Lamentations 3 · Verse 34

Lamentations 3:34

To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
Lamentations 3:34, King James Version

Lamentations 3:34 in other translations

BSBTo crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,
WEBTo crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
ASVTo crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
YLTTo bruise under one's feet any bound ones of earth,
DARBYTo crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,
BBEIn a man's crushing under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
WebsterTo crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

What does Lamentations 3:34 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:34-36
34-36. This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of La 3:36, "the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a man." God approves (literally, "seeth," Ha 1:13; so "behold," "look on," that is, look on with approval) not of such unrighteous acts; and so the Jews may look for deliverance and the punishment of their foes.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 34 To crush under his feet - He can neither gain credit nor pleasure in trampling upon those who are already bound, and in suffering; such he knows to be the state of man here below. From which it most assuredly follows, that God never afflicts us but for our good, nor chastises but that we may be partakers of his holiness. All the prisoners of the earth - By the prisoners of the earth, or land, Dr. Blayney understands those insolvent debtors who were put in prison, and there obliged to work out the debt. Yet this is mercy in comparison with those who put them in prison, and keep them there, when they know that it is impossible, from the state of the laws, to lessen the debt by their confinement. In Lam 3:34, Lam 3:35, and Lam 3:36, certain acts of tyranny, malice, and injustice are specified, which men often indulge themselves in the practice of towards one another, but which the Divine goodness is far from countenancing or approving by any similar conduct. - Blayney.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Lamentations 3:21-36

Having stated his distress and temptation, the prophet shows how he was raised above it. Bad as things are, it is owing to the mercy of God that they are not worse. We should observe what makes for us, as well as what is against us. God's compassions fail not; of this we have fresh instances every morning. Portions on earth are perishing things, but God is a portion for ever. It is our duty, and will be our comfort…

Read the full comment on Lamentations 3:21-36 →

Lamentations 3:34 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לְדַכֵּא֙le.da.Ke'to crushH1792
תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478
רַגְלָ֔יוrag.Lavfeet hisH7272
כֹּ֖לkolallH3605
אֲסִ֥ירֵי'a.Si.rei[the] prisoners ofH615
אָֽרֶץ\׃'A.retz[the] landH776

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Lamentations 3:34

  • Zechariah 9:11-12

    As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

  • Isaiah 51:22-23

    Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

  • Psalms 102:20

    To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

  • Jeremiah 51:33-36

    For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.

  • Psalms 69:33

    For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

  • Isaiah 49:9

    That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

  • Isaiah 14:17

    That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

  • Psalms 79:11

    Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;

  • Jeremiah 50:17

    Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

  • Jeremiah 50:33-34

    Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
crush.
Isa 51:22,23; Jer 50:17,33,34; 51:33-36
all.
Ps 69:33; 79:11; 102:20; Isa 14:17; 49:9; Zec 9:11,12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Lamentations 3:33

    For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

  • Lamentations 3:34

    To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

  • Lamentations 3:35

    To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

Read all of Lamentations 3

Lamentations 3:34 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Desmenuzar bajo de sus pies todos los encarcelados de la tierra,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Qu’on écrase sous les pieds tous les prisonniers de la terre,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Daß man alle Gefangenen der Erde unter seinen Füßen zertrete,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ut conteret sub pedibus suis omnes vinctos terræ.