Lamentations 4:20

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

📖 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 the LORD 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 the LORD'S anointed?
• Jer 39:5 : 5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where 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 stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'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 Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.
• 2 Sam 1:21 : 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
• 2 Sam 18:3 : 3 But the people answered, 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 now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
• Ps 89:20-21 : 20 I have found{H8804)} David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed{H8804)} him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established{H8735)}: mine arm also shall strengthen{H8762)} him.
• Ezek 17:18 : 18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and 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 chains 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 learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. 7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring. 8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and 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 be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
• 1 Sam 12:3 : 3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, 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 received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
• 1 Sam 12:5 : 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, 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 the LORD'S anointed is before him.
• 1 Sam 24:6 : 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
• 1 Sam 24:10 : 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.
• 1 Sam 26:9 : 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?
• 1 Sam 26:16 : 16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.