Lamentations 3:43 — Word Study
WLCסַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃
BSAYou have coveredçâkak■ [with wrath, in anger] Yourself in angerʼaph [your face, your countenance, strong displeasure] and pursued usrâdaph▸ [chased after, followed with hostile intent] You have killedhârag■ [slain, destroyed] withoutlôʼ [not] pitychâmal■ [mercy, sparing]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| סַכֹּ֤תָה | you have covered yourself | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| בָאַף֙ | with anger | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ | and you have pursued us | Verb qal sequential imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
| הָרַ֖גְתָּ | you have killed | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| לֹ֥א | not | Particle |
| חָמָֽלְתָּ׃ | you have spared | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity. |
| KJV | Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. |
| ASV | Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. |
| YLT | Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain — Thou hast not pitied. |
| WEB | “You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied. |
| BBE | Covering yourself with wrath you have gone after us, cutting us off without pity; |
The translations agree on the meaning and wording of the verse.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by two subordinate clauses, detailing God's actions.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbסָכַךְ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 3:43
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lament of the Peoplegenerated
Lamentations 3:43 expresses a deep sorrow over the perceived abandonment by God due to the people's sins. The speaker feels that God has turned away in anger, leading to suffering and death without compassion. This verse is part of a larger lament that reflects on the consequences of rebellion against God, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 2:1 | How the Lord has covered the Daughter of Zion with the cloud of His anger! He has cast the glory of Israel from heaven to earth. He has abandoned His footstool in the day of His anger. |
| 2 | Psalm 44:19 | But You have crushed us in the lair of jackals; You have covered us with deepest darkness. |
| 3 | Lamentations 3:66 | You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them from under Your heavens, O LORD. |
| 4 | Psalm 83:15 | so pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm. |
| 5 | Lamentations 2:2–17 | Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob. In His wrath He has demolished the fortified cities of the Daughter of Judah. He brought to the ground and defiled her kingdom and its princes. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — סַכֹּ֤תָה, sa.Ko.tahgenerated
The verb סָכַךְ (*sakh*) means 'to cover' or 'to protect.' In this context, it conveys the idea of God covering Himself with anger, suggesting a withdrawal of His presence and favor. The parsing indicates it is a perfect verb in the second person masculine singular, meaning God is directly addressed and implicated in the action.
This form of the verb implies a completed action — God has already covered Himself in anger. The choice of this verb emphasizes the intensity of God's displeasure and the resulting consequences for the people, who feel pursued and harmed.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb סַכֹּ֤תָה governs the structure of the verse, indicating the action of God covering Himself in anger. The other verbs follow in a sequence that outlines the consequences of this anger: pursuing and killing without mercy.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on God's actions first, highlighting the severity of His anger before mentioning the effects on the people.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates סַכֹּ֤תָה as ἐπεσκέπασας, meaning 'You have covered.' This choice suggests a focus on the act of covering rather than the emotional implications of anger, which may reflect a different interpretative angle.
The Greek term θυμῷ for 'anger' aligns with the Hebrew but may carry a slightly different connotation in the context of divine wrath.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:43 shows the speaker lamenting that God has covered Himself in anger and has pursued them, leading to death without mercy. This verse highlights the pain of feeling abandoned by God due to the people's sins and the resulting suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates a withdrawal of God's favor and protection, emphasizing His displeasure with the people's actions.
The pursuit signifies God's active response to their rebellion, suggesting a hostile intent rather than protection.
This reflects the severity of divine judgment, where the consequences of sin lead to destruction without mercy.
It encapsulates the themes of suffering, divine anger, and the consequences of sin that permeate the book.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt God's anger in my own life, and how can I respond to it?
- How can I seek to understand the consequences of my actions in light of God's character?
- What does it mean to me that God has the power to pursue and judge, yet also the capacity for mercy?
- How can I find hope in the midst of lament and suffering, as expressed in this verse?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Aquinas comments on this verse, noting the implications of God's anger and the consequences faced by the people.
So Verse 43 says: "Thou hast wrapped thyself with anger and persued us." That is, first by diverse tribulations. And finally: "slaying without pity".Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:43 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou hast covered with anger,.... Either himself; not as a tender father, that cannot bear to see the affliction of a child; this does not suit with anger; but rather as one greatly displeased, in
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThou hast covered with anger; either thou hast covered thyself with anger, or covered thy own face with anger, so as not to look upon us to move thy pity; or (which is more probably the sense) thou hast covered, that is, overwhelmed, us with thy wrath. Thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied; thou hast pursued us to a fatal ruin, without showing us any pity.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.Ver. 43. Thou hast covered with anger.] Overwhelmed us with thy judgments. None out of hell have ever suffered more than the saints: they have felt the sad effects of displeased love.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(43) Thou hast covered with anger.—Better, as in the next verse, Thou hast covered thyself. Wrath is as the garment in which God wraps Himself to execute His righteous judgments. In Lamentations 3:44 the wrath is represented more definitely as a cloud through which the prayers of the afflicted cannot pass.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges43. covered] mg., better, covered thyself. Thou hast clothed thyself in wrath. This accords with the next line.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIn verses 43-66, far from pardoning, God is still actively punishing His people.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible43. Thou hast covered — That is, thyself. The verb means, not overwhelming, but clothing. The thought is the same in form with that of the following verse.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Lamentations 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.
“You have covered us with anger and pursued us. You have killed. You have not pitied.
You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.
You shrouded yourself with anger and then pursued us; you killed without mercy.
Tyndale line
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.
Strictly literal
Thou hast covered thyself with anger, and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not spared.
Thou hast covered Thyself with anger, And dost pursue us; Thou hast slain — Thou hast not pitied.
You have covered Yourself with anger, || And pursue us; You have slain—You have not pitied.
Thou hast covered [us] with thy anger, and made pursuit after us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.
You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us, you have killed and you have not spared.
From the Latin
Samech. Thou hast covered in thy wrath, and hast struck us: thou hast killed and hast not spared.
Simplified
You have wrapped yourself in anger and chased us down, killing without mercy. You have killed without pity.
Covering yourself with wrath you have gone after us, cutting us off without pity;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in the wording of this verse, with all six words matched. This indicates a strong consistency in the transmission of this lament, reflecting the shared understanding of God's anger and the resulting consequences.
סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 3:43
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word סוּךְ (*sukh*) and its variants relate to the concepts of covering, protecting, and weaving together. It encompasses meanings such as to hedge in, overshadow, and screen, with implications of defense and joining. The entries reference various forms and usages, including a noun for 'protector' and verbs that describe actions of covering and weaving. Notably, the word appears in Exodus 33:22.
[סוּךְ, סִיךְ] vb. hedge, or fence about, shut in
base
[סָכַךְ] vb. overshadow, screen, cover
Qal
screen, cover
reflex. cover oneself
Hiph. screen, cover
Pilp. denom.
base
[סָכַךְ] vb. weave together;—Qal ψ 139:13
ref
סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector;—term. techn. of structure shielding stormers of city Na 2:6
H5526a סוּךְ, סִיךְ hedge, or fence about, shut in H5526b סָכַךְ overshadow, screen, cover H5526c סָכַךְ weave together H5526d סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector H5526e שָׂכַךְ cover, lay over, so as to screen H5526f שָׂכַךְ weave
5526 cakak saw-kak'
or sakak (Exod. 33:22) {saw-kak'}; a primitive root;
properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in,
cover over, (figuratively) protect:--cover, defence, defend,
hedge in, join together, set, shut up.
סוּךְ (sukh) — to fence.
(Qal) to hedge, fence about, shut in
סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.
1) to block, overshadow, screen, stop the approach, shut off, cover
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to screen, cover
1a2) to cover oneself
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to screen, cover
סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.
1) to weave together
4a) (Qal) to weave together
1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together
סֹכֵךְ (so.kh) — protector.
protector (participle)
שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.
(Qal) to cover, lay over
שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.
1) to weave together
1a) (Qal) to weave together
1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
an'-ger: In the Old Testament, the translation of several Hebrew words, especially of 'aph (lit. "nostril," "countenance"), which is used some 45 times of human, 177 times of Divine, anger (OHL). The word occurs rarely in the New Testament (Mr 3:5; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Re 14:10), its place being taken by the word "wrath" (see WRATH). As a translation of words denoting God's "anger," the English word is unfortunate so far as it may seem to imply selfish, malicious or vindictive personal feeling. The anger of God is the response of His holiness to outbreaking sin. Particularly when it culminates in action is it rightly called Has "wrath." The Old Testament doctrine of God's anger…
Anger
The emotion of instant displeasure on account of something evil that presents itself to our view. In itself it is an original susceptibility of our nature, just as love is, and is not necessarily sinful. It may, however, become sinful when causeless, or excessive, or protracted (Matt. 5:22; Eph. 4:26; Col. 3:8). As ascribed to God, it merely denotes his displeasure with sin and with sinners (Ps. 7:11).
A violent emotion of a painful nature, sometimes arising spontaneously upon just occasion, but usually characterized in the Bible as a great sin, Mt 5:22 Eph 4:31 Col 3:8. Even when just, our anger should be mitigated by a due consideration of the circumstances of the offence and the state of mind of the offender; of the folly and ill-results of this passion; of the claims of the gospel, and of our own need of forgiveness from others, but especially from God, Mt 6:15. Anger is in Scripture frequently attributed to God, Mt 7:11 28:20; not that he is liable to those violent emotions which this passion produces, but…
רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.
רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute
Qal 128
pursue
lit. put to flight, chase
lit., the pursuers
chase, hunt
pursue
fig. persecute, harass
pursue, dog
fig. follow after, aim to secure
Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued
Pi. pursue ardently
Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains
Hiph. usu. they chased him
base
H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute
7291 radaph raw-daf'
a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;
figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,
follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),
pursue(-r).
רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.
1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon
1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)
1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)
1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be pursued
1b2) one pursued (participle)
1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue
1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away
1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-2ms | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vqw2ms/Sp1bp
US, pronoun objective case of we.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Us , pron. [OE. us, AS. s; akin to OFries. & OS. s, D. ons, G. uns, Icel. & Sw. oss, Dan. os, Goth. uns, L. nos we, us, Gr. we, Skr. nas us. . Cf. Nostrum, Our.] The persons speaking, regarded as an object; ourselves; — the objective case of we. See We. “Tell us a tale.” Chaucer.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matt. vi. 11.
Us, pron. oblique case of we
הָרַג (harag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to kill or slay, often implying ruthless violence. It encompasses a range of meanings including murder, destruction, and being killed. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, such as wholesale slaughter in battle or divine judgment. The verb appears in different forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Pual, indicating various nuances of killing.
הָרַג vb. kill, slay
Qal
kill, slay, implying ruthless violence
hence of wholesale slaughter after battle
of God’s slaying in judgment
rarely of judicial killing by men (at God’s command)
of killing beasts
of killing by beasts
quite general
destroy, ruin
Niph.
shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary?
pass. of Qal 1 b
Pu. be slain
base
H2026 הָרַג kill, slay
2026 harag haw-rag'
a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent:--destroy, out
of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter),
slay(-er), X surely.
הָרַג (ha.rag) — to kill.
1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to kill, slay
1a2) to destroy, ruin
1b) (Niphal) to be killed
1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
חָמַל (chamal) is a primitive root meaning to spare or have compassion. It encompasses the ideas of commiseration and pity, primarily in the Qal stem. The entries consistently emphasize its connotation of sparing or showing compassion.
H2550 חָמַל spare
2550 chamal khaw-mal'
a primitive root; to commiserate; by implication, to
spare:--have compassion, (have) pity, spare.
חָמַל (cha.mal) — to spare.
(Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms