Lamentations 4:17
What does Lamentations 4:17 mean?
A plain-English look at Lamentations 4:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Lamentations 4:17 means
The people’s eyes grow dim from straining after “vain help.” They waited for a nation to save them—likely a reference to political alliances such as Egypt—but no rescue came. This is the bitter harvest of trusting in human power rather than in repentance toward God. Watching turned to wasting as hope ebbed away. The verse captures the psychological toll: constant vigilance, dashed expectations, and creeping despair. Human strategy could not overturn God’s decree of judgment. The long look outward should have driven them to look upward, but it did not, and so their hope ran out along with their strength.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
KJV
King James Version · 1611As 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862While we exist--consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation <FI>that<Fi> saveth not.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Our eyes still failed for our vain help; in our watching, we have watched for a nation that did not save.
Context
After addressing leader-judgment, verse 17 returns to the people’s experience, highlighting their failed political hopes. This sets up verses 18–19, where the focus turns to the enemy’s relentless surveillance and pursuit, leaving no room to maneuver. The movement is deliberate: leaders failed (verses 13–16), allies failed (verse 17), and now escape fails (verses 18–19). This sequence prepares for the climax of failure in verse 20—the capture of the “anointed of Jehovah”—which symbolizes the collapse of the nation’s last earthly safeguard.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 37:7
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
- Jeremiah 2:36
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
- Isaiah 30:1
Woe to the rebellious children, saith Jehovah, that take counsel, but not of me; and that make a league, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin,
- Isaiah 31:1
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah!
- Isaiah 20:5
And they shall be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
- Ezekiel 29:6
And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
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