The Meaning of Lamentations 4:14 Explained

Lamentations 4:14

KJV: They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

YLT: They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without any being able to touch their clothing,

Darby: They wandered about blind in the streets; they were polluted with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

ASV: They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They have wandered  [as] blind  [men] in the streets,  they have polluted  themselves with blood,  so that men could  not  touch  their garments. 

What does Lamentations 4:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Some of these spiritually blind leaders had apparently lost their physical eyesight during the siege and had to wander in the streets blind. They had shed innocent blood, and now blood stained their garments. Instead of being resources for the people under siege, they had become individuals to avoid because of their uncleanness.

Chapter Summary: Lamentations 4

1  Zion bewails her pitiful estate
13  She confesses her sins
21  Edom is threatened and Zion comforted

What do the individual words in Lamentations 4:14 mean?

They wandered blind in the streets they have defiled themselves with blood so that no one would touch their garments -
נָע֤וּ עִוְרִים֙ בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ בַּדָּ֑ם בְּלֹ֣א יֽוּכְל֔וּ יִגְּע֖וּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם ס

נָע֤וּ  They  wandered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נוּעַ  
Sense: to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble.
עִוְרִים֙  blind 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עִוֵּר  
Sense: blind.
בַּֽחוּצ֔וֹת  in  the  streets 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
נְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ  they  have  defiled  themselves 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּאַל  
Sense: to defile, pollute, desecrate.
בַּדָּ֑ם  with  blood 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
בְּלֹ֣א  so  that  no  one 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִגְּע֖וּ  touch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶֽם  their  garments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לָבוּשׁ 
Sense: clothing, garment, apparel, raiment.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation