The Meaning of Lamentations 4:6 Explained

Lamentations 4:6

KJV: For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

YLT: And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as in a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the punishment of the iniquity  of the daughter  of my people  is greater  than the punishment  of the sin of Sodom,  that was overthrown  as in a moment,  and no hands  stayed  on her. 

What does Lamentations 4:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jerusalem"s sin, and her prolonged punishment, were greater than Sodom"s, which God overthrew quickly. No one came to Jerusalem"s aid during the siege.

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 4:6 mean?

And is greater the [punishment] of the iniquity of the daughter of my people than the [punishment] of the sin of Sodom which was overthrown in a moment and with no to help her hand -
וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֺ֣ן בַּת־ עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־ רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־ חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם ס

וַיִּגְדַּל֙  And  is  greater 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
עֲוֺ֣ן  the  [punishment]  of  the  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
בַּת־  of  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
עַמִּ֔י  of  my  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מֵֽחַטַּ֖את  than  the  [punishment]  of  the  sin 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
סְדֹ֑ם  of  Sodom 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְדֹם  
Sense: a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment.
הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה  which  was  overthrown 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
רָ֔גַע  a  moment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶגַע  
Sense: a moment adv.
וְלֹא־  and  with  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
חָ֥לוּ  to  help 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
בָ֖הּ  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
יָדָֽיִם  hand 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation