Lamentations 4:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֙ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃

Transliteration

The rûaḥ ʾappênû, məšîaḥ YHWH, was nilkaḏ in their šəḥîṯôṯām, of whom we ʾāmarnû, in his ṣillô we will niḥyeh among the gôyim

Grammar Details

• *rûaḥ*: masculine singular construct - breath of
• *ʾappênû*: masculine dual noun with 1st common plural suffix - our nostrils
• *məšîaḥ*: masculine singular construct - anointed of
• *YHWH*: divine name - Yahweh/the LORD
• *nilkaḏ*: Niphal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he was captured
• *bi-šəḥîṯôṯām*: preposition + feminine plural noun with 3rd masculine plural suffix - in their pits
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - who/whom/which
• *ʾāmarnû*: Qal perfect, 1st common plural - we said
• *bə-ṣillô*: preposition + masculine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix - in his shadow
• *niḥyeh*: Qal imperfect, 1st common plural - we will live
• *ba-gôyim*: preposition + definite masculine plural noun - among the nations

Word Meanings

• *rûaḥ ʾappênû*: breath of our nostrils/life of our breath/vital spirit
• *məšîaḥ YHWH*: anointed of YHWH/YHWH's chosen one
• *nilkaḏ*: was captured/was caught/was taken
• *šəḥîṯôṯām*: their pits/their traps/their snares
• *ṣillô*: his shadow/his shade/his protection
• *niḥyeh*: we will live/we will survive/we will exist

Referenced Verses

• Gen 2:7 : 7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
• 2 Sam 19:21 : 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?
• Jer 39:5 : 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment upon him.
• Ezek 12:13 : 13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
• 2 Sam 1:14 : 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?
• Lam 2:9 : 9 Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; Yea, her prophets find no vision from Jehovah.
• 2 Sam 1:21 : 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings: For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
• 2 Sam 18:3 : 3 But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.
• Ps 89:20-21 : 20 I have found David my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him.
• Ezek 17:18 : 18 For he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape.
• Ezek 19:4-8 : 4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks unto the land of Egypt. 5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion. 6 And he went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men. 7 And he knew their palaces, and laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, because of the noise of his roaring. 8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces; and they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.
• Jer 52:8 : 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
• Gen 44:30 : 30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
• 1 Sam 12:3 : 3 Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
• 1 Sam 12:5 : 5 And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
• 1 Sam 16:6 : 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.
• 1 Sam 24:6 : 6 And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed.
• 1 Sam 24:10 : 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Jehovah's anointed.
• 1 Sam 26:9 : 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?
• 1 Sam 26:16 : 16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.