not having it for them, or not having a heart to part with it to them.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
Verse 4. The tongue of the sucking child] See Clarke on Lamentations 2:12.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 4:4
4. The tongue… cleaveth to the roof — The most graphic and fearfully expressive feature of the common misery is brought to view in this unnatural conduct of parents, leaving the sucking child and
Sermons on Lamentations 4:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Genesis) - Part 6 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of hard work and discipline in the life of a believer. He references the example of Paul, who worked tirelessly and faced hard |
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God's Work in the Darkness by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that entertainment is a substitute for true joy and that the glory of God needs to be restored. He mentions the importance of being anointed |
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The Man God Tore Apart - Part 2 by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of recognizing both the goodness and severity of God. He warns that America is experiencing an abundance of material blessing |
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Inspiration of the Scriptures by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of accepting the Bible as the Word of God. He shares the story of Billy Graham, who experienced a transformation in his preachi |
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The Gift by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of seeing dust particles in the sunlight and relates it to how God's light reveals things we may not have noticed before. T |
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God's Calls by Robert Constable | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the danger of turning away from the call of God. He shares a story about a father who had done everything for his son, but the son wasted hi |
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Wilt Thou Be Made Whole? by John Gowans | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of singing songs of liberty and freedom. He highlights the tendency of people to blame external factors for their problems, s |