1:1–22 How Lonely Sits the City. Lamentations begins with a description of Jerusalem’s destruction (vv. 1–11) and reports of her calls for help (vv. 12–22). Jerusalem speaks in vv. 9b, 11b–16, and 18–22. A narrator speaks in vv. 1–9a, 10–11a, and 17.
A book named “How”? In the Hebrew Bible, the title of the book of Lamentations is actually “How.” This is the first word in the book, and it occurs again at the beginning of chs. 2 and 4. It expresses “how” much Jerusalem has suffered.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:1 How. An exclamation often associated with expressions of grief (e.g., Isa. 1:21; Jer. 48:17). Note the contrasts: full of people/lonely; great/widow; princess/slave. Jerusalem’s losses are terrible.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:2 Jerusalem weeps bitterly in the night because of her losses (v. 1). lovers . . . friends. Her former allies (see vv. 16, 17; Jer. 22:20–22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:3 gone into exile. See Jer. 52:24–30. because of affliction and hard servitude. See Lam. 1:7, 9; 3:1, 19. Exiles were often forced to work constantly. Such labor reminds readers of Israel’s Egyptian bondage (see Ex. 1:1–14; 2:23; 6:6). dwells now among the nations . . . no resting place. A reversal of God’s own promises to Israel (e.g., Deut. 12:10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:4 Devastated Jerusalem lacks worshipers (see Jer. 41:4–5) to travel her roads, enter her gates, and attend any festival. The virgins were women who participated in joyful processions (Ps. 68:24–25) and dances (Jer. 31:4)
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:5 her enemies prosper. Babylon has conquered Jerusalem (Jer. 52:1–30) because of her transgressions, that is, she has willfully broken God’s law (see Lam. 1:5, 14, 22; Amos 1:3, 6, 9; etc.). Jerusalem’s sins have harmed her children, that is, her inhabitants.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:7 In exile the people recall the days of David, Solomon, and Josiah (all the precious things) in days of old. These precious things have been replaced with worthless things like the gloating and mocking of enemies.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:8 Jerusalem sinned grievously. See v. 5. filthy. Literally, “impurity”; see v. 17.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:9 Her uncleanness. The sins she committed (v. 8) were in her skirts, that is, they clung to her. She took no thought of her future in the sense that she did not expect things to turn out as they had, despite God’s warnings in Lev. 26:14–46, Deut. 28:15–68, and the Prophetic Books. O LORD, behold my affliction. Jerusalem speaks for the first time, asking God to take note of what the enemy has done.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:13 From on high he sent fire. Fire is a common way of describing judgment (Amos 1:3–2:5). The phrase reminds readers of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Gen. 19:23–29; Lam. 4:6). into my bones. The very core of Jerusalem’s being (Jer. 20:9).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:18 Jerusalem confesses that God is in the right (see Ps. 51:4) for judging her rebellion. but hear. Nonetheless, she desires comfort from all you peoples.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:21 no one to comfort me. See vv. 9, 16, 17. the day you announced. The day of judgment promised by Moses and the prophets (see vv. 12–13; Isa. 2:6–22; Jer. 12:3). let them be as I am. Jerusalem asked that God judge her foes; Jer. 27:7 and 46:1–51:64 promise that this will in fact happen.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:1–22 God Has Set Zion under a Cloud. This chapter emphasizes the completeness of God’s judgment on Jerusalem. The verses unfold in three parts, each of which has a different main speaker. In vv. 1–10 the speaker describes the effects of God’s punishment. In vv. 11–19 a prophetic voice like Jeremiah’s grieves the city’s losses and counsels her to cry out to God. In vv. 20–22 Jerusalem again asks God to see what she has suffered and to act on her behalf.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:1 How. See note on 1:1. the Lord in his anger. Over Judah’s long-term sin (1:9, 14, 18, 20, 22). under a cloud. A symbol for the darkness of God’s punishment (see 2 Sam. 22:12; Jer. 13:16). He has cast down. See Lam. 1:12, 21–22. From heaven to earth describes Israel’s fall from great favor (see Deut. 28:1–14) to terrible devastation (see Deut. 28:15–68). he has not remembered. In contrast to when he mercifully reached out to deliver his people (Ex. 2:23–25). his footstool. Probably a symbol for Jerusalem itself.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:3 God’s right hand, which in times past shattered Pharaoh’s army (Ex. 15:6, 12) was now withdrawn . . . in the face of the enemy.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:6 laid waste his booth. Destroyed the temple, the place where his name and his presence dwell (1 Kings 9:1–9). his meeting place. The temple. forget. The memory of these celebrations is growing dim, for they no longer occur.
| Jeremiah | Lamentations |
|---|---|
| I will make this house like Shiloh (chs. 7, 26) | The Lord has scorned . . . his sanctuary (2:7) |
| Let my eyes run down with tears (14:17–22) | my eyes flow with rivers of tears (3:48–51) |
| can I not do with you as this potter has done? (18:6) | regarded as earthen pots, the work of a potter’s hands! (4:2) |
| eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters (19:9) | Should women eat the fruit of their womb? (2:20) |
| vain hopes (23:16) | Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions (2:14) |
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:8 The LORD determined. God’s plan (see Jer. 18:11; 29:20; 36:3; 50:45) was to overthrow the rebellious people.
Stretching out the measuring line (2:8) is a military action. If the army did not have enough troops to guard a captured city, they might measure out certain lengths of wall to destroy. By doing this, they ensured that the city could not defend itself if it tried to rebel against its new captors.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:9 God caused loss of protection (gates, bars, walls [v. 7]), loss of leadership (king and princes), and loss of revelations of his will (her prophets find no vision).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:11 my bile. Literally, “my liver,” that is, emotions. daughter of my people. A term of endearment for Jerusalem (3:48; see Jer. 8:19–22; 14:17). infants and babies. Jerusalem’s most helpless people suffer because of their parents’ failures (see Lam. 2:20; 4:10; Deut. 28:41, 53–57; Jer. 10:20).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:14 Judah’s prophets were part of the problem (see Jer. 14:13–22; 23:9–40; Ezek. 13:1–19; Hos. 4:5). They gave false and deceptive visions. See Jer. 27:14–15. not exposed your iniquity. Their sins were the ultimate source of their problems, but the prophets did not urge them to repent (see Jer. 5:30–31).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:17 what he purposed. See 1:18 and 2:8. God sent the people away because of their sins (see Lev. 26:14–39; Deut. 28:64–68). God carried out his word, which he delivered through Moses and the prophets (2 Kings 17:7–23).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:18–19 Now Jerusalem (daughter of Zion) must cry out to God, just as the speaker (v. 11) has cried out for Jerusalem. She must turn to God for the sake of her children, who are fainting for hunger (see v. 12).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:20 With whom have you dealt thus? Jerusalem was God’s chosen city (1 Kings 9:1–9), yet God has judged her (Jer. 7:1–8:3). eat the fruit of their womb. Cannibalism of this type occurred in wartime (see 2 Kings 6:24–31). Moses had warned that such things would happen if Israel broke her covenant with God (see Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:52–57; Jer. 19:1–9; Ezek. 5:10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:22 a festival day. The old festivals (see 1:4, 15; 2:6, 7) have been replaced by a new “festival”: the day of the anger of the LORD.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:1–66 I Am the Man Who Has Seen Affliction. Chapter 3 has one speaker, a man who has endured suffering, experienced God’s faithfulness (vv. 1–24), and accepted God’s sovereignty and goodness (vv. 25–39). He prays for renewal (vv. 40–47) and remains confident of God’s concern for him and Israel (vv. 48–66).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:1–2 I am the man. A new speaker, who has experienced God’s wrath and desires to teach others what he has learned. Darkness without any light describes the terror of the day of the Lord (see Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:4–6 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away. Literally, “he has swallowed up my flesh and my skin.” For “swallow” as a symbol of judgment, see 2:2, 5, 8, 16. he has broken. For “breaking” as a symbol of punishment, see 1:15 (“crush”) and 2:9. Jerusalem was besieged by Babylon; the speaker in this chapter (see note on 3:1–2) was besieged by bitterness and tribulation.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:14 Like Jerusalem (1:7), the speaker has endured shame and mocking.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:19–20 A prayer for God to remember all that the speaker has suffered. God has not remembered Jerusalem and protected her (see note on 2:1). wormwood. See 3:15. gall. Or “bitterness,” see vv. 5, 15. Remembering the events that he asks God to remember causes his soul to bow down.
Wormwood was a bitter-tasting shrub that grew wild along the rocky slopes of Palestine. In Scripture, its bitter taste is often symbolic of hardship and sorrow.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:21 This verse marks a change in the speaker’s attitude. The contentment he remembers renews the hope lost in v. 18. In view of vv. 22–23, 32, he may be reflecting on Ex. 34:6–7, which these verses echo.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:22 God’s steadfast love (his “covenant mercy” or beneficial action on his people’s behalf) never ceases, even in the face of Judah’s unfaithfulness and the resulting “day of the LORD” (see Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16). mercies. Or “compassion.” This type of mercy replaces judgment with restoration. never come to an end. God is willing to begin anew with those who repent.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:23 new every morning. Each day presents another opportunity to experience God’s grace. faithfulness. God’s constant goodness and personal integrity remain intact no matter what happens.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:24 my portion. As with the Levites (Num. 18:20), God is the speaker’s only inheritance (see Ps. 73:26).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:25 The LORD is good. God’s goodness is the core of his character (Neh. 9:25; Ps. 34:8; 86:5; Hos. 3:5).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:26 wait quietly. In prayer and expectation. salvation. In this case, deliverance from danger, not salvation from sin.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:27 He must bear the yoke of punishment for sin (v. 18; see 1:14). In his youth indicates that the suffering is temporary.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:29 put his mouth in the dust. Assume a posture that shows his humility and dependence on God. There may yet be hope because of God’s faithfulness (see v. 24).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:31–33 not cast off forever. God’s anger is temporary (Ps. 103:9). He judges people to bring them to repentance and renewal. Though he cause grief, in this case because of the people’s covenant breaking, he will have compassion. See Ex. 34:6–7; Lam. 3:22; Hos. 11:1–9. steadfast love. See Lam. 3:22. does not afflict from his heart. God’s first instinct is not to punish. He does so only when his patience with sinners does not lead to their repentance.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:34–36 The Lord does not approve (v. 36) of those who crush others underfoot (perhaps a reference to the Israelites being crushed by Babylon).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:37 spoken and it came to pass. Just as in creation (see Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:9), God speaks and things happen, including Jerusalem’s destruction (Lam. 1:5, 12–16; 2:1–10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:41 The people should lift up their hearts (where repentance begins; see Deut. 30:1–10; Jer. 4:3–4) and their hands, showing their total dependence on God.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:42 you have not forgiven. God has not let their actions go unpunished.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:48 my eyes flow with . . . tears. Like Jerusalem (1:16; 2:11, 18), the speaker weeps for what has happened to the city. the daughter of my people. A term of endearment for Jerusalem (see 2:11).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:51 my eyes cause me grief. What he has witnessed saddens the speaker.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:54 I am lost. There seemed to be no hope (see v. 18).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:55–57 In the depths of the pit (the worst days of his suffering), the speaker called upon God, who had placed him there. you heard my plea. See Ps. 30:2; 103:4. God not only came near, offering his comforting and saving presence, but also gave reassuring and empowering words of courage (Do not fear!). See Jer. 1:17–19.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:58 taken up my cause. God has taken the speaker’s side against his attackers (v. 52). redeemed my life. God’s acts on his behalf resulted in deliverance (see Lev. 25:47–54; Ruth 4:1–12; Jer. 1:17–19; 39:11–40:6).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:59–60 God has seen the wrong done to the speaker. Jerusalem prayed for this in 1:9, 11, 20. True relief cannot come until God judges in favor of the speaker and against his enemies for all their plots (see Jer. 11:18–12:6; 17:18; 18:23).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:65 your curse. The judgment that comes because of their actions (see Deut. 28:15–68).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:1–22 How the Gold Has Grown Dim. Chapter 4 returns to themes in chs. 1–2 yet also announces the completion of Jerusalem’s punishment. The chapter can be divided into four segments: the suffering of Jerusalem’s children (4:1–10), God’s punishing of Jerusalem’s religious leaders (vv. 11–16), the power of Jerusalem’s enemies (vv. 17–20), and the end of Jerusalem’s suffering (vv. 21–22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:1 How. See note on 1:1. the gold has grown dim. Perhaps because it has been covered with dirt or has been burned. holy stones. The people, according to 3:2. at the head of every street. See 2:19; 4:5, 8, 14. Suffering occurs in every section of the city.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:2 earthen pots. To be shattered.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:3–4 Even wild animals feed their young, but Jerusalem’s mothers cannot feed their children. The siege, famine, and devastation are too severe (see Jer. 15:1–4). like the ostriches in the wilderness. In Job 39:13–17 these creatures abandon their eggs.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:6 Jerusalem’s sin has been greater than that of Sodom, for she had greater knowledge of God’s will. Therefore, her punishment has been greater than Sodom’s.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:7 more ruddy than coral. Their bodies were perfectly formed and healthy. beauty of their form. Their faces were handsome.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:8 blacker than soot. A compete reversal of v. 7.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:9 Happier were the victims of the sword. Because they died quickly (see v. 6). pierced by lack. Rather than by a sword.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:10 The most compassionate women in the land were so hungry that they boiled their own children (see 2:20; Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:52–57; 2 Kings 6:29). during the destruction. During Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:21).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:11 that consumed its foundations. Babylon was God’s instrument in carrying out this task (Jer. 52:12–13).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:13 sins of her prophets. They did not warn and instruct the people (see Jer. 5:30–31; 23:9–40). iniquities of her priests. They failed to teach the people God’s word and its directions for godly living (see Hos. 4:1–9; Mal. 2:1–9).
The fall of Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been invaded several times, but had always survived. Finally, however, because of the people’s continued rebellion, the Lord allowed the Babylonians to conquer Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Chapter 4 contrasts Judah’s glory days with its pitiful state after judgment.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:16 The Lord himself . . . scattered them. See 1:4, 19; 4:13; 5:12. no honor . . . no favor. Because of their sins, the priests and prophets had lost the respect usually reserved for their persons and offices (4:13).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:18 our end had come. The day of the Lord (see Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16) had arrived.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:20 The people depended on Jerusalem’s king, the LORD’s anointed, so much that he was like the very breath of their nostrils. They had lived under the shadow of his protection. Yet he was captured. See Jer. 39:1–10.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:21 Edom took great joy in Jerusalem’s fall and profited from her destruction (Ps. 137:7; Joel 3:19; Obad. 10–14). but to you also the cup shall pass. See Jer. 49:7–22, especially v. 12.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:22 accomplished. Their punishment has ended, and now the long, hard, slow recovery of life, worship, and society can begin. keep you in exile no longer. Jews began to return to the area by 538–535 B.C. (see Ezra 1:1–2:70; Jer. 29:10–14; Dan. 9:1–2).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:1–22 Restore Us to Yourself, O Lord. This concluding chapter is the community’s plea for restoration. It includes an opening petition (v. 1), a description of the problems the people have faced (vv. 2–18), and an urgent plea for a restored relationship with their Lord (vv. 19–22).
Lamentations contains five poems that mourn the fall of Judah and the sin that caused it. Chapters 1–3 and 4 are acrostic poems. This means that each verse starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in alphabetical order. Psalm 119 is another example of an acrostic poem.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:1 This verse continues the book’s emphasis on God “seeing” the people’s terrible situation (see 1:11, 20; 2:20; 3:63). Remember, O LORD. A common theme in the book (see 1:7; 2:1; 3:19, 20), “remember” reminds readers of events like the exodus (Ex. 2:23–25), when God acted on Israel’s behalf.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:2 Our inheritance. The Promised Land, which was the physical evidence of Israel’s relationship with God (Deut. 4:21, 38).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:5 pursuers. Probably persons to whom they owe money, or the foreign officers who rule over them. are at our necks. Always desiring either payment or more work.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:7 Past mistakes (v. 6) have led to terrible present realities. Though the Lord does not condemn people for others’ sins (see Jer. 31:29–30; Ezek. 18:2), they can certainly suffer because of what others have done. It is also sadly possible to sin in a manner similar to one’s ancestors (see Dan. 9:16).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:9 sword. A metaphor for thieves (2 Kings 13:20–21) or famine (Deut. 28:22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:12 Princes. Or “officials.” hung up by their hands. Most likely for execution (see Gen. 40:19; Est. 2:23), perhaps by Babylon’s servants to discourage rebellion. elders. See Lam. 1:19; 2:10; 4:16.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:14–15 old men. Civic leaders. have left the city gate. They no longer sat where decisions were made and business was conducted.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:16 The crown has fallen. The Davidic king (4:20) and Jerusalem were considered crowning glories (see Jer. 13:18).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:19–22 The book closes with a plea for renewal. The people confess God’s eternal nature and kingship (v. 19), regret their ongoing suffering (v. 20), ask for renewal (v. 21), and wonder when renewal will come, given God’s understandable anger (v. 22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:19 God reigns as king of the universe (Ps. 103:19) forever (Ps. 90:1–17; 102:12–13). Whatever forgiveness, renewal, and relief Jerusalem will receive must come from God, whose throne endures to all generations (Ps. 45:6–7; 93:1–2).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:21 Restore us. Restoration depends on a right relationship with God (Jer. 31:18), and only God can do the restoring.