Lamentations 4:14
New International Version
Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.

New Living Translation
They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them.

English Standard Version
They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments.

Berean Standard Bible
They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

King James Bible
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

New King James Version
They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments.

New American Standard Bible
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood, Such that no one could touch their garments.

NASB 1995
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

NASB 1977
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

Legacy Standard Bible
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

Amplified Bible
They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

Christian Standard Bible
Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.”

American Standard Version
They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Nun Her Princes wandered in her streets and they wallowed in blood, and they were unable to touch their garments

Brenton Septuagint Translation
NUN. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness, they touched their raiment with it.

Contemporary English Version
Yes, her prophets and priests were covered with blood; no one would come near them, as they wandered from street to street.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.

English Revised Version
They wander as blind men in the streets, that are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
My people staggered blindly through the streets. They were so contaminated with bloodstains that no one would touch their clothes.

Good News Translation
Her leaders wandered through the streets as though blind, so stained with blood that no one would touch them.

International Standard Version
people stagger around in the streets like the blind, defiled by blood unclean so that no one is able to touch their clothing.

JPS Tanakh 1917
They wander as blind men in the streets, They are polluted with blood, So that men cannot Touch their garments.

Literal Standard Version
They have wandered naked in out-places, | They have been defiled with blood, | Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,

Majority Standard Bible
They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

New American Bible
They staggered blindly in the streets, defiled with blood, So that people could not touch even their garments:

NET Bible
They wander blindly through the streets, defiled by the blood they shed, while no one dares to touch their garments.

New Revised Standard Version
Blindly they wandered through the streets, so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments.

New Heart English Bible
They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men can't touch their garments.

Webster's Bible Translation
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

World English Bible
They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that men can’t touch their garments.

Young's Literal Translation
They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without any being able to touch their clothing,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Distress of Zion
13But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst. 14They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. 15“Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:28
The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind,

Deuteronomy 28:29
and at noon you will grope about like a blind man in the darkness. You will not prosper in your ways. Day after day you will be oppressed and plundered, with no one to save you.

Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

Isaiah 29:10
For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.

Isaiah 56:10
Israel's watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.

Isaiah 59:9
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

Isaiah 59:10
Like the blind, we feel our way along the wall, groping like those without eyes. We stumble at midday as in the twilight; among the vigorous we are like the dead.


Treasury of Scripture

They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

have wandered

Deuteronomy 28:28,29
The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: …

Isaiah 29:10-12
For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered…

Isaiah 56:10
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

they have polluted

Numbers 35:33
So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

Isaiah 1:15
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Jeremiah 2:34
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

Numbers 19:16
And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

Hosea 4:2
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

depart ye

Numbers 16:26
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

Numbers 19:16
And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

Psalm 6:8
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

it is unclean.

Leviticus 13:45
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

Jump to Previous
Able Blind Blood Clothing Dares Defiled Garments Grope Naked Out-Places Polluted Robes Streets Themselves Touch Touched Unclean Wander Wandered Wandering
Jump to Next
Able Blind Blood Clothing Dares Defiled Garments Grope Naked Out-Places Polluted Robes Streets Themselves Touch Touched Unclean Wander Wandered Wandering
Lamentations 4
1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13. She confesses her sins
21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted.














(14) They have wandered . . .--Literally, reeled. The blindness, i.e., either that of the insatiable lust of blood, or of hopeless despair, or both. (Comp. Deuteronomy 28:28; Jeremiah 23:12; Isaiah 29:10.) The horror of the picture is heightened by the fact that the very garments of the priests were so dripping with blood that men shrank from touching them.

Verse 14. - They; i.e. the prophets and priests. Wandered as blind men. The leaders of the people are blinded by ignorance, for they know not the only true way of averting calamity, and by passion, for they have not that "eye" of the soul (Matthew 6:22, 23) which alone enables a man to see the good and the right course for himself individually, The" wandering," or, rather, "staggering" (comp. Psalm 107:27, Authorized Version), however, may also refer to the panic stricken condition of those self. deceived deceivers when overtaken by God's punishment; comp. "wine of reeling" (Authorized Version, "astonishment"), Psalm 60:3; also the prophecies in Deuteronomy 28:28, 29; Jeremiah 23:12. The doubt is whether "have wandered" refers to some period before the final catastrophe, or to the consternation produced by that awful surprise. The latter view seems the more probable. They have polluted themselves, etc. Their acts of violence have been continued to the very end of their term of power. Their garments are still stained with blood when the summons to depart into exile reaches them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They wandered
נָע֤וּ (nā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5128: To quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter

blind
עִוְרִים֙ (‘iw·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 5787: Blind

in the streets,
בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת (ba·ḥū·ṣō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors

defiled
נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ (nə·ḡō·’ă·lū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1351: To soil, desecrate

by this blood,
בַּדָּ֑ם (bad·dām)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

so that no
בְּלֹ֣א (bə·lō)
Preposition-b | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

one dared
יֽוּכְל֔וּ (yū·ḵə·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3201: To be able, have power

to touch
יִגְּע֖וּ (yig·gə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

their garments.
בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ (bil·ḇu·šê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3830: A garment, clothing, raiment


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:14 They wander as blind men (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 4:13
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