What does Lamentations 4:21 mean?
"¶ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked." - Lamentations 4:21
The book of Lamentations is a collection of five poems lamenting the defeat and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. The verse Lamentations 4:21 from the King James Version (KJV) reads: "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked."
This verse comes at the end of a section where the author is expressing the punishment that Edom will receive for their treatment of Jerusalem. The nation of Edom is told to "rejoice and be glad" at their own peril, as they will soon face the same fate as Jerusalem. This verse serves as a warning to those who take pleasure in the misfortune of others, as they will ultimately face the consequences of their actions.
The themes present in Lamentations 4:21 include justice, vengeance, and the consequences of one's actions. The author is expressing a belief in divine retribution, where those who perpetrate injustices will eventually be held accountable for their actions. This verse also serves as a reminder that no one is exempt from facing the effects of their behavior, and that all individuals, nations, and peoples will eventually have to face the consequences of their actions.
The context of this verse is important for understanding its deeper meaning. The book of Lamentations was written after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and it is a lamentation for the suffering and devastation that the city and its people endured. The author, traditionally believed to be the prophet Jeremiah, is expressing the deep sorrow and grief that he feels for the loss of his people and their city. In Lamentations 4:21, the author is also expressing a sense of justice and hope that the perpetrators of this destruction will face their own punishment.
In terms of symbolism, the cup mentioned in the verse is a symbol of God's wrath and judgment. Throughout the Bible, the image of the "cup" is often used to represent the consequences of one's actions and the divine retribution that will follow. In this verse, the cup passing through to Edom signifies that they will soon face their own judgment for their actions. The image of making oneself naked is also a symbol of vulnerability and exposure, suggesting that Edom will be left defenseless and open to the consequences of their behavior.
Overall, Lamentations 4:21 from the King James Version (KJV) is a powerful and evocative verse that conveys a sense of justice and accountability. It serves as a reminder that those who take pleasure in the suffering of others will ultimately face the consequences of their actions. The verse also conveys a sense of hope and faith in divine justice, as the author expresses confidence that God's judgment will ultimately prevail. These themes and symbolism make this verse a poignant and thought-provoking commentary on the nature of justice and the consequences of one's actions.
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Lamentations 4:21 - "¶ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked."
"¶ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked." - Lamentations 4:21
Lamentations 3:21 - "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope."
Lamentations 5:21 - "Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old."
Lamentations 4:4 - "The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them."
Lamentations 4:5 - "They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills."
Lamentations 5:4 - "We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us."
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." - Lamentations 3:21
Lamentations 4:13 - "¶ For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,"
Lamentations 4:9 - "They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field."
Lamentations 4:2 - "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!"
Lamentations 4:10 - "The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people."
Lamentations 3:4 - "My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones."
Lamentations 4:8 - "Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick."
Lamentations 4:16 - "The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders."
Lamentations 4:14 - "They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments."
Lamentations 4:19 - "Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness."
Lamentations 4:6 - "For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her."
Lamentations 4:12 - "The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem."
Lamentations 2:21 - "The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied."
Lamentations 4:1 - "How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street."
Lamentations 4:17 - "As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us."
Lamentations 4:18 - "They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come."
Lamentations 1:4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
Lamentations 3:21-23 - "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 1:4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
Lamentations 1:4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
Lamentations 4:7 - "Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:"
Lamentations 4:3 - "Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness."
Lamentations 4:20 - "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."