Lamentations 4 · Verse 7

Lamentations 4:7

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

Lamentations 4:7, King James Version

Lamentations 4:7 in other translations

BSB	Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
WEB	Her nobles were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.
ASV	Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.
YLT	Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.
DARBY	Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their figure was as sapphire.
BBE	Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:
Webster	Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

What does Lamentations 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. Nazarites--literally, "separated ones" (Nu 6:2). They were held once in the highest estimation, but now they are degraded. God's blessing formerly caused their body not to be the less fair and ruddy for their abstinence from strong drink. Compare the similar case of Daniel, &c. (Da 1:8-15). Also David (1Sa 16:12; 17:42). Type of Messiah (So 5:10). rubies--Gesenius translates, "corals," from a Hebrew root, "to divide into branches," from the branching form of corals. polishing--They were like exquisitely cut and polished sapphires. The "sapphires" may represent the blue veins of a healthy person. Cheth.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow - נזיר nazir does not always signify a person separated under a religious vow; it sometimes denotes what is chief or eminent. It is applied to Joseph, Gen 49:26. Blayney therefore translates here, Her Nobles. "Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were ruddier on the bone than rubies; their veining was the sapphires." On which he remarks: - "In the first line the whiteness of their skin is described, and in the second, their flesh;" and as גזר gazar signifies to divide and intersect, as the blue veins do on the surface of the body, these are without doubt intended. Milk will most certainly well apply to the whiteness of the skin; the beautiful ruby to the ruddiness of the flesh; and the sapphire, in its clear transcendent purple, to the veins in a fine complexion. The reverse of this state, as described in the following verse, needs no explanation. The face was a dismal dark brown, the flesh gone, the skin shrivelled, and apparently wrapped round the bones.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Lamentations 4:1-12

The deplorable state of the nation is contrasted with its ancient prosperity. Verses 1-12 What a change is here! Sin tarnishes the beauty of the most exalted powers and the most excellent gifts; but that gold, tried in the fire, which Christ bestows, never will be taken from us; its outward appearance may be dimmed, but its real value can never be changed. The horrors of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem are…

Read the full comment on Lamentations 4:1-12 →

Lamentations 4:7 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.

זַכּ֤וּza.Kuthey were brightH2141

נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ne.zi.Rei.haones of high rank itsH5139

מִשֶּׁ֔לֶגmi.She.legmore than snowH7950

צַח֖וּtza.Chuthey were dazzlingH6705

מֵחָלָ֑בme.cha.Lavmore than milkH2461

אָ֤דְמוּ'A.de.muthey were redH119

עֶ֙צֶם֙'e.tzemboneH6106

מִפְּנִינִ֔יםmi.pe.ni.Nimmore than coralsH6443

סַפִּ֖ירsa.Pir[was] sapphireH5601

גִּזְרָתָֽם\׃\ \סgiz.ra.Tampolishing theirH1508

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

Cross references for Lamentations 4:7

Psalms 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Song of Solomon 5:10
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
Psalms 144:12
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:
1 Samuel 16:12
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Numbers 6:2-21
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. …
Judges 13:5
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
Judges 13:7
But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Amos 2:11-12
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord. But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
Judges 16:17
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
Daniel 1:15
And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
Luke 1:15
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Nazarites.
Nu 6:2-21; Jud 13:5,7; 16:17; Am 2:11,12; Lu 1:15
purer.
1Sa 16:12; Ps 51:7; 144:12; So 5:10; Da 1:15
their polishing.{Gizrathom,} rendered by Dr. Blayney, "their veining," from {gazar,} to divide, intersect, as the blue veins do the surface of the body. This is approved by Dr. A. Clarke, who remarks, "Milk will most certainly well apply to the whiteness of the skin; the beautiful ruby to the ruddiness of the flesh; and the sapphire, in its clear, transcendent purple, to the veins in a fine complexion."

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

Context

Lamentations 4:6
For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
Lamentations 4:7
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
Lamentations 4:8
Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

Read all of Lamentations 4

Lamentations 4:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Sus Nazareos fueron blancos más que la nieve, más lustrosos que la leche, su compostura más rubicunda que los rubíes, más bellos que el zafiro:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ses nazaréens étaient plus purs que la neige, plus blancs que le lait; leur corps était plus vermeil que des rubis, leur taille un saphir.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ihre Fürsten waren reiner als Schnee, weißer als Milch; röter waren sie am Leibe als Korallen, wie Saphir ihre Gestalt.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Candidiores Nazaræi ejus nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo, sapphiro pulchriores.