39 Wherefore doth a living H2416 man H120 complain, H596 a man H1397 for the punishment of his sins? H2399
And G2532 ye have forgotten G1585 the exhortation G3874 which G3748 speaketh G1256 unto you G5213 as G5613 unto children, G5207 My G3450 son, G5207 despise G3643 not G3361 thou G3643 the chastening G3809 of the Lord, G2962 nor G3366 faint G1590 when thou art rebuked G1651 of G5259 him: G846 For G1063 whom G3739 the Lord G2962 loveth G25 he chasteneth, G3811 and G1161 scourgeth G3146 every G3956 son G5207 whom G3739 he receiveth. G3858 If G1487 ye endure G5278 chastening, G3809 God G2316 dealeth G4374 with you G5213 as G5613 with sons; G5207 for G1063 what G5101 son G5207 is he G2076 whom G3739 the father G3962 chasteneth G3811 not? G3756 But G1161 if G1487 ye be G2075 without G5565 chastisement, G3809 whereof G3739 all G3956 are G1096 partakers, G3353 then G686 are ye G2075 bastards, G3541 and G2532 not G3756 sons. G5207 Furthermore G1534 G3303 we have had G2192 fathers G3962 of our G2257 flesh G4561 which corrected G3810 us, and G2532 we gave them reverence: G1788 shall we G5293 not G3756 much G4183 rather G3123 be in subjection G5293 unto the Father G3962 of spirits, G4151 and G2532 live? G2198 For G1063 they verily G3303 for G4314 a few G3641 days G2250 chastened G3811 us after G2596 their own G846 pleasure; G1380 but G1161 he for G1909 our profit, G4851 that G1519 we might be partakers G3335 of his G846 holiness. G41 Now G1161 no G3956 G3756 chastening G3809 for G4314 G3303 the present G3918 seemeth G1380 to be G1511 joyous, G5479 but G235 grievous: G3077 nevertheless G1161 afterward G5305 it yieldeth G591 the peaceable G1516 fruit G2590 of righteousness G1343 unto them which are exercised G1128 thereby. G1223 G846 Wherefore G1352 lift up G461 the hands G5495 which hang down, G3935 and G2532 the feeble G3886 knees; G1119
And it came to pass, when the sun H8121 did arise, H2224 that God H430 prepared H4487 a vehement H2759 east H6921 wind; H7307 and the sun H8121 beat H5221 upon the head H7218 of Jonah, H3124 that he fainted, H5968 and wished H7592 in himself H5315 to die, H4191 and said, H559 It is better H2896 for me to die H4194 than to live. H2416 And God H430 said H559 to Jonah, H3124 Doest thou well H3190 to be angry H2734 for the gourd? H7021 And he said, H559 I do well H3190 to be angry, H2734 even unto death. H4194
For thou hadst cast H7993 me into the deep, H4688 in the midst H3824 of the seas; H3220 and the floods H5104 compassed H5437 me about: all thy billows H4867 and thy waves H1530 passed over H5674 me. Then I said, H559 I am cast out H1644 of thy sight; H5869 yet I will look H5027 again H3254 toward thy holy H6944 temple. H1964
Behold, for peace H7965 I had great bitterness: H4751 H4843 but thou hast in love H2836 to my soul H5315 delivered it from the pit H7845 of corruption: H1097 for thou hast cast H7993 all my sins H2399 behind H310 thy back. H1460 For the grave H7585 cannot praise H3034 thee, death H4194 can not celebrate H1984 thee: they that go down H3381 into the pit H953 cannot hope H7663 for thy truth. H571 The living, H2416 the living, H2416 he shall praise H3034 thee, as I do this day: H3117 the father H1 to the children H1121 shall make known H3045 thy truth. H571
But unto Cain H7014 and to his offering H4503 he had not respect. H8159 And Cain H7014 was very H3966 wroth, H2734 and his countenance H6440 fell. H5307 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Cain, H7014 Why art thou wroth? H2734 and why is thy countenance H6440 fallen? H5307 If H518 thou doest well, H3190 shalt thou not be accepted? H7613 and if thou doest not well, H3190 sin H2403 lieth H7257 at the door. H6607 And unto thee shall be his desire, H8669 and thou shalt rule H4910 over him.
And the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against Uzzah; H5798 and God H430 smote H5221 him there for his error; H7944 and there he died H4191 by the ark H727 of God. H430 And David H1732 was displeased, H2734 because the LORD H3068 had made H6555 a breach H6556 upon Uzzah: H5798 and he called H7121 the name of the place H4725 Perezuzzah H6560 to this day. H3117
And Joshua H3091 rent H7167 his clothes, H8071 and fell H5307 to the earth H776 upon his face H6440 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 until the eventide, H6153 he and the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and put H5927 dust H6083 upon their heads. H7218 And Joshua H3091 said, H559 Alas, O H162 Lord H136 GOD, H3069 wherefore hast thou at all H5674 brought H5674 this people H5971 over H5674 Jordan, H3383 to deliver H5414 us into the hand H3027 of the Amorites, H567 to destroy H6 us? would to God H3863 we had been content, H2974 and dwelt H3427 on the other side H5676 Jordan! H3383 O H994 Lord, H136 what shall I say, H559 when H310 Israel H3478 turneth H2015 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies! H341 For the Canaanites H3669 and all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 shall hear H8085 of it, and shall environ us round, H5437 and cut off H3772 our name H8034 from the earth: H776 and what wilt thou do H6213 unto thy great H1419 name? H8034 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Get thee up; H6965 wherefore liest H5307 thou thus upon thy face? H6440 Israel H3478 hath sinned, H2398 and they have also transgressed H5674 my covenant H1285 which I commanded H6680 them: for they have even taken H3947 of the accursed thing, H2764 and have also stolen, H1589 and dissembled H3584 also, and they have put H7760 it even among their own stuff. H3627 Therefore the children H1121 of Israel H3478 could H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 their enemies, H341 but turned H6437 their backs H6203 before H6440 their enemies, H341 because they were accursed: H2764 neither will I be with you any more, H3254 except H3808 ye destroy H8045 the accursed H2764 from among H7130 you. Up, H6965 sanctify H6942 the people, H5971 and say, H559 Sanctify H6942 yourselves against to morrow: H4279 for thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 There is an accursed thing H2764 in the midst H7130 of thee, O Israel: H3478 thou canst H3201 not stand H6965 before H6440 thine enemies, H341 until ye take away H5493 the accursed thing H2764 from among H7130 you.
And Cain H7014 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 My punishment H5771 is greater H1419 than I can bear. H5375 Behold, thou hast driven me out H1644 this day H3117 from the face H6440 of the earth; H127 and from H5921 thy face H6440 shall I be hid; H5641 and I shall be a fugitive H5128 and a vagabond H5110 in the earth; H776 and it shall come to pass, H1961 that every one that findeth me H4672 shall slay me. H2026
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 3
Commentary on Lamentations 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
La 3:1-66.
Jeremiah proposes his own experience under afflictions, as an example as to how the Jews should behave under theirs, so as to have hope of a restoration; hence the change from singular to plural (La 3:22, 40-47). The stanzas consist of three lines, each of which begins with the same Hebrew letter.
Aleph.
1-3. seen affliction—his own in the dungeon of Malchiah (Jer 38:6); that of his countrymen also in the siege. Both were types of that of Christ.
2. darkness—calamity.
light—prosperity.
3. turneth … hand—to inflict again and again new strokes. "His hand," which once used to protect me. "Turned … turneth" implies repeated inflictions.
Beth.
4-6. (Job 16:8).
5. builded—mounds, as against a besieged city, so as to allow none to escape (so La 3:7, 9).
6. set me—Henderson refers this to the custom of placing the dead in a sitting posture.
dark places—sepulchers. As those "dead long since"; so Jeremiah and his people are consigned to oblivion (Ps 88:5, 6; 143:3; Eze 37:13).
Gimel.
7-9. hedged—(Job 3:23; Ho 2:6).
chain—literally, "chain of brass."
8. shutteth out—image from a door shutting out any entrance (Job 30:20). So the antitype. Christ (Ps 22:2).
9. hewn stone—which coheres so closely as not to admit of being broken through.
paths crooked—thwarted our plans and efforts so that none went right.
Daleth.
10-13. (Job 10:16; Ho 13:7, 8).
11. turned aside—made me wander out of the right way, so as to become a prey to wild beasts.
pulled in pieces—(Ho 6:1), as a "bear" or a "lion" (La 3:10).
12. (Job 7:20).
He.
13-15. arrows—literally, "sons" of His quiver (compare Job 6:4).
14. (Jer 20:7).
their song—(Ps 69:12). Jeremiah herein was a type of Messiah. "All my people" (Joh 1:11).
15. wormwood—(Jer 9:15). There it is regarded as food, namely, the leaves: here as drink, namely, the juice.
Vau.
16-18. gravel—referring to the grit that often mixes with bread baked in ashes, as is the custom of baking in the East (Pr 20:17). We fare as hardly as those who eat such bread. The same allusion is in "Covered me with ashes," namely, as bread.
17. Not only present, but all hope of future prosperity is removed; so much so, that I am as one who never was prosperous ("I forgat prosperity").
18. from the Lord—that is, my hope derived from Him (Ps 31:22).
Zain.
19-21. This gives the reason why he gave way to the temptation to despair. The Margin, "Remember" does not suit the sense so well.
wormwood … gall—(Jer 9:15).
20. As often as my soul calls them to remembrance, it is humbled or bowed down in me.
21. This—namely, what follows; the view of the divine character (La 3:22, 23). Calvin makes "this" refer to Jeremiah's infirmity. His very weakness (La 3:19, 20) gives him hope of God interposing His strength for him (compare Ps 25:11, 17; 42:5, 8; 2Co 12:9, 10).
Cheth.
22-24. (Mal 3:6).
23. (Isa 33:2).
24. (Nu 18:20; Ps 16:5; 73:26; 119:57; Jer 10:16). To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.
Teth.
25-27. The repetition of "good" at the beginning of each of the three verses heightens the effect.
wait—(Isa 30:18).
26. quietly wait—literally, "be in silence." Compare La 3:28 and Ps 39:2, 9, that is, to be patiently quiet under afflictions, resting in the will of God (Ps 37:7). So Aaron (Le 10:2, 3); and Job (Job 40:4, 5).
27. yoke—of the Lord's disciplinary teaching (Ps 90:12; 119:71). Calvin interprets it, The Lord's doctrine (Mt 11:29, 30), which is to be received in a docile spirit. The earlier the better; for the old are full of prejudices (Pr 8:17; Ec 12:1). Jeremiah himself received the yoke, both of doctrine and chastisement in his youth (Jer 1:6, 7).
Jod.
28-30. The fruit of true docility and patience. He does not fight against the yoke (Jer 31:18; Ac 9:5), but accommodates himself to it.
alone—The heathen applauded magnanimity, but they looked to display and the praise of men. The child of God, in the absence of any witness, "alone," silently submits to the will of God.
borne it upon him—that is, because he is used to bearing it on him. Rather, "because He (the Lord, La 3:26) hath laid it on him" [Vatablus].
29. (Job 42:6). The mouth in the dust is the attitude of suppliant and humble submission to God's dealings as righteous and loving in design (compare Ezr 9:6; 1Co 14:25).
if so be there may be hope—This does not express doubt as to whether God be willing to receive the penitent, but the penitent's doubt as to himself; he whispers to himself this consolation, "Perhaps there may be hope for me."
30. Messiah, the Antitype, fulfilled this; His practice agreeing with His precept (Isa 50:6; Mt 5:39). Many take patiently afflictions from God, but when man wrongs them, they take it impatiently. The godly bear resignedly the latter, like the former, as sent by God (Ps 17:13).
Caph.
31-33. True repentance is never without hope (Ps 94:14).
32. The punishments of the godly are but for a time.
33. He does not afflict any willingly (literally, "from His heart," that is, as if He had any pleasure in it, Eze 33:11), much less the godly (Heb 12:10).
Lamed.
34-36. This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of La 3:36, "the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a man." God approves (literally, "seeth," Hab 1:13; so "behold," "look on," that is, look on with approval) not of such unrighteous acts; and so the Jews may look for deliverance and the punishment of their foes.
35. before … face of … most High—Any "turning aside" of justice in court is done before the face of God, who is present, and "regardeth," though unseen (Ec 5:8).
36. subvert—to wrong.
Mem.
37-39. Who is it that can (as God, Ps 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?
38. evil … good—Calamity and prosperity alike proceed from God (Job 2:10; Isa 45:7; Am 3:6).
39. living—and so having a time yet given him by God for repentance. If sin were punished as it deserves, life itself would be forfeited by the sinner. "Complaining" (murmuring) ill becomes him who enjoys such a favor as life (Pr 19:3).
for the punishment of his sins—Instead of blaming God for his sufferings, he ought to recognize in them God's righteousness and the just rewards of his own sin.
Nun.
40-42. us—Jeremiah and his fellow countrymen in their calamity.
search—as opposed to the torpor wherewith men rest only on their outward sufferings, without attending to the cause of them (Ps 139:23, 24).
41. heart with … hands—the antidote to hypocrisy (Ps 86:4; 1Ti 2:8).
42. not pardoned—The Babylonian captivity had not yet ended.
Samech.
43-45. covered—namely, thyself (so La 3:44), so as not to see and pity our calamities, for even the most cruel in seeing a sad spectacle are moved to pity. Compare as to God "hiding His face," Ps 10:11; 22:25.
44. (La 3:8). The "cloud" is our sins, and God's wrath because of them (Isa 44:22; 59:2).
45. So the apostles were treated; but, instead of murmuring, they rejoiced at it (1Co 4:13).
Pe.
46-48. Pe is put before Ain (La 3:43, 46), as in La 2:16, 17; 4:16, 17. (La 2:16.)
47. Like animals fleeing in fear, we fall into the snare laid for us.
48. (Jer 4:19).
Ain.
49-51. without … intermission—or else, "because there is no intermission" [Piscator], namely, of my miseries.
50. Till—His prayer is not without hope, wherein it differs from the blind grief of unbelievers.
look down, &c.—(Isa 63:15).
51. eye affecteth mine heart—that is, causeth me grief with continual tears; or, "affecteth my life" (literally, "soul," Margin), that is, my health [Grotius].
daughters of … city—the towns around, dependencies of Jerusalem, taken by the foe.
Tzaddi.
52-54. a bird—which is destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to Pr 1:17 [Calvin].
without cause—(Ps 69:4; 109:3, 4). Type of Messiah (Joh 15:25).
53. in … dungeon—(Jer 37:16).
stone—usually put at the mouth of a dungeon to secure the prisoners (Jos 10:18; Da 6:17; Mt 27:60).
54. Waters—not literally, for there was "no water" (Jer 38:6) in the place of Jeremiah's confinement, but emblematical of overwhelming calamities (Ps 69:2; 124:4, 5).
cut off—(Isa 38:10, 11). I am abandoned by God. He speaks according to carnal sense.
Koph.
55-57. I called out of dungeon—Thus the spirit resists the flesh, and faith spurns the temptation [Calvin], (Ps 130:1; Jon 2:2).
56. Thou hast heard—namely formerly (so in La 3:57, 58).
breathing … cry—two kinds of prayer; the sigh of a prayer silently breathed forth, and the loud, earnest cry (compare "prayer," "secret speech," Isa 26:16, Margin; with "cry aloud," Ps 55:17).
57. Thou drewest near—with Thy help (Jas 4:8).
Resh.
58-60. Jeremiah cites God's gracious answers to his prayers as an encouragement to his fellow countrymen, to trust in Him.
pleaded—(Ps 35:1; Mic 7:9).
59. God's past deliverances and His knowledge of Judah's wrongs are made the grounds of prayer for relief.
60. imaginations—devices (Jer 11:19).
Their vengeance—means their malice. Jeremiah gives his conduct, when plotted against by his foes, as an example how the Jews should bring their wrongs at the hands of the Chaldeans before God.
Schin.
61-63. their reproach—their reproachful language against me.
62. lips—speeches.
63. sitting down … rising up—whether they sit or rise, that is, whether they be actively engaged or sedentary, and at rest "all the day" (La 3:62), I am the subject of their derisive songs (La 3:14).
Tau.
64-66. (Jer 11:20; 2Ti 4:14).
65. sorrow—rather, blindness or hardness; literally, "a veil" covering their heart, so that they may rush on to their own ruin (Isa 6:10; 2Co 3:14, 15).
66. from under … heavens of … Lord—destroy them so that it may be seen everywhere under heaven that thou sittest above as Judge of the world.