Lamentations 5:12

12 Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.

Lamentations 5:12 in Other Translations

12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.

12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.

12 Our princes are being hanged by their thumbs, and our elders are treated with contempt.

12 They hanged our princes by their hands, dishonored our elders.

12 Princes were hanged up by their hand: The faces of elders were not honored.

12 [Our] leaders are hung by their hands. [Our] older leaders are shown no respect.

12 Princes are hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.

12 Our princes have been hung up by their hands. No one shows our elders any respect.

Lamentations 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:12

Princes are hanged up by their hand
According to some, as Aben Ezra observes, by the hand of the servants before mentioned; however, by the hand of the Chaldeans or Babylonians; see ( Jeremiah 52:10 ) . Some understand it of their own hands, as if they laid violent hands upon themselves, not being able to bear the hardships and disgrace they were subjected to but I should rather think this is to be understood of hanging them, not by the neck, but by the hand, could any instance be given of such a kind of punishment so early used, and by this people; which has been in other nations, and in more modern times: the faces of elders were not honoured;
no reverence or respect were shown to elders in age or office, or on account of either; but were treated with rudeness and contempt.

Lamentations 5:12 In-Context

10 Our skin is hot as an oven, feverish from hunger.

11 Women have been violated in Zion, and virgins in the towns of Judah.

12 Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.

13 Young men toil at the millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.

Cross References

• 1. S Leviticus 19:32
• 2. S Lamentations 2:6; Lamentations 4:16