Lamentations 4:22
What does Lamentations 4:22 mean?
A plain-English look at Lamentations 4:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Lamentations 4:22 means
A final word of hope and warning closes the lament. For “daughter of Zion,” the punishment has reached its limit; God will not perpetually send her into captivity. This implies future mercy and restoration after judgment’s work is complete. For “daughter of Edom,” however, the time of reckoning is ahead: God will visit her iniquity and expose her sins. The verse assures the faithful remnant that divine wrath is not God’s last purpose for His people. His justice will also address those who exploited their fall. Judgment is real, but it is not endless for Zion; the God who disciplines also restores according to His covenant promises.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Completed <FI>is<Fi> thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed <FI>thee<Fi> because of thy sins!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he hath visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity. He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
Context
Verse 22 resolves the chapter’s tension by promising an end to Zion’s exile and announcing judgment for Edom. It balances the severe lament with measured hope, aligning with the book’s pattern of grief mingled with faith in God’s character. Coming after the catalogue of horrors and the exposure of leadership failure, this closing word prevents despair from having the final say. The chapter thus moves from ruined glory, through detailed suffering and its causes, to a future oriented by God’s justice and mercy—preparing readers for continued wrestling and hope in the rest of Lamentations.
v.21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
v.22This passage
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 52:1
Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
- Psalms 137:7
Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.
- Jeremiah 33:8
And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
- Jeremiah 50:20
In those days, and in that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.
- Jeremiah 46:27
But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
- Lamentations 4:6
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.
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