Lamentations 4:19

Authorized King James Version

Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
קַלִּ֤ים
are swifter
light; (by implication) rapid (also adverbial)
#2
הָיוּ֙
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#3
רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ
Our persecutors
to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively [of time] gone by)
#4
מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י
than the eagles
the eagle (or other large bird of prey)
#5
שָׁמָ֑יִם
of the heaven
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
#6
עַל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#7
הֶהָרִ֣ים
us upon the mountains
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
#8
דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ
they pursued
to flame (literally or figuratively)
#9
בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר
for us in the wilderness
a pasture (i.e., open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert
#10
אָ֥רְבוּ
they laid wait
to lurk
#11
לָֽנוּ׃
H0

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Lamentations Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection