Lamentations 4:7
New International Version
Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.

New Living Translation
Our princes once glowed with health— brighter than snow, whiter than milk. Their faces were as ruddy as rubies, their appearance like fine jewels.

English Standard Version
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.

Berean Standard Bible
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.

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

New King James Version
Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance.

New American Standard Bible
Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They shined more than milk; They were more ruddy in body than pearls of coral, Their form was like lapis lazuli.

NASB 1995
Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.

NASB 1977
Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.

Legacy Standard Bible
Her Nazirites were purer than snow; They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.

Amplified Bible
Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk [in appearance]; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli (sapphire).

Christian Standard Bible
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like lapis lazuli.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like sapphire.

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Zayin Her Nazarites were purer than snow and they were whiter than the milk of their flocks. Their bones are more red than red sardius, and their bodies are of sapphire

Brenton Septuagint Translation
ZAIN. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purified as with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.

Contemporary English Version
The leaders of Jerusalem were purer than snow and whiter than milk; their bodies were healthy and glowed like jewels.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.

English Revised Version
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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Zion's princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more pink than coral. Their hair was like sapphires.

Good News Translation
Our princes were undefiled and pure as snow, vigorous and strong, glowing with health.

International Standard Version
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their beards like the color of precious stones.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was as of sapphire;

Literal Standard Version
Purer were her Nazarites than snow, | Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, | Of sapphire their form.

Majority Standard Bible
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.

New American Bible
Her princes were brighter than snow, whiter than milk, Their bodies more ruddy than coral, their beauty like the sapphire.

NET Bible
Her consecrated ones were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than corals, their hair like lapis lazuli.

New Revised Standard Version
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their hair like sapphire.

New Heart English Bible
Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli.

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

World English Bible
Her nobles were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.

Young's Literal Translation
Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Distress of Zion
6The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her. 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires. 8But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.…

Cross References
Exodus 24:10
and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.

Job 28:16
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.

Job 28:18
Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

Psalm 51:7
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Nazarites

Numbers 6:2
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:

Judges 13:5,7
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor 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 16:17
That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a rasor 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.

purer

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.

Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalm 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:

their polishing.

Jump to Previous
Appearance Beauty Bodies Body Brighter Cleaner Consecrated Coral Corals Figure Form Holy Milk Nazarites Nobles Ones Polishing Princes Purer Rubies Ruddy Sapphire Snow Whiter
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Appearance Beauty Bodies Body Brighter Cleaner Consecrated Coral Corals Figure Form Holy Milk Nazarites Nobles Ones Polishing Princes Purer Rubies Ruddy Sapphire Snow Whiter
Lamentations 4
1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13. She confesses her sins
21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted.














(7) Her Nazarites . . .--The word has been rendered "princes" by some commentators, on the ground that it means literally those who are "separated" from their brethren (Genesis 49:26; Deuteronomy 33:16), whether by rank or by the vows of consecration. There is no reason, however, for abandoning the rendering of the Authorised version. The reference to the Nazarites in Amos 2:11-12 shows that they were prominent as a body during the history of the monarchy, and the drift of Jeremiah's mind, as seen in his admiration of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35), shows that he was likely to think of them with reverence. The temperance, purity, cleanliness of such a body seem to have made them conspicuous among their fellows for an almost angelic beauty. (Comp. the interesting parallel of Daniel 1:15.) They had the red and white complexion which was in the East the ideal of comeliness (1Samuel 17:42; Song Song of Solomon 5:10). Their "polishing" (better, their form) was faultless, like that of a well cut sapphire. For "rubies" read coral. . . . Verse 7. - Her Nazarites; rather, her eminent ones (just as Joseph is called n'zir ekhav,"eminent among his brethren"). The rendering of the Authorized Version is lexically possible, but is intrinsically improbable. The Nazarites constituted too small a portion of the Jewish people to receive so prominent a place in the elegy. Rubies; rather, corals. Their polishing was of sapphire; literally, their shape was (like) a sapphire. But the point in which the sapphire is compared to the bodies of the princes is evidently not the outline of its form, but its gleaming brilliant appearance; so that the Authorized Version is substantially correct.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Her dignitaries
נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ (nə·zî·re·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5139: Nazirite -- one consecrated, devoted

were brighter
זַכּ֤וּ (zak·kū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2141: To be bright, clean or pure

than snow,
מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג (miš·še·leḡ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7950: Snow

whiter
צַח֖וּ (ṣa·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6705: To glare, be dazzling white

than milk;
מֵחָלָ֑ב (mê·ḥā·lāḇ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2461: Milk

their bodies
עֶ֙צֶם֙ (‘e·ṣem)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame

were more ruddy
אָ֤דְמוּ (’ā·ḏə·mū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 119: Flush, turn rosy

than rubies,
מִפְּנִינִ֔ים (mip·pə·nî·nîm)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6443: A pearl

their appearance
גִּזְרָתָֽם׃ (giz·rā·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1508: The figure, person, an inclosure

like sapphires.
סַפִּ֖יר (sap·pîr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5601: A gem, the sapphire


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:7 Her nobles were purer than snow they (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 4:6
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