The Meaning of Lamentations 4:7 Explained

Lamentations 4:7

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

YLT: Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

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

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Lamentations 4:7 Mean?

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 4:7 mean?

Were brighter Her Nazirites than snow and whiter than milk they were more ruddy in body than rubies [Like] sapphire in their appearance -
זַכּ֤וּ נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙ מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג צַח֖וּ מֵחָלָ֑ב אָ֤דְמוּ עֶ֙צֶם֙ מִפְּנִינִ֔ים סַפִּ֖יר גִּזְרָתָֽם ס

זַכּ֤וּ  Were  brighter 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: זָכַךְ  
Sense: to be pure, be bright, be clean, be bright, clean.
נְזִירֶ֙יהָ֙  Her  Nazirites 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: נָזִיר  
Sense: consecrated or devoted one, Nazarite.
מִשֶּׁ֔לֶג  than  snow 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁלֶג 
Sense: snow.
צַח֖וּ  and  whiter 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: צָחַח  
Sense: (Qal) to be dazzling, be aglow, glow.
מֵחָלָ֑ב  than  milk 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָב  
Sense: milk, sour milk, cheese.
אָ֤דְמוּ  they  were  more  ruddy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָדֵם  
Sense: to be red, red.
עֶ֙צֶם֙  in  body 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
מִפְּנִינִ֔ים  than  rubies 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural
Root: פְּנִיּיִם 
Sense: a precious stone.
סַפִּ֖יר  [Like]  sapphire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סַפִּיר  
Sense: sapphire, lapis lazuli.
גִּזְרָתָֽם  in  their  appearance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גִּזְרָה  
Sense: a cutting, polishing, separation.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation