Lamentations 4:13
New International Version
But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.

New Living Translation
Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.

English Standard Version
This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.

Berean Standard Bible
But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

King James Bible
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,

New King James Version
Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.

New American Standard Bible
Because of the sins of her prophets And the wrongdoings of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous,

NASB 1995
Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;

NASB 1977
Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous,

Legacy Standard Bible
Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;

Amplified Bible
Because of the sins of her [counterfeit] prophets And the wickedness of her [unfaithful] priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the just and righteous;

Christian Standard Bible
Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.

American Standard Version
It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem was punished because her prophets and her priests had sinned and caused the death of innocent victims.

English Revised Version
It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[They got through] because of the sins of Jerusalem's prophets and the crimes of its priests, who spilled the blood of righteous people within it.

Good News Translation
But it happened, because her prophets sinned and her priests were guilty of causing the death of innocent people.

International Standard Version
Due to the sins committed by her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests who shed in her midst, the blood of the righteous,

Majority Standard Bible
But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

NET Bible
But it happened due to the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who poured out in her midst the blood of the righteous.

New Heart English Bible
It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Because of the sins of her prophets, "" The iniquities of her priests, "" Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

Young's Literal Translation
Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

Smith's Literal Translation
From the sins of her prophets the iniquities of her priests shedding the blood of the just in her midst,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Mem. 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
MEM. It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the just in her midst.

New American Bible
Except for the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, Who poured out in her midst the blood of the just.

New Revised Standard Version
It was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in the midst of her.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
It happened for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Mem Because of the sin of her Prophets and the evil of her Priests who shed the blood of the righteous ones within her
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
It is because of the sins of her prophets, And the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just In the midst of her.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
MEM. For the sins of her prophets, and iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood in the midst of her,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Distress of Zion
12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem. 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.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 23:11-15
“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD. / “Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD. / “Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. ...

Ezekiel 22:25-28
The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her. / Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. / Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain. ...

Matthew 23:29-36
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. / And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ / So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. ...

Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?

Micah 3:5-7
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: / Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. / Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Jeremiah 14:14-16
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds. / Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end! / And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.

Hosea 9:7-8
The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility. / The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

Luke 11:47-51
Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. / Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’ ...

Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

Jeremiah 6:13-15
“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. / They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. / Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD.

Matthew 21:33-41
Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ...

Isaiah 9:14-16
So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day. / The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. / For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

Acts 7:51-52
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. / Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Jeremiah 8:10-12
Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. / They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. / Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse, says the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her,

the sins

Lamentations 2:14
Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Jeremiah 6:13
For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

that

Jeremiah 2:20
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

Jeremiah 26:8,9
Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die…

Matthew 23:31,33-37
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets…

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Blood Drained Evil-Doing Iniquities Midst Priests Prophets Righteous Shed Shedding Sins Upright Within
Lamentations 4
1. Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13. She confesses her sins
21. Edom is threatened and Zion comforted.














But it happened
This phrase indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, emphasizing that the events described in Lamentations are not random but are a direct consequence of specific actions. The Hebrew root here suggests a divine allowance, where God permits certain outcomes as a result of human behavior. This reflects the biblical principle of sowing and reaping, where actions have consequences, a theme prevalent throughout Scripture.

because of the sins
The word "sins" in Hebrew is "חֲטָאִים" (chata'im), which refers to offenses against God's law. In a conservative Christian perspective, sin is seen as a fundamental separation from God, and this phrase underscores the gravity of the prophets' and priests' actions. Their sins are not just personal failings but have communal repercussions, affecting the entire nation of Israel.

of her prophets
Prophets in Israel were meant to be God's mouthpieces, conveying His will to the people. The Hebrew word "נְבִיאֶיהָ" (nevi'eha) indicates those who are called to speak on behalf of God. The failure of the prophets here is particularly grievous because they were entrusted with guiding the people in righteousness. Their sins represent a betrayal of their divine calling and responsibility.

and the iniquities of her priests
The term "iniquities" comes from the Hebrew "עֲוֹנוֹת" (avonot), which implies a deeper, more deliberate form of sin, often associated with moral perversity. Priests were the mediators between God and the people, responsible for maintaining the sanctity of worship and the temple. Their iniquities suggest a profound corruption of their sacred duties, leading the people astray and contributing to the nation's downfall.

who shed the blood of the righteous
This phrase highlights the severity of the leaders' sins. "Shed the blood" is a Hebrew idiom for murder or causing death, indicating a violent and unjust act. The "righteous" refers to those who are innocent or just, possibly including prophets who spoke truthfully or citizens who lived according to God's laws. This shedding of blood is a direct violation of God's commandments and underscores the moral decay within the leadership.

within her
The phrase "within her" refers to the city of Jerusalem, the heart of Israel's spiritual and political life. The use of "within" suggests that the corruption and violence are not external threats but internal failures. This internal decay is a poignant reminder of the need for vigilance in spiritual and moral integrity, as the greatest threats often come from within rather than from outside forces.

(13) That have shed the blood of the just . . .--The words point to incidents like the death of Zechariah the son of Jehoiada (2Chronicles 24:21); the "innocent blood" shed by Manasseh (2Kings 21:16); the attempts on Jeremiah's own life (Jeremiah 26:7); possibly to some unrecorded atrocities during the siege on the part of the priests and false prophets, who looked on the true prophets as traitors (Jeremiah 26:23).

Verse 13. - For the sins of her prophets, etc. Instead of connecting this verse by a comma with the following, we should rather view it as a unit in itself, and understand at the beginning, "All this hath happened" The sins of the prophets and priests are mentioned together by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 23:11), as well as by Isaiah (Isaiah 28:7). But we are nowhere else told that the spiritual leaders of the people, in these closing years of the Jewish state, were guilty of shedding innocent blood, unless this is to be inferred from the incident related in Jeremiah 26:7, etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[But this was] for the sins
מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את (mê·ḥaṭ·ṭōṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

of her prophets
נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ (nə·ḇî·’e·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

and the guilt
עֲוֺנ֖וֹת (‘ă·wō·nō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

of her priests,
כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ (kō·hă·ne·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

who shed
הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים (haš·šō·p̄ə·ḵîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

the blood
דַּ֥ם (dam)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

of the righteous
צַדִּיקִֽים׃ (ṣad·dî·qîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

in her midst.
בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ (bə·qir·bāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 4:13 It is because of the sins (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 4:12
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