Lamentations 5:9
Lamentations 5:9 in Multiple Translations
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword of the waste land.
We take our lives in our hands when we look for food, because of the armed raiders in the desert.
Wee gate our bread with the perill of our liues, because of the sword of the wildernesse.
With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
We procured our bread with the peril of our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
We fetched our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the desert.
When we roam around in the desert searching for food, we are in danger of being killed, because people there kill strangers with their swords.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 5:9
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 5:9 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּ/נַפְשֵׁ֨/נוּ֙
נָבִ֣יא
לַחְמֵ֔/נוּ
מִ/פְּנֵ֖י
חֶ֥רֶב
הַ/מִּדְבָּֽר
בְּ/נַפְשֵׁ֨/נוּ֙
nephesh
H5315
soul
Prep | N-cs | Suff
נָבִ֣יא
bôwʼ
H935
Lebo
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cp
לַחְמֵ֔/נוּ
lechem
H3899
food
N-cs | Suff
מִ/פְּנֵ֖י
pânîym
H6440
face
Prep | N-cp
חֶ֥רֶב
chereb
H2719
sword
N-fs
הַ/מִּדְבָּֽר
midbâr
H4057
mouth
Art | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 5:9
בְּ/נַפְשֵׁ֨/נוּ֙
nephesh
H5315
"soul"
Prep | N-cs | Suff
The Hebrew word for soul or living being, used in the Bible to describe the essence of a person or animal. It encompasses the ideas of life, breath, and vitality, and is translated as 'soul' or 'creature' in the KJV. This word is central to biblical concepts of humanity and existence.
Definition: 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain
Usage: Occurs in 683 OT verses. KJV: any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it. See also: Genesis 1:20; Leviticus 26:43; Judges 18:25.
נָבִ֣יא
bôwʼ
H935
"Lebo"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cp
This verb means to go or come, and is used in many contexts, such as entering a place or approaching someone, as seen in the book of Genesis. It can also mean to abide or apply, and is translated in various ways in the KJV Bible. This term is related to the name Lebo Hamath.
Definition: A shortened name of Lebo Hamath complined withcha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574) This name means to go in, enter
Usage: Occurs in 2307 OT verses. KJV: abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. See also: Genesis 2:19; Genesis 32:7; Exodus 1:19.
לַחְמֵ֔/נוּ
lechem
H3899
"food"
N-cs | Suff
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.
מִ/פְּנֵ֖י
pânîym
H6440
"face"
Prep | N-cp
This word means face or presence, like being in front of someone or something. It's used in many contexts, like in Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to describe interactions and relationships.
Definition: : face 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
Usage: Occurs in 1891 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 43:31; Exodus 30:16.
חֶ֥רֶב
chereb
H2719
"sword"
N-fs
A sword or cutting instrument is what this Hebrew word refers to, including knives and tools for cutting stone. It is used in the Bible to describe weapons and sharp objects.
Definition: 1) sword, knife 1a) sword 1b) knife 1c) tools for cutting stone
Usage: Occurs in 372 OT verses. KJV: axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. See also: Genesis 3:24; 2 Samuel 2:16; Psalms 7:13.
הַ/מִּדְבָּֽר
midbâr
H4057
"mouth"
Art | N-ms
The wilderness refers to a desert or open field, like the one the Israelites wandered in after leaving Egypt. It can also mean a place of solitude or a region without many people. In the Bible, it is often associated with the journey to the Promised Land.
Definition: 1) mouth 1a) mouth (as organ of speech)
Usage: Occurs in 257 OT verses. KJV: desert, south, speech, wilderness. See also: Genesis 14:6; Joshua 5:4; Psalms 29:8.
Study Notes — Lamentations 5:9
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 5:9 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:9
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:9
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:9
- Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:9
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
- Sermons on Lamentations 5:9
Context — A Prayer for Restoration
7Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment.
8Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.
9We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness.
10Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger. 11Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 4:16–17 | Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. So they will lack food and water; they will be appalled at the sight of one another wasting away in their iniquity. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 40:9–12 | Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. As for me, I will stay in Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, gather wine grapes, summer fruit, and oil, place them in your storage jars, and live in the cities you have taken.” When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over them, they all returned from all the places to which they had been banished and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered an abundance of wine grapes and summer fruit. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 12:18–19 | “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 42:16 | then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 41:1–10 | In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family and one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and they ate a meal together there. Then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed to govern the land. Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldean soldiers who were there. On the second day after the murder of Gedaliah, when no one yet knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD. And Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When Ishmael encountered the men, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. But ten of the men among them said to Ishmael, “Do not kill us, for we have hidden treasure in the field—wheat, barley, oil, and honey!” So he refrained from killing them with the others. Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he had struck down along with Gedaliah was a large one that King Asa had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people of Mizpah—the daughters of the king along with all the others who remained in Mizpah—over whom Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set off to cross over to the Ammonites. |
| 6 | Judges 6:11 | Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites. |
| 7 | 2 Samuel 23:17 | saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 42:14 | and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’ |
| 9 | Jeremiah 41:18 | to escape the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of the Chaldeans because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. |
Lamentations 5:9 Summary
This verse, Lamentations 5:9, is saying that the people of Judah had to risk their lives just to get food, because there was so much danger and violence around them. It's like they were living in a war zone, and just getting bread was a life-or-death situation. This reminds us that, just as the Israelites had to trust God for manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4), we can trust God to provide for us, even in the toughest times (Matthew 6:33). We can hold onto the promise that God will take care of us, and prioritize our relationship with Him, just as we prioritize our physical needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to get bread at the risk of our lives?
This phrase means that the people of Judah had to risk their lives just to get basic necessities like food, due to the danger and violence surrounding them, as seen in Lamentations 5:9, and is reminiscent of the struggles faced by the Israelites in the wilderness, as described in Exodus 16:3.
Why is the sword in the wilderness mentioned?
The sword in the wilderness refers to the threat of violence and attack that the people of Judah faced, even when they were trying to gather food, highlighting their vulnerability and fear, much like the fear experienced by the Israelites in Deuteronomy 1:19.
Is this verse talking about a spiritual or physical struggle?
While the verse is describing a physical struggle to obtain food, it also has spiritual implications, as the people of Judah were suffering due to their sin and separation from God, as seen in Lamentations 1:8 and Jeremiah 2:13.
How does this verse relate to the rest of the Bible?
This verse fits into the larger narrative of the Bible, which often describes the consequences of sin and the importance of trusting in God for provision, as seen in Psalm 37:3 and Matthew 6:33.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can relate to the struggle of getting bread at the risk of our lives, and how can I trust God in those struggles?
- How does this verse challenge my perspective on the importance of food and material provision, and what can I learn from the example of the Israelites in the wilderness?
- What are some ways that I can prioritize my spiritual nourishment, just as the people of Judah had to prioritize their physical nourishment, and what role does prayer play in this, as seen in Psalm 119:145-152?
- How can I apply the lessons of this verse to my own life, particularly in times of scarcity or uncertainty, and what promises can I hold onto, such as those found in Philippians 4:19?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:9
We gat our bread [with the peril of] our lives,.... This seems to refer to the time of the siege when they privately went out of the city to get in some provision, but went in danger of their lives:
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:9
We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness. We gat our bread with the peril of our lives - i:e., those of us left in the city after its capture by the Chaldeans.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
The enemies lay encamped in all the plains, so as they could stir out no way but the sword of the Chaldeans was upon them, and what victuals they got they adventured their lives for, during the time of the siege.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
Lamentations 5:9 We gat our bread with [the peril of] our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.Ver. 9. We gat our bread with the peril of our lives.] So did our good ancestors the bread of life, while their preachers also were glad to do as Jotham did, when they had delivered what they had to say, run away, and flee for their lives. See 2 Samuel 23:17. Because of the sword of the wilderness.] Where rovers and robbers lay in wait for us; neither could we pass them without apparent peril.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
(9) The sword of the wilderness.—Another element of suffering is hinted at. Those who were left in the land were attacked, as they gathered in their scanty harvest, by the nomad tribes of the wilderness. Amalekites, Midianites, and others. (Comp. Jeremiah 40:14.)
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
Verse 9. We gat our bread with the peril of our lives] They could not go into the wilderness to feed their cattle, or to get the necessaries of life, without being harassed and plundered by marauding parties, and by these were often exposed to the peril of their lives. This was predicted by Moses, Deuteronomy 28:31.
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:9
9. We get our bread] The reference is to the bands of wild Arabs (Bedaween), who plundered them as they ventured from the shelter of the city to reap the harvest or to tend the cattle or sheep of their masters. the sword of the wilderness] a unique expression in O.T. For the sense see last note. A suggestion, involving only changes of vocalisation and of one consonant (ûmiddeber instead of hammidbar), is to read for “of the wilderness” and because of pestilence. Cp. Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 27:13; Jeremiah 34:17 (Stade, ZATW, xv. p. 285). But pestilence has no proper place in this context. Enc. Bibl. (2700) suggests Arabian for “sword” (‘ãrâb for ḥ ?ereb).
Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:9
We gat - Or, We get “our bread at the peril of our lives.” This verse apparently refers to those who were left in the land, and who in gathering in such fruits as remained, were exposed to incursions
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:9
9. Sword of the wilderness — This alludes to the predatory Bedouins, who sometimes strip a whole district of its herds and its harvests in a single day.
Sermons on Lamentations 5:9
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(Through the Bible) Ezekiel 1-5 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher describes a vision that the prophet Ezekiel had of four living creatures. These creatures had the appearance of a man but each had four faces and four |
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From the Captivity of the Ten Tribes to the First Year of Cyrus by Flavius Josephus | Flavius Josephus recounts the tragic events that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of the Israelites. From the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians to the appo |
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Snares, Traps, Scourges, and Thorns by Carter Conlon | In this sermon on Judges chapter 6, the preacher highlights the consequences of the Israelites' disobedience to God. The nation of Midian oppresses them and steals their crops, lea |
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The Eternal Spirit in Old Testament Times by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of being inspired by the Holy Spirit and dedicating oneself to God. He uses examples from the Bible, such as Jacob and Gideon, |
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Answers by Manley Beasley | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of having a strong foundation in the word of God for a successful life. He shares his experience of visiting troubled churches |
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Standing Courageously in Your Home, Church, and Community by Paige Patterson | In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of encountering mean-spirited individuals at a meeting. However, he witnesses a transformation in some of these people as t |
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Gideon by Norman Grubb | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the story of Gideon from the Bible. Gideon and his men were facing a formidable enemy, but God instructed them to use unconventional methods t |