Lamentations 4:18

18 People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come.

Lamentations 4:18 in Other Translations

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.

18 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.

18 We couldn’t go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed!

18 They tracked us down, those hunters. It wasn't safe to go out in the street. Our end was near, our days numbered. We were doomed.

18 Our steps were closely followed, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our time ran out. Our end had come!

Lamentations 4:18 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:18

They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets
The Chaldeans, from their forts and batteries, as they could see, they watched the people as they came out of their houses, and walked about the streets, and shot their arrows at them; so that they were obliged to keep within doors, and not stir out, which they could not do without great danger: our end is near, for our days are fulfilled; for our end is come;
either the end of their lives, the days, months, and years appointed for them being fulfilled; or the end of their commonwealth, the end of their civil and church state, at least as they thought; the time appointed for their destruction was not only near at hand, but was actually come; it was all over with them.

Lamentations 4:18 In-Context

16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.

17 Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

18 People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.

20 The LORD’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.

Cross References

• 1. Ezekiel 7:2-12; Amos 8:2