Lamentations 4:7

The Darby Translation

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their figure was as sapphire.

Parallel Translations

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

Hebrew Names Version
Her Nazirites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sappir.

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

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.

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.

New Century Version
Our princes were purer than snow, and whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies; they looked like sapphires.

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).

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 as of sapphire.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Her Nazarites were purer then the snowe, & whiter then ye milke: they were more ruddie in bodie, then the redde precious stones; they were like polished saphir.

New American Standard Bible (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.

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.

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

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

Complete Jewish Bible
Her princes were purer than snow; they were whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than pink pearls, as beautiful as sapphires.

Easy-to-Read Version
Some of the men of Judah were dedicated to God in a special way. They were very pure. They were whiter than snow, and whiter than milk. Their bodies were red like coral and their beards like sapphire stones.

George Lamsa Translation
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; their cheeks were more ruddy than rubies, and their form more beautiful than sapphires.

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

Lexham English Bible
Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, sapphire their appearance.

Literal Translation
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were redder of bone than corals; their cuttings as azure-blue , as lapis lazuli.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Hir absteyners (or Nazarees) were whyter then ye snowe or mylke: their coloure was fresh read as the Corall, their beutie like the Saphyre.

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.

Bible in Basic English
Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:

JPS Old Testament (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;

King James Version (1611)
Her Nazarites were purer then snow, they were whiter then milke, they were more ruddie in body then rubies, their polishing was of Saphir.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Her abstayners were whyter then the snowe or milke, their colour was freshe, red as corall, their beautie like the Saphire.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.

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:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Zai. Nazareis therof weren whitere than snow, schynyngere than mylk; rodier than elde yuer, fairere than safire.

Update Bible 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.

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:

New English Translation

ז (Zayin)

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

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

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.

New Life Bible
Her religious leaders were more pure than snow. They were more white than milk. Their bodies were more red than coral. They were more beautiful than sapphire.

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

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Purer were her Nazirites than snow, whiter were they than milk, - more ruddy, in body, than coral, A sapphire, was their beauty of form.

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

Revised 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.

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

THE MESSAGE
The splendid and sacred nobles once glowed with health. Their bodies were robust and ruddy, their beards like carved stone.

Contextual Overview

¹ How is the gold become dim! the most pure gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the top of all the streets! ² The sons of Zion, so precious, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! ³ Even the jackals offer the breast, they give suck to their young; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. ⁴ The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, no man breaketh it unto them. ⁵ They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dung-hills. ⁶ And the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the reward of the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were violently laid upon her. ⁷ Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their figure was as sapphire. ⁸ Their visage is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets; their skin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is become like a stick. ⁹ The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. ¹⁰ The hands of pitiful women have boiled their own children: they were their meat in the ruin of the daughter of my people.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Nazarites: Numbers 6:2-21, Judges 13:5, Judges 13:7, Judges 16:17, Amos 2:11, Amos 2:12, Luke 1:15

purer: 1 Samuel 16:12, Psalms 51:7, Psalms 144:12, Song of Solomon 5:10, Daniel 1:15

their polishing: Gizrathom rendered by Dr. Blayney, "their veining," from gazar to divide, intersect, as the blue veins do the surface of the body. This is approved by Dr. A. Clarke, who remarks, "Milk will most certainly well apply to the whiteness of the skin; the beautiful ruby to the ruddiness of the flesh; and the sapphire, in its clear, transcendent purple, to the veins in a fine complexion.

Reciprocal: Exodus 28:17 - a sardius Numbers 6:3 - General Numbers 6:5 - razor Job 2:12 - knew him Job 28:18 - rubies Lamentations 1:19 - my priests

Cross-References

Genesis 3:16
To the woman he said, I will greatly increase thy travail and thy pregnancy; with pain thou shalt bear children; and to thy husband shall be thy desire, and he shall rule over thee.

Genesis 4:6
And Jehovah said to Cain, Why art thou angry, and why is thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:8
And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:9
And Jehovah said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:11
And now be thou cursed from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.

Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield thee its strength; a wanderer and fugitive shalt thou be on the earth.

Genesis 4:13
And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is too great to be borne.

Genesis 19:21
And he said to him, Behold, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken.

Numbers 32:23
But if ye do not do so, behold, ye have sinned against Jehovah, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Her Nazarites were purer than snow,.... Such who separated themselves by a vow to the Lord, and abstained from drinking wine and strong drink, and by a moderate diet, and often washing themselves, as well as taking great care of their hair, appeared very neat and comely, like snow, without any spot or blemish. Some think such as were separated from others in dignity, very honourable persons, the sons of nobles, are meant, since the word has the signification of a "crown", and interpret it, her princes; Jarchi makes mention of this sense, and rejects it; but it is received by many: and the meaning is, that her young noblemen, who were well fed, and neatly dressed, looked as pure and as beautiful as the driven snow:

they were whiter than milk; this intends the same thing, expressed by another metaphor:

they were more ruddy in body than rubies; or rather "than precious stones"; and particularly "than pearls", which Bochart q proves at large are designed by the word used, which are white, and not red; and the word should be rendered, "clearer" or "whiter than pearls", as it is by Lyra and others r; and the word in the Arabic language signifies white and clear s, as pearls are; and so the phrase is expressive of the beauty and comeliness of these persons: and Ludolphus t says, that in the Ethiopic language it signifies "beautiful"; and he translates the whole, "they were more beautiful than pearls"; denoting the clearness of their skins, and the goodness of their complexion:

their polishing [was] of sapphire; or "their cutting, sapphire" u; they were as beautiful as if they had been cut out of sapphire, and polished; which is a very precious stone, and looks very beautiful; so smooth were their skins. The Targum is,

"their face or countenance is as sapphire.''

Braunius w thinks the word used signifies the veins full of blood, which variously intersect the flesh like sapphirine rivers; and that the sense of the words is,

"their bodies were white like snow and milk, yea, shining like pearls (or red in the cheeks, lips, c. like coral x) veins full of blood running between like sapphire, of a most agreeable sky colour; which is, a true description of a most fair and beautiful body.''

See Song of Solomon 5:14. All this is to be understood of them before the famine, but, when that came upon them, then they were as follow:

q Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 6. p. 688. r אדמו עצם מפנינים "lucidiores corpore margaritis", Bochart; "candidi fuerunt [in] corpore prae margaritis", Noldius. s "[camelis tributum], candidus perquam albus", Giggeius;

"candidi coloris", Dorcas, Giggeius apud Golium, col. 49, 51. t Comment. in Ethiop. Hist. l. 1. No. 107. u ספיר גזרתם "sapphirus excisio eorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Calvin; "[quasi] sectio eorum esset ex sapphiro", Munster. w De Vestitu Sacerdot. Hebr. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 7. p. 676. x So Bootius, Animadv. l. 4. c. 3. sect. 8. p. 144. Lutherus & Osiander in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Nazarites from their temperance were remarkable for health and personal beauty, besides being held in religious veneration.

Rubies - Or, corals.

Their polishing was of sapphire - Or, their shape was “a sapphire.” The allusion is no longer to color, but to form. Their shape was exact and faultless as the cutting of a precious stone.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Her Nazarites were purer than snow — נזיר nazir does not always signify a person separated under a religious vow; it sometimes denotes what is chief or eminent. It is applied to Joseph, Genesis 49:26. Blayney therefore translates here, HER NOBLES.

"Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk;

They were ruddier on the bone than rubies; their veining was

the sapphires."

On which he remarks: - "In the first line the whiteness of their skin is described, and in the second, their flesh;" and as גזר gazar signifies to divide and intersect, as the blue veins do on the surface of the body, these are without doubt intended.

Milk will most certainly well apply to the whiteness of the skin; the beautiful ruby to the ruddiness of the flesh; and the sapphire, in its clear transcendent purple, to the veins in a fine complexion. The reverse of this state, as described in the following verse, needs no explanation. The face was a dismal dark brown, the flesh gone, the skin shrivelled, and apparently wrapped round the bones.