22 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
Thou shalt not take H3947 thee a wife, H802 neither shalt thou have sons H1121 or daughters H1323 in this place. H4725 For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the sons H1121 and concerning the daughters H1323 that are born H3205 in this place, H4725 and concerning their mothers H517 that bare H3205 them, and concerning their fathers H1 that begat H3209 them in this land; H776 They shall die H4191 of grievous H8463 deaths; H4463 they shall not be lamented; H5594 neither shall they be buried; H6912 but they shall be as dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the earth: H127 and they shall be consumed H3615 by the sword, H2719 and by famine; H7458 and their carcases H5038 shall be meat H3978 for the fowls H5775 of heaven, H8064 and for the beasts H929 of the earth. H776
Fear, H6343 and the pit, H6354 and the snare, H6341 are upon thee, O inhabitant H3427 of the earth. H776 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth H5127 from the noise H6963 of the fear H6343 shall fall H5307 into the pit; H6354 and he that cometh up H5927 out of the midst H8432 of the pit H6354 shall be taken H3920 in the snare: H6341 for the windows H699 from on high H4791 are open, H6605 and the foundations H4146 of the earth H776 do shake. H7493
Though they bring up H1431 their children, H1121 yet will I bereave H7921 them, that there shall not be a man H120 left: yea, woe H188 also to them when I depart H5493 from them! Ephraim, H669 as I saw H7200 Tyrus, H6865 is planted H8362 in a pleasant place: H5116 but Ephraim H669 shall bring forth H3318 his children H1121 to the murderer. H2026 Give H5414 them, O LORD: H3068 what wilt thou give? H5414 give H5414 them a miscarrying H7921 womb H7358 and dry H6784 breasts. H7699 All their wickedness H7451 is in Gilgal: H1537 for there I hated H8130 them: for the wickedness H7455 of their doings H4611 I will drive them out H1644 of mine house, H1004 I will love H160 them no more: H3254 all their princes H8269 are revolters. H5637 Ephraim H669 is smitten, H5221 their root H8328 is dried up, H3001 they shall bear H6213 no fruit: H6529 yea, though they bring forth, H3205 yet will I slay H4191 even the beloved H4261 fruit of their womb. H990
I saw H7200 the Lord H136 standing H5324 upon the altar: H4196 and he said, H559 Smite H5221 the lintel of the door, H3730 that the posts H5592 may shake: H7493 and cut H1214 them in the head, H7218 all of them; and I will slay H2026 the last H319 of them with the sword: H2719 he that fleeth H5127 of them shall not flee away, H5127 and he that escapeth H6412 of them shall not be delivered. H4422 Though they dig H2864 into hell, H7585 thence shall mine hand H3027 take H3947 them; though they climb up H5927 to heaven, H8064 thence will I bring them down: H3381 And though they hide H2244 themselves in the top H7218 of Carmel, H3760 I will search H2664 and take them out H3947 thence; and though they be hid H5641 from my sight H5869 in the bottom H7172 of the sea, H3220 thence will I command H6680 the serpent, H5175 and he shall bite H5391 them: And though they go H3212 into captivity H7628 before H6440 their enemies, H341 thence will I command H6680 the sword, H2719 and it shall slay H2026 them: and I will set H7760 mine eyes H5869 upon them for evil, H7451 and not for good. H2896
For, G3754 behold, G2400 the days G2250 are coming, G2064 in G1722 the which G3739 they shall say, G2046 Blessed G3107 are the barren, G4723 and G2532 the wombs G2836 that G3739 never G3756 bare, G1080 and G2532 the paps G3149 which G3739 never G3756 gave suck. G2337 Then G5119 shall they begin G756 to say G3004 to the mountains, G3735 Fall G4098 on G1909 us; G2248 and G2532 to the hills, G1015 Cover G2572 us. G2248
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 2
Commentary on Lamentations 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
La 2:1-22.
Aleph.
1. How—The title of the collection repeated here, and in La 4:1.
covered … with a cloud—that is, with the darkness of ignominy.
cast down from heaven unto … earth—(Mt 11:23); dashed down from the highest prosperity to the lowest misery.
beauty of Israel—the beautiful temple (Ps 29:2; 74:7; 96:9, Margin; Isa 60:7; 64:11).
his footstool—the ark (compare 1Ch 28:2, with Ps 99:5; 132:7). They once had gloried more in the ark than in the God whose symbol it was; they now feel it was but His "footstool," yet that it had been a great glory to them that God deigned to use it as such.
Beth.
2. polluted—by delivering it into the hands of the profane foe. Compare Ps 89:39, "profaned … crown."
Gimel.
3. horn—worn in the East as an ornament on the forehead, and an emblem of power and majesty (1Sa 2:10; Ps 132:17; see on Jer 48:25).
drawn back … fight hand—(Ps 74:11). God has withdrawn the help which He before gave them. Not as Henderson, "He has turned back his (Israel's) right hand" (Ps 89:43).
Daleth.
4. (Isa 63:10).
stood with … right hand—He took His stand so as to use His right hand as an adversary. Henderson makes the image to be that of an archer steadying his right hand to take aim. Not only did He withdraw His help, but also took arms against Israel.
all … pleasant to … eye—(Eze 24:25). All that were conspicuous for youth, beauty, and rank.
in … tabernacle—the dwellings of Jerusalem.
He.
5. an enemy—(Jer 30:14).
mourning and lamentation—There is a play of similar sounds in the original, "sorrow and sadness," to heighten the effect (Job 30:3, Hebrew; Eze 35:3, Margin).
Vau.
6. tabernacle—rather, "He hath violently taken away His hedge (the hedge of the place sacred to Him, Ps 80:12; 89:40; Isa 5:5), as that of a garden" [Maurer]. Calvin supports English Version, "His tabernacle (that is, temple) as (one would take away the temporary cottage or booth) of a garden." Isa 1:8 accords with this (Job 27:18).
places of … assembly—the temple and synagogues (Ps 74:7, 8).
solemn feasts—(La 1:4).
Zain.
7. they … made a noise in … house of … Lord, as in … feast—The foe's shout of triumph in the captured temple bore a resemblance (but oh, how sad a contrast as to the occasion of it!) to the joyous thanksgivings we used to offer in the same place at our "solemn feasts" (compare La 2:22).
Cheth.
8. stretched … a line—The Easterns used a measuring-line not merely in building, but in destroying edifices (2Ki 21:13; Isa 34:11); implying here the unsparing rigidness with which He would exact punishment.
Teth.
9. Her gates cannot oppose the entrance of the foe into the city, for they are sunk under a mass of rubbish and earth.
broken … bars—(Jer 51:30).
her king … among … Gentiles—(De 28:36).
law … no more—(2Ch 15:3). The civil and religious laws were one under the theocracy. "All the legal ordinances (prophetical as well as priestly) of the theocracy, are no more" (Ps 74:9; Eze 7:26).
Jod.
10. (Job 2:12, 13). The "elders," by their example, would draw the others to violent grief.
the virgins—who usually are so anxious to set off their personal appearances to advantage.
Caph.
11. liver is poured, &c.—that is, as the liver was thought to be the seat of the passions, "all my feelings are poured out and prostrated for," &c. The "liver," is here put for the bile ("gall," Job 16:13; "bowels," Ps 22:14) in a bladder on the surface of the liver, copiously discharged when the passions are agitated.
swoon—through faintness from the effects of hunger.
Lamed.
12. as the wounded—famine being as deadly as the sword (Jer 52:6).
soul … poured … into … mothers bosom—Instinctively turning to their mother's bosom, but finding no milk there, they breathe out their life as it were "into her bosom."
Mem.
13. What thing shall I take to witness—What can I bring forward as a witness, or instance, to prove that others have sustained as grievous ills as thou? I cannot console thee as mourners are often consoled by showing that thy lot is only what others, too, suffer. The "sea" affords the only suitable emblem of thy woes, by its boundless extent and depth (La 1:12; Da 9:12).
Nun.
14. Thy prophets—not God's (Jer 23:26).
vain … for thee—to gratify thy appetite, not for truth, but for false things.
not discovered thine iniquity—in opposition to God's command to the true prophets (Isa 58:1). Literally, "They have not taken off (the veil) which was on thine iniquity, so as to set it before thee."
burdens—Their prophecies were soothing and flattering; but the result of them was heavy calamities to the people, worse than even what the prophecies of Jeremiah, which they in derision called "burdens," threatened. Hence he terms their pretended prophecies "false burdens," which proved to the Jews "causes of their banishment" [Calvin].
Samech.
15. clap … hands—in derision (Job 27:23; 34:37).
wag … head—(2Ki 19:21; Ps 44:14).
perfection of beauty … joy of … earth—(Ps 48:2; 50:2). The Jews' enemies quote their very words in scorn.
Pe.
16, 17. For the transposition of Hebrew letters (Pe and Ain, La 2:16, 17) in the order of verses, see Introduction.
opened … mouth—as ravening, roaring wild beasts (Job 16:9, 10; Ps 22:13). Herein Jerusalem was a type of Messiah.
gnash … teeth—in vindictive malice.
we have seen it—(Ps 35:21).
Ain.
17. Lord—Let not the foe exult as if it was their doing. It was "the Lord" who thus fulfilled the threats uttered by His prophets for the guilt of Judea (Le 26:16-25; De 28:36-48, 53; Jer 19:9).
Tzaddi.
18. wall—(La 2:8). Personified. "Their heart," that is, the Jews'; while their heart is lifted up to the Lord in prayer, their speech is addressed to the "wall" (the part being put for the whole city).
let tears, &c.—(Jer 14:17). The wall is called on to weep for its own ruin and that of the city. Compare the similar personification (La 1:4).
apple—the pupil of the eye (Ps 17:8).
Koph.
19. cry … in … night—(Ps 119:147).
beginning of … watches—that is, the first of the three equal divisions (four hours each) into which the ancient Jews divided the night; namely, from sunset to ten o'clock. The second was called "the middle watch" (Jud 7:19), from ten till two o'clock. The third, "the morning watch," from two to sunrise (Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11). Afterwards, under the Romans, they had four watches (Mt 14:25; Lu 12:38).
for … thy … children—that God, if He will not spare thee, may at least preserve "thy young children."
top of … street—(Isa 51:20; Na 3:10).
Resh.
20. women eat … fruit—as threatened (Le 26:29; De 28:53, 56, 57; Jer 19:9).
children … span long—or else, "children whom they carry in their arms" [Maurer].
Schin.
21. (2Ch 36:17).
Tau.
22. Thou hast called as in … solemn day … terrors—Thou hast summoned my enemies against me from all quarters, just as multitudes used to be convened to Jerusalem, on the solemn feast days. The objects, for which the enemies and the festal multitude respectively met, formed a sad contrast. Compare La 1:15: "called an assembly against me."