Lamentations 4:18
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The original Hebrew vividly paints a picture of relentless pursuit, not just marching, but a sinister "hunting" of their steps. This wasn't just about the enemy being nearby; it meant the very act of moving through their own city had become a dangerous trap, forcing them into hiding.
They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet describes the intense terror of the siege, where the enemy lies in wait and ambushes any who dare to step outside, making the very streets unsafe. This relentless pursuit signals the absolute collapse of Jerusalem and Judah's society, where their final doom and the end of their prosperous days have arrived.
Imagine your own streets, usually filled with life and activity, becoming too dangerous to even walk down. That's the reality for Jerusalem here.
The prophet describes a city under siege, where the enemy isn't just outside the walls, but actively patrolling and ambushing within the city itself.
Nowhere to Run
The language here isn't just about danger; it's about a final, inescapable deadline. Their time is up.
The verse uses intense language to convey that the end of their nation, their way of life, and likely their lives, has arrived.
No More Time
Ask a follow-up
This verse captures the terror and desperation felt by those trapped within Jerusalem during its final, brutal siege. The enemy isn't just at the gates; they are omnipresent, making any movement within the city a life-threatening gamble, leading to the overwhelming sense that their end has truly arrived.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins his conquest of Judah, taking some nobles and skilled individuals, including Daniel, captive to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation and Siege
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and many more citizens, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon after a brief siege of Jerusalem.
588-586 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem for an extended period. The city walls are breached, and Jerusalem is destroyed, with most of the remaining population deported.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of the Temple
Solomon's Temple, the religious heart of Judah, is plundered and burned by the Babylonian army, marking a devastating blow to national and spiritual life.
c. 586 BC
Third Deportation
Following the final destruction of Jerusalem, a smaller group of Judeans is deported to Babylon. This event marks the end of the Davidic monarchy.
This passage describes the brutal fulfillment of the siege mentioned in Lamentations, with Zedekiah's eyes being put out after he witnessed his sons' deaths, vividly illustrating the inescapable 'end' that had come upon Jerusalem.
Deuteronomy 28:49This prophetic warning from Moses directly foreshadows the swift, unstoppable 'hunting' of God's people by a distant nation, using eagles as a metaphor for their terrifying speed and reach, which mirrors the experience described in Lamentations.
Psalm 137:7-9This psalm echoes the bitter sentiment of Lamentations 4:18, crying out for vengeance against those who attacked Jerusalem and expressing the devastating finality of the city's destruction ('Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock!').
Matthew 24:15-22Jesus' prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem directly alludes to the horrors described in Lamentations, warning His followers of the unprecedented 'tribulation' and 'great distress' that would fall upon the city, signifying its 'end'.
clarkeLamentations 4:18: "They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come."
We cannot go in our streets - Supposed to refer to the darts and other missiles cast from the mounds which they had raised on the outside of the walls, by which those who walked in the streets were grievously annoyed, and could not shield themselves.
pooleLamentations 4:18: "They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come."
The Chaldeans employed in the siege are so close upon us, that we cannot stir a foot about our businesses, nor look out at our doors, nor walk safely in the streets; we are ruined, there is an end of our civil state; our period is come, and the time of our prosperity is elapsed.
The original Hebrew vividly paints a picture of relentless pursuit, not just marching, but a sinister "hunting" of their steps. This wasn't just about the enemy being nearby; it meant the very act of moving through their own city had become a dangerous trap, forcing them into hiding.
The prophet describes the intense terror of the siege, where the enemy lies in wait and ambushes any who dare to step outside, making the very streets unsafe. This relentless pursuit signals the absolute collapse of Jerusalem and Judah's society, where their final doom and the end of their prosperous days have arrived.
The prophet describes the intense terror of the siege, where the enemy lies in wait and ambushes any who dare to step outside, making the very streets unsafe. This relentless pursuit signals the absolute collapse of Jerusalem and Judah's society, where their final doom and the end of their prosperous days have arrived.
"They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come." — The original Hebrew vividly paints a picture of relentless pursuit, not just marching, but a sinister "hunting" of their steps. This wasn't just about the enemy being nearby; it meant the very act of…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
