16 For these things I weep; H1058 mine eye, H5869 mine eye H5869 runneth down H3381 with water, H4325 because the comforter H5162 that should relieve H7725 my soul H5315 is far H7368 from me: my children H1121 are desolate, H8074 because the enemy H341 prevailed. H1396
Mine eye H5869 runneth down H3381 with rivers H6388 of water H4325 for the destruction H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people. H5971 Mine eye H5869 trickleth down, H5064 and ceaseth H1820 not, without any intermission, H2014
The precious H3368 sons H1121 of Zion, H6726 comparable H5537 to fine gold, H6337 how are they esteemed H2803 as earthen H2789 pitchers, H5035 the work H4639 of the hands H3027 of the potter! H3335 Even the sea monsters H8577 draw out H2502 the breast, H7699 they give suck H3243 to their young ones: H1482 the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 is become cruel, H393 like the ostriches H3283 in the wilderness. H4057 The tongue H3956 of the sucking child H3243 cleaveth H1692 to the roof of his mouth H2441 for thirst: H6772 the young children H5768 ask H7592 bread, H3899 and no man breaketh H6566 it unto them. They that did feed H398 delicately H4574 are desolate H8074 in the streets: H2351 they that were brought up H539 in scarlet H8438 embrace H2263 dunghills. H830 For the punishment of the iniquity H5771 of the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 is greater H1431 than the punishment H2403 of the sin of Sodom, H5467 that was overthrown H2015 as in a moment, H7281 and no hands H3027 stayed H2342 on her. Her Nazarites H5139 were purer H2141 than snow, H7950 they were whiter H6705 than milk, H2461 they were more ruddy H119 in body H6106 than rubies, H6443 their polishing H1508 was of sapphire: H5601 Their visage H8389 is blacker H2821 than a coal; H7815 they are not known H5234 in the streets: H2351 their skin H5785 cleaveth H6821 to their bones; H6106 it is withered, H3001 it is become like a stick. H6086 They that be slain H2491 with the sword H2719 are better H2896 than they that be slain H2491 with hunger: H7458 for these H1992 pine away, H2100 stricken H1856 through for want of the fruits H8570 of the field. H7704 The hands H3027 of the pitiful H7362 women H802 have sodden H1310 their own children: H3206 they were their meat H1262 in the destruction H7667 of the daughter H1323 of my people. H5971
I say G3004 the truth G225 in G1722 Christ, G5547 I lie G5574 not, G3756 my G3450 conscience G4893 also bearing G4828 me G3427 witness G4828 in G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost, G4151 That G3754 I G3427 have G2076 great G3173 heaviness G3077 and G2532 continual G88 sorrow in G3601 my G3450 heart. G2588 For G1063 I G1473 could wish G2172 that myself G846 were G1511 accursed G331 from G575 Christ G5547 for G5228 my G3450 brethren, G80 my G3450 kinsmen G4773 according G2596 to the flesh: G4561
And G2532 when G5613 he was come near, G1448 he beheld G1492 the city, G4172 and wept G2799 over G1909 it, G846 Saying, G3004 If G3754 G1487 thou hadst known, G1097 even G2532 thou, G4771 at least G2534 in G1722 this G5026 thy G4675 day, G2250 the things G3588 which belong unto G4314 thy G4675 peace! G1515 but G1161 now G3568 they are hid G2928 from G575 thine G4675 eyes. G3788 For G3754 the days G2250 shall come G2240 upon G1909 thee, G4571 that G2532 thine G4675 enemies G2190 shall cast G4016 a trench G5482 about G4016 thee, G4671 and G2532 compass G4033 thee G4571 round, G4033 and G2532 keep G4912 thee G4571 in G4912 on every side, G3840 And G2532 shall lay G1474 thee G4571 even with the ground, G1474 and G2532 thy G4675 children G5043 within G1722 thee; G4671 and G2532 they shall G863 not G3756 leave G863 in G1722 thee G4671 one stone G3037 upon G1909 another; G3037 because G473 G3739 thou knewest G1097 not G3756 the time G2540 of thy G4675 visitation. G1984
Behold, H7200 O LORD, H3068 and consider H5027 to whom thou hast done H5953 this. H3541 Shall the women H802 eat H398 their fruit, H6529 and children H5768 of a span long? H2949 shall the priest H3548 and the prophet H5030 be slain H2026 in the sanctuary H4720 of the Lord? H136 The young H5288 and the old H2205 lie H7901 on the ground H776 in the streets: H2351 my virgins H1330 and my young men H970 are fallen H5307 by the sword; H2719 thou hast slain H2026 them in the day H3117 of thine anger; H639 thou hast killed, H2873 and not pitied. H2550 Thou hast called H7121 as in a solemn H4150 day H3117 my terrors H4032 round about, H5439 so that in the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 anger H639 none escaped H6412 nor remained: H8300 those that I have swaddled H2946 and brought up H7235 hath mine enemy H341 consumed. H3615
Her adversaries H6862 are the chief, H7218 her enemies H341 prosper; H7951 for the LORD H3068 hath afflicted H3013 her for the multitude H7230 of her transgressions: H6588 her children H5768 are gone H1980 into captivity H7628 before H6440 the enemy. H6862 And from the daughter H1323 of Zion H6726 all her beauty H1926 is departed: H3318 her princes H8269 are become like harts H354 that find H4672 no pasture, H4829 and they are gone H3212 without strength H3581 before H6440 the pursuer. H7291
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 1
Commentary on Lamentations 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
La 1:1-22.
Aleph.
1. how is she … widow! she that was great, &c.—English Version is according to the accents. But the members of each sentence are better balanced in antithesis, thus, "how is she that was great among the nations become as a widow! (how) she who was princess among the provinces (that is, she who ruled over the surrounding provinces from the Nile to the Euphrates, Ge 15:18; 1Ki 4:21; 2Ch 9:26; Ezr 4:20) become tributary!" [Maurer].
sit—on the ground; the posture of mourners (La 2:10; Ezr 9:3). The coin struck on the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, representing Judea as a female sitting solitary under a palm tree, with the inscription, Judæa Capta, singularly corresponds to the image here; the language therefore must be prophetical of her state subsequent to Titus, as well as referring retrospectively to her Babylonian captivity.
Beth.
2. in the night—even in the night, the period of rest and oblivion of griefs (Job 7:3).
lovers … friends—the heathen states allied to Judah, and their idols. The idols whom she "loved" (Jer 2:20-25) could not comfort her. Her former allies would not: nay, some "treacherously" joined her enemies against her (2Ki 24:2, 7; Ps 137:7).
Gimel.
3. (Jer 52:27).
because of great servitude—that is, in a state "of great servitude," endured from the Chaldeans. "Because" is made by Vatablus indicative of the cause of her captivity; namely, her having "afflicted" and unjustly brought into "servitude" the manumitted bond-servants (Jer 34:8-22). Maurer explains it, "Judah has left her land (not literally 'gone into captivity') because of the yoke imposed on it by Nebuchadnezzar."
no rest—(De 28:64, 65).
overtook her between … straits—image from robbers, who in the East intercept travellers at the narrow passes in hilly regions.
Daleth.
4. feasts—the passover, pentecost (or the feast of weeks), and the feast of tabernacles.
gates—once the place of concourse.
He.
5. the chief—rule her (De 28:43, 44).
adversaries … prosper; for the Lord—All the foes' attempts would have failed, had not God delivered His people into their hands (Jer 30:15).
Vau.
6. beauty … departed—her temple, throne, and priesthood.
harts that find no pasture—an animal timid and fleet, especially when seeking and not able to "find pasture."
Zain.
7. remembered—rather, "remembers," now, in her afflicted state. In the days of her prosperity she did not appreciate, as she ought, the favors of God to her. Now, awakening out of her past lethargy, she feels from what high privileges she has fallen.
when her people fell, &c.—that is, after which days of prosperity "her people fell."
mock at her sabbaths—The heathen used to mock at the Jews' Sabbath, as showing their idleness, and term them Sabbatarians [Martial, 4.4]. Now, said they ironically, ye may keep a continuous Sabbath. So God appointed the length of the captivity (seventy years) to be exactly that of the sum of the Sabbaths in the four hundred ninety years in which the land was denied its Sabbaths (Le 26:33-35). Maurer translates it "ruin." But English Version better expresses the point of their "mocking," namely, their involuntary "Sabbaths," that is, the cessation of all national movements. A fourth line is added in this stanza, whereas in all the others there are but three. So in La 2:19.
Cheth.
8. (1Ki 8:46).
is removed—as a woman separated from the congregation of God for legal impurity, which is a type of moral impurity. So La 1:17; Le 12:2; 15:19, &c.
her nakedness—They have treated her as contumeliously as courtesans from whom their clothes are stripped.
turneth backward—as modest women do from shame, that is, she is cast down from all hope of restoration [Calvin].
Teth.
9. Continuation of the image in La 1:8. Her ignominy and misery cannot be concealed but are apparent to all, as if a woman were suffering under such a flow as to reach the end of her skirts.
remembereth not … last end—(De 32:29; Isa 47:7). She forgot how fatal must be the end of her iniquity. Or, as the words following imply: She, in despair, cannot lift herself up to lay hold of God's promises as to her "latter end" [Calvin].
wonderfully—Hebrew, "wonders," that is, with amazing dejection.
O Lord, behold—Judah here breaks in, speaking for herself.
for the enemy hath magnified himself—What might seem ground for despair, the elated insulting of the enemy, is rather ground for good hope.
Jod.
10. for—surely she hath seen, &c.
heathen … command … not enter … congregation—for instance, the Ammonites and Moabites (De 23:3; Ne 13:1, 2). If the heathen, as such, were not allowed to enter the sanctuary for worship, much less were they allowed to enter in order to rob and destroy.
Caph.
11. (Jer 37:21; 38:9; 52:6).
given … pleasant things for meat—(2Ki 6:25; Job 2:4).
relieve … soul—literally, "to cause the soul or life to return."
for I am become vile—Her sins and consequent sorrows are made the plea in craving God's mercy. Compare the like plea in Ps 25:11.
Lamed.
12. The pathetic appeal of Jerusalem, not only to her neighbors, but even to the strangers "passing by," as her sorrow is such as should excite the compassion even of those unconnected with her. She here prefigures Christ, whom the language is prophetically made to suit, more than Jerusalem. Compare Israel, that is, Messiah, Isa 49:3. Compare with "pass by," Mt 27:39; Mr 15:29. As to Jerusalem, Da 9:12. M AURER, from the Arabic idiom, translates, "do not go off on your way," that is, stop, whoever ye are that pass by. English Version is simpler.
Mem.
13. bones—a fire which not only consumes the skin and flesh, but penetrates even to my "bones" (that is, my vital powers).
prevaileth against—not as Rosenmuller, "He (Jehovah) hath broken them"; a sense not in the Hebrew.
net—(Eze 12:13); image from hunting wild beasts. He has so entangled me in His judgments that I cannot escape.
turned me back—so that I cannot go forward and get free from His meshes.
Nun.
14. yoke … is bound by his hand—(De 28:48). Metaphor from husbandmen, who, after they have bound the yoke to the neck of oxen, hold the rein firmly twisted round the hand. Thus the translation will be, "in His hand." Or else, "the yoke of my transgressions" (that is, of punishment for my transgressions) is held so fast fixed on me "by" God, that there is no loosening of it; thus English Version, "by His hand."
wreathed—My sins are like the withes entwined about the neck to fasten the yoke to.
into their hands, from whom—into the hands of those, from whom, &c. Maurer translates, "before whom I am not able to stand."
Samech.
15. trodden, &c.—Maurer, from Syriac root, translates, "cast away"; so 2Ki 23:27. But Ps 119:118, supports English Version.
in … midst of me—They fell not on the battlefield, but in the heart of the city; a sign of the divine wrath.
assembly—the collected forces of Babylon; a very different "assembly" from the solemn ones which once met at Jerusalem on the great feasts. The Hebrew means, literally, such a solemn "assembly" or feast (compare La 2:22).
trodden … virgin … in a wine-press—hath forced her blood to burst forth, as the red wine from the grapes trodden in the press (Isa 63:3; Re 14:19, 20; 19:15).
Ain.
16. (Jer 13:17; 14:17). Jerusalem is the speaker.
mine eye, mine eye—so La 4:18, "our end … our end"; repetition for emphasis.
Pe.
17. Like a woman in labor-throes (Jer 4:31).
menstruous woman—held unclean, and shunned by all; separated from her husband and from the temple (compare La 1:8; Le 14:19, &c.).
Tzaddi.
18. The sure sign of repentance; justifying God, condemning herself (Ne 9:33; Ps 51:4; Da 9:7-14).
his commandment—literally, "mouth"; His word in the mouth of the prophets.
Koph.
19. lovers—(La 1:2; Jer 30:14).
elders—in dignity, not merely age.
sought … meat—Their dignity did not exempt them from having to go and seek bread (La 1:11).
Resh.
20. bowels … troubled—(Job 30:27; Isa 16:11; Jer 4:19; 31:20). Extreme mental distress affects the bowels and the whole internal frame.
heart … turned—(Ho 11:8); is agitated or fluttered.
abroad … sword … at home … as death—(De 32:25; Eze 7:15). The "as" does not modify, but intensifies. "Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home as it were death itself" (personified), in the form of famine and pestilence (2Ki 25:3; Jer 14:18; 52:6). So Hab 2:5, "as death" [Michaelis].
Schin.
21. they are glad that thou hast done it—because they thought that therefore Judah is irretrievably ruined (Jer 40:3).
the day … called—(but) thou wilt bring on them the day of calamity which thou hast announced, namely, by the prophets (Jer 50:1-46; 48:27).
like … me—in calamities (Ps 137:8, 9; Jer 51:25, &c.).
Tau.
22. Such prayers against foes are lawful, if the foe be an enemy of God, and if our concern be not for our own personal feeling, but for the glory of God and the welfare of His people.
come before thee—so Re 16:19, "Babylon came in remembrance before God" (compare Ps 109:15).