Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Lamentations 4:12

The kings of the earthand all the world’s inhabitants did not believethat an enemy or adversarycould enter Jerusalem’s gates.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Lamentations;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lamentations, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acrostic;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Messiah;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The kings of the eretz didn't believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Yerushalayim.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible
The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Would enter the gates of Jerusalem.
New Century Version
Kings of the earth and people of the world could not believe that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Amplified Bible
The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth, That the adversary (oppressor) and enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
World English Bible
The kings of the earth didn't believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not haue beleeued that the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Legacy Standard Bible
The kings of the earth did not believe,Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world,That the adversary and the enemyCould enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
The 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.
Contemporary English Version
Not a king on this earth or the people of any nation believed enemies could break through her gates.
Complete Jewish Bible
The kings of the earth could not believe, neither could anyone living in the world, that enemy or foe would ever enter the gates of Yerushalayim.
Darby Translation
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Easy-to-Read Version
The kings of the earth could not believe what had happened. The people of the world could not believe what had happened. They could not believe that enemies would be able to come through the city gates of Jerusalem.
George Lamsa Translation
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor all the inhabitants of the world, that the enemy and the oppressor could come and enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Good News Translation
No one anywhere, not even rulers of foreign nations, believed that any invader could enter Jerusalem's gates.
Lexham English Bible
The kings of the earth did not believe, and all the inhabitants of the world, that a foe and an enemy could enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Literal Translation
The kings of the earth and all those living in the world would not have believed that the foe and the hater would go into the gates of Jerusalem.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Nether the kinges of the earth, ner all ye inhabitours of the worlde, wolde haue beleued, that the enemie & aduersary shulde haue come in at the gates of the cite of Ierusale.
American Standard Version
The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Bible in Basic English
To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
King James Version (1611)
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not haue beleeued, that the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neither the kynges of the earth, nor all the inhabitours of the world, would haue beleued that the enemie and aduersarie shoulde haue come in at the gates of the citie of Hierusalem.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
LAMED. The kings of the earth, even all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter through the gates of Jerusalem.
English Revised Version
The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy should enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lamet. The kyngis of erthe, and alle dwelleris of the world bileueden not, that an aduersarie and enemy schulde entre bi the yatis of Jerusalem.
Update Bible Version
The kings of the earth did not believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
Webster's Bible Translation
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
New English Translation

ל (Lamed)

Neither the kings of the earth nor the people of the lands ever thought that enemy or foe would enter the gates of Jerusalem.
New King James Version
The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem--
New Living Translation
Not a king in all the earth— no one in all the world— would have believed that an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem.
New Life Bible
The kings of the earth and all the people of the world did not believe that those who hated them could come into the gates of Jerusalem.
New Revised Standard
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Neither the kings of the earth, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, believed, that an adversary or an enemy, should enter, the gates of Jerusalem!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.
Revised Standard Version
The kings of the earth did not believe, or any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Young's Literal Translation
Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.
THE MESSAGE
The kings of the earth couldn't believe it. World rulers were in shock, Watching old enemies march in big as you please, right through Jerusalem's gates.

Contextual Overview

1How the gold has become tarnished, 2Zion’s precious children—once worth their weight in pure gold—how they are regarded as clay jars,the work of a potter’s hands! 3Even jackals offer their breaststo nurse their young,but my dear people have become cruellike ostriches in the wilderness. 4The nursing baby’s tongueclings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.Infants beg for food,but no one gives them any. 5Those who used to eat delicaciesare destitute in the streets;those who were reared in purple garmentshuddle in trash heaps. 6The punishment of my dear peopleis greater than that of Sodom,which was overthrown in an instantwithout a hand laid on it. 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,whiter than milk;their bodies were more ruddy than coral,their appearance like lapis lazuli. 8Now they appear darker than soot;they are not recognized in the streets.Their skin has shriveled on their bones;it has become dry like wood. 9Those slain by the sword are better offthan those slain by hunger,who waste away, pierced with painbecause the fields lack produce. 10The hands of compassionate womenhave cooked their own children;they became their foodduring the destruction of my dear people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 29:24-28, 1 Kings 9:8, 1 Kings 9:9, Psalms 48:4-6

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:32 - and your Deuteronomy 28:59 - General 2 Kings 25:8 - Nebuzaradan 1 Chronicles 11:5 - the castle Psalms 125:2 - As the mountains Psalms 147:13 - he hath Isaiah 5:5 - I will take Jeremiah 20:5 - I will deliver Jeremiah 21:13 - Who Jeremiah 22:8 - General Ezekiel 21:20 - the defenced Habakkuk 1:5 - and regard Zechariah 1:6 - Like

Cross-References

Genesis 4:3
In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.
Genesis 4:4
And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:14
Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”
Genesis 4:17
Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son.
Genesis 4:18
Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.
Genesis 4:23
Lamech said to his wives:
Genesis 4:24
If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!
Leviticus 26:20
and your strength will be used up for nothing. Your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit.
Leviticus 26:36
“I will put anxiety in the hearts of those of you who survive in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a wind-driven leaf will put them to flight, and they will flee as one flees from a sword, and fall though no one is pursuing them.
Psalms 109:10
Let his children wander as beggars,searching for food far from their demolished homes.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world,.... Not only the neighbouring nations, and the kings of them, but even such in all parts of the world that knew anything of Jerusalem:

would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem; when it was besieging, they did not believe it would be taken; and when they heard it was, it was incredible to them; it being so strongly fortified by art and nature, with mountains and hills, with walls and bulwarks, and had such a vast number of people in it; and, especially, was the city of the great God, who had so often and so signally preserved and saved it: the "adversary" and "enemy" are the same, and design the Chaldeans. The Targum distinguishes them, and makes Nebuchadnezzar the ungodly to be the adversary; and Nebuzaradan the enemy, who entered to slay the people of the house of Israel, in the gates of Jerusalem; this was a marvellous thing to the nations round about. Titus, when he took this city, acknowledged it was owing to God b;

"God (says he) favouring us, we fought; God is he that has drawn the Jews out of these fortresses; for human hands and machines could have done nothing against these towers.''

b Joseph. De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Though Jerusalem had been several times captured 1 Kings 14:26; 2 Kings 14:13; 2 Kings 23:33-35, yet it had been so strongly fortified by Uzziah and his successors as to have been made virtually impregnable. Its present capture by Nebuchadnezzar had cost him a year and a half’s siege.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. The kings of the earth — Jerusalem was so well fortified, both by nature and art, that it appeared as a miracle that it should be taken at all.


 
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