LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:1–22 How Lonely Sits the City. Lamentations begins with a description of Jerusalem’s devastation (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.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:1–11 Jerusalem’s Devastation. Jerusalem lies in waste from invasion and conquest. This section depicts her reversals (vv. 1–3), emptiness (vv. 4–6), uncleanness and guilt (vv. 7–9), and groaning (vv. 10–11).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:1 How (Hb. ’ekah). An exclamation often associated with funeral language for people or cities (cf. Isa. 1:21; Jer. 48:17). Note the contrasts: full of people/lonely; great/widow; princess/slave. Jerusalem’s reversal of fortunes is total.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:2 Jerusalem weeps bitterly in the night because of her losses (v. 1). lovers … friends. Her former allies (cf. vv. 9, 16, 17, 21; Jer. 22:20–22; 30:14; Ezek. 16:37–41; 23:22–29).
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 unstintingly. Such labor evokes memories of Israel’s Egyptian bondage (cf. Ex. 1:1–14; 2:23; 5:11; 6:6, 9). dwells now among the nations … no resting place. A reversal of God’s own promises to Israel (e.g., Deut. 12:10). pursuers have all overtaken her. See Jer. 39:1–10 (cf. 52:1–11); 40:1–6.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:4 Devastated Jerusalem lacks worshipers (cf. Jer. 41:4–5) to travel her roads, enter her gates, and attend any festival. The chief priests have been killed (Jer. 52:24–27), and the remaining priests groan. The virgins were women who participated in joyful processions (Ps. 68:24–25), rejoicings and dances (Jer. 31:4), and generally expressed joy. Now they suffer.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:5 her enemies prosper. Babylon has conquered Jerusalem (Jer. 52:1–30) because of her transgressions, i.e., her willfully breaking God’s law (cf. Lam. 1:5, 14, 22; Amos 1:3, 6, 9; etc.). Jerusalem’s sins have affected her children, that is, her inhabitants.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:6 daughter of Zion. A metaphor for Jerusalem, which rested on Mount Zion like a child on a parent’s shoulder (cf. note on 3:48). her majesty has departed. Most likely God’s glory (Ps. 96:6; 145:5) and kingship (Ps. 104:1; 111:3; 145:5, 12). Judah’s princes were famished with hunger when they fled and were captured (cf. 2 Kings 25:3–5; Jer. 52:6–11).
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 (lit., “impurity”; cf. v. 17). This may refer to menstrual discharge (Lev. 12:2, 5) but could refer to a willing display of her nakedness. By becoming naked for her lovers (Lam. 1:2) she has become impure to her covenant husband (see Jer. 31:32).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:9 Her uncleanness. The sins she committed (v. 8) were in her skirts, i.e., 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. no comforter. Neither God nor her allies (Lam. 1:2) comfort her. 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 1:10 The narrator agrees that the enemy has succeeded; the enemy has taken her precious things, such as her children (v. 5). the nations enter her sanctuary. Babylon plundered the temple in 597 B.C. (Jer. 28:1–3) and burned it in 587 (Jer. 52:13). those whom you forbade. See Deut. 23:3–6.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:11 they search for bread. Jerusalem’s people sought bread during Babylon’s siege (Jer. 37:21). Jerusalem asks God a second time (cf. Lam. 1:9) to see how the enemy treats her.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:12–22 Jerusalem’s Call for Help. Jerusalem expresses her acute sorrow (vv. 12–16), which is attested by the narrator (v. 17) and which leads to prayer for relief (vv. 18–22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:12 Jerusalem now speaks (vv. 12–16). She addresses those who pass by, perhaps because God has not answered. She wants them to look and see, just as she wanted God to see and act (vv. 9, 11). day of his fierce anger. Cf. Isa. 2:6–22; Jer. 12:3.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:13 From on high he sent fire. Fire is a common metaphor for judgment (Amos 1:3–2:5). The phrase reminds readers of Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Gen. 19:23–29; Lam. 4:6). into my bones. The very core of Jerusalem’s being (Jer. 20:9). spread a net. As one does to trap an animal (cf. Ps. 35:7; 57:6; Prov. 29:5; Hos. 7:12).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:14 A yoke represents power and authority (e.g., Jer. 27:8). God placed Jerusalem under the power of her own sins, which caused her strength to fail, resulting in God giving her into the hands of her foes (cf. Deut. 28:64–68; Jer. 52:1–30).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:15 rejected. Or “spurned” (Ps. 119:118). he summoned an assembly. God brought an overwhelming fighting force against Jerusalem (Jer. 52:1–30). trodden as in a winepress. Cf. Isa. 63:1–6.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:16 Jerusalem weeps after the devastation, just like Jeremiah wept (Jer. 13:17) when he predicted it. comforter. See Lam. 1:9. enemy has prevailed. See vv. 7–10.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:17 The narrator verifies Jerusalem’s claims of loneliness and lack of comfort (cf. vv. 9, 16), God’s sovereignty in the situation (vv. 12–13), and Jerusalem’s sinful past (vv. 5, 9, 14).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:18 Jerusalem confesses that God is in the right (cf. Ps. 51:4) for judging her rebellion. but hear. Nonetheless, she desires comfort from all you peoples.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:19 I called to my lovers. Jerusalem asked her allies for help (cf. Jer. 27:1–15; 37:1–10), but to no avail. they deceived me. They promised help they could not or would not deliver. priests and elders. Religious and civic leaders who misled the people (cf. Jer. 2:8, 26). perished … while they sought food. A pitiable end, regardless of their spiritual condition.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 1:20 Again Jerusalem asks God to look at her distress (cf. vv. 9, 11). Her stomach churns. Her “inward parts” (Isa. 16:11), i.e., the emotions, are in turmoil. I have been very rebellious. See Lam. 1:18. the sword bereaves. See Jer. 15:1–4.
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). let them be as I am. Jerusalem asked that God judge her foes, which Jer. 27:7 and 46:1–51:64 indicate will occur in due course.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:1–22 God Has Set Zion under a Cloud. This chapter emphasizes the totality of God’s judgment of Jerusalem. The verses unfold in three parts, each of which has a different main speaker. In vv. 1–10 the narrator 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; and in vv. 20–22 Jerusalem again asks God to see what she has suffered and to act on her behalf.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:1–10 The Effects of God’s Punishment. The narrator stresses God’s unrelenting attack (vv. 1–3); his treatment of Jerusalem like an enemy (vv. 4–5); and his devastation of Jerusalem’s temple (vv. 6–7), defenses (vv. 8–9a), and leaders (vv. 9b–10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:1 How. See note on 1:1. the Lord in his anger. Over Judah’s long-term, ingrained sin (1:9, 14, 18, 20, 22). under a cloud. A metaphor for the darkness of God’s punishment (cf. 2 Sam. 22:12; Ps. 18:11; Jer. 13:16). He has cast down. See Lam. 1:12, 21–22. From heaven to earth describes Israel’s fall from greatest favor (cf. Deut. 28:1–14) to terrible devastation (cf. 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. A metaphor for either the ark of the covenant or the temple in Ps. 99:5; 132:7; and 1 Chron. 28:2; here probably Jerusalem itself. day of his anger. See Lam. 1:12–13, 21.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:2 without mercy. In contrast to his typical attitude toward Israel (cf. 2 Chron. 36:15; Joel 2:18). brought down … in dishonor. See Jer. 52:1–30.
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 2:4 bent his bow. In contrast to how he fought for Israel in the past, now God has fought against them. right hand. See note on v. 3. like a foe. God has sided with Babylon (cf. Jer. 27:6–11). he has killed. See Jer. 15:1–4; 52:1–11, 24–27.
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, where he communes with worshipers. forget. The memory of these celebrations is growing dim, for they occur no more. festival. The great national annual gathering before God (Deut. 16:1–17).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:7 Disowned occurs only here and Ps. 89:39 (“renounced”), which notes that God has rejected the Davidic covenant. Sanctuary (“holy place”) implies all the buildings and walls of the temple complex (cf. Ps. 74:2–3). her palaces. Perhaps those of the king, which were adjacent to the temple (cf. 1 Kings 7:1–12). raised a clamor. Israel’s enemies rejoiced over their victory as if they were having a party (cf. Ps. 74:4–8).
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c108
| 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 (cf. Jer. 18:11; 29:20; 36:3; 50:45) was to overthrow the rebellious, impenitent people. measuring line. God marked off what would be destroyed and what would be spared (cf. Amos 7:7–9).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:9 God caused loss of protection (gates, bars, walls [v. 7]), loss of leadership (king and princes), loss of written revelation (the law), and loss of specific revelatory direction (her prophets find no vision).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:10 The people’s civic leaders (elders, cf. 1:19) have no direction to give. The young women sang and danced joyously at ceremonies (1:4; cf. Ex. 15:20; Judg. 21:21; Ps. 68:25; Jer. 31:13); now they mourn.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:11–19 The Need to Cry Out to God. An eyewitness who shares Jeremiah’s theology notes the fate of Jerusalem’s children (vv. 11–12), regrets her trust in false prophets (vv. 13–14) and status as a byword for ruin (vv. 15–16), and counsels her to cry out to the sovereign God for help (vv. 17–19).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:11 stomach churns. See note on 1:20. my bile. Lit., “my liver,” i.e., emotions. daughter of my people. A term of endearment for Jerusalem (cf. Jer. 8:19–22; 14:17; and note on Lam. 3:48). infants and babies. Jerusalem’s most vulnerable inhabitants suffer because of their parents’ failures (cf. 2:20; 4:10; Deut. 28:41, 50, 53–57; Jer. 10:20).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:12 Children cry out to their mothers for food, only to die in their mothers’ arms. Adult sins cause grief to children.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:14 Judah’s prophets were part of the problem (cf. Jer. 14:13–22; 23:9–40; 27:1–29:32; Ezek. 13:1–19; Hos. 4:5). false and deceptive visions. See Jer. 27:14–15; 37:18–19. not exposed your iniquity. Their sins were the ultimate source of their problems, but the prophets avoided this subject (cf. Jer. 5:30–31). to restore your fortunes. Repentance would have led to renewal, but the prophets offered only false and misleading sermons of peace (Jer. 6:14) and safety.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:15 Jerusalem’s foes mock her downfall. They even quote a line from Ps. 48:2 (which celebrates Jerusalem as the joy of all the earth) to gloat over her current woeful condition.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:16 Jerusalem’s enemies claim they have swallowed her, which vv. 2, 5, and 8 assert God has done; they were merely God’s instruments in this process (Jer. 27:1–15). the day we longed for. See Obad. 10–14.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:17 what he purposed. See 1:18 and 2:8. God banished the people because of their sins (cf. 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). thrown down without pity. Once judgment began, it proceeded without interruption. Jerusalem had so often rejected the mercy of forgiveness received through repentance that only punishment remained as an option. he has … exalted … your foes. Rather than defeating them on Judah’s behalf.
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 2:20–22 Jerusalem Asks God to See and Act. Jerusalem notes her people’s suffering (v. 20), asserts God’s lack of pity (v. 21), and remarks on the totality of the day of wrath (v. 22).
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 did occur in wartime (see 2 Kings 6:24–31). Moses had warned that such would happen when Israel broke her covenant with God (cf. Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:52–57; Jer. 19:1–9; Ezek. 5:10). priest and prophet. Careless priests (Lev. 10:1–7; 1 Sam. 4:12–22) and false prophets (Jer. 28:1–17) repeatedly come to a bad end in Scripture.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 2:22 a festival day. The old festivals (cf. 1:4, 15; 2:6, 7) have been replaced by a new “festival”: the day of the anger of the LORD. The phrase terrors on every side is distinctly Jeremianic (Jer. 6:25; 20:3, 10; 46:5; 49:29; cf. Ps. 31:13). no one escaped. With only a few exceptions, such as Jeremiah (see Jer. 39:11–14). Jerusalem’s children (those whom she held and raised) perished in the battle.
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 and experienced God’s faithfulness (vv. 1–24) and responded to God’s sovereignty and goodness (vv. 25–39). He prays for renewal (vv. 40–47) and maintains confidence in God’s concern for him and Israel (vv. 48–66).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:1–24 Enduring Suffering, Experiencing Faithfulness. This section describes the speaker’s loss (vv. 1–18) and regaining of hope (vv. 19–24).
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 severity of the day of the Lord (cf. 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. Lit., “he has swallowed up my flesh and my skin.” For “swallow” as a metaphor for judgment, see 2:2, 5, 8, 16. he has broken. For “breaking” as a metaphor for 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. For darkness, see note on vv. 1–2. like the dead of long ago. Like persons put in a dark place and forgotten (cf. Ps. 74:18–20; 88:3–7; 143:3).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:7–9 walled. God has imprisoned the speaker (Job 19:8; Hos. 2:6). Even if the speaker had escaped his prison, God made certain that his path to freedom was blocked.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:10–11 Even if the speaker had taken the dangerous path to freedom, God was like a bear waiting to attack.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:12–13 God bent his bow (see 2:4) and made the speaker a target. Indeed, God succeeded in hitting the speaker with the arrows of his quiver.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:14 Like Jerusalem (1:7), the speaker has endured shame and mocking.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:15 bitterness. For his food; see v. 5. wormwood. For his drink. This plant has a bitter taste and is often used as a metaphor for hardship and sorrow (v. 19; Prov. 5:4; Amos 5:7; 6:12).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:16 teeth grind on gravel. Akin to the English phrase “eating dirt.”
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:17–18 Since God treats both Jerusalem (2:4–5) and the speaker (3:1–16) as enemies, he has lost peace, happiness, and hope. The true source of a believer’s hope for the future is from the LORD.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:19–20 A prayer for God to remember all that the man has suffered. God has not remembered Jerusalem, to protect her (cf. note on 2:1). wormwood. See 3:15. gall. Or, “bitterness,” cf. vv. 5, 15. Remembering what he asks God to remember causes his soul to bow down.
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” (cf. Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16). mercies. Or “compassion.” This type of mercy goes the second mile, replacing 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 covenantal fidelity 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). says my soul. This is what the speaker remembers in Lam. 3:21. I will hope in him. God daily offers fresh opportunities for reconciliation (cf. v. 18).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:25–39 Responding to God’s Goodness and Sovereignty. The speaker emphasizes God’s goodness (vv. 25–30), justice (vv. 31–36), and lordship (vv. 37–39).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:25 The LORD is good. God’s goodness, or gracious sovereignty, is the core of his character (Neh. 9:25; Ps. 34:8; 86:5; Hos. 3:5). wait for him. Not passive, listless sitting, but faithful serving until God acts (Ps. 37:1–11). seeks him. Desires to know him and to do his will (Ps. 34:10; Amos 5:4, 6, 14).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:26 wait quietly. In a posture of prayer and expectation. salvation. In this instance, deliverance from peril, not salvation from sin.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:27 He must bear the yoke of punishment for sin (v. 18; cf. 1:14). In his youth indicates that the suffering is temporary.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:28 sit alone in silence. See 1:1 and 2:10.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:29 put his mouth in the dust. Assume a posture that expresses humility and dependence on God. There may yet be hope because of God’s covenant fidelity (cf. v. 24).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:30 give his cheek. Those who wait on and seek for God can accept humiliation as coming from God for a purpose.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:31–33 not cast off forever. God’s anger is only temporary (Ps. 103:9), for he sends judgment in order to effect restoration. Though he cause grief, in this instance, because of the people’s covenant infidelity, 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 who were crushed by Babylon), of those who deny a man justice (cf. Ex. 23:2, 6; Deut. 16:19; 24:17; 27:19; Ps. 94:1–7), or of those who subvert a man in his lawsuit, that is, who make the innocent party guilty.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:37 spoken and it came to pass. Just as in creation (cf. Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:9), God sovereignly speaks and commands in history and things happen, including Jerusalem’s destruction (Lam. 1:5, 12–16; 2:1–10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:38 good and bad. As experienced by human beings (cf. Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6). The God who sent judgment can also send renewal.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:39 When people suffer for their sins, they suffer because of what they have done, not because God enjoys punishing them (cf. v. 33).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:40–47 Praying for Renewal. With his hope renewed, the speaker exhorts others to join him in prayer for restoration.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:41 The people should lift up their hearts (where repentance originates; cf. Deut. 4:30–31; 30:1–10; Jer. 4:3–4) and their hands, showing their total dependence on God. God in heaven. A reference to his sovereignty (cf. Lam. 3:37–39).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:42 We have transgressed. See 1:5, 14, 22. rebelled. See 1:18, 20. you have not forgiven. God has not let their actions go unpunished.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:43–44 God has pursued his people (see 1:3, 6; 4:19; 5:5), killing them (see 2:4, 21) without pity (see 2:2, 17, 22). His judgment has been thorough. He has wrapped himself in anger toward Jerusalem but has also wrapped himself in a cloud, having seemingly become unavailable to his own people.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:45 Jerusalem has become garbage in the eyes of other nations (cf. 1:7–8; 2:15–16; 3:14). She endures great shame.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:47 panic. The natural human reaction to divine judgment (cf. Ex. 15:16; Isa. 19:16; 33:14; Jer. 49:5; Mic. 7:17). pitfall. A trap or pit dug for catching animals; thus, a metaphor for judgment (cf. Isa. 24:17; Jer. 48:43). devastation and destruction. See Lam. 2:11; 3:48; 4:10. Such are the effects of the “day of the LORD” (cf. Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:48–66 Maintaining Confidence in God. The speaker continues his efforts to lead the people back to God. He describes his grief over Jerusalem’s predicament (vv. 48–51), declares what the enemy has done (vv. 52–54), confesses God’s past help (vv. 55–58), and confidently asks God to punish Jerusalem’s foes (vv. 59–66).
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 (cf. 2:11). For similar imagery, see 1:6; 2:1, 4, 8, 10, 13, 18; 4:22 (“daughter of Zion”); 1:15; 2:2, 5 (“daughter of Judah”); 2:13, 15 (“daughter of Jerusalem”); and 3:51 (“daughters of my city”).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:49–50 Like Jeremiah (Jer. 14:17), the speaker mourns without ceasing for the people’s situation so that God will answer from heaven.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:51 my eyes cause me grief. What he has witnessed penetrates to the speaker’s inner being. the fate of all the daughters of my city. Jerusalem’s women were taken into captivity, and many were likely raped or abused in other ways (cf. Jer. 52:28–30; Amos 1:13–15).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:52–54 hunted like a bird. See vv. 12–13. The speaker has suffered alongside the people. enemies without cause. Like Jeremiah, he endured some measure of persecution by those he tried to help. This may also refer to Judah suffering at the hands of nations like Edom (cf. 4:21; Obad. 10–14). flung me alive into the pit. To silence and punish him (cf. Jer. 37:11–16; 38:4–28). cast stones on me. As if to bury him alive. water closed over my head. An even worse fate than Jeremiah suffered (cf. Ps. 88:6–7; Jonah 2:3–5). I am lost. There seemed to be no hope (cf. Lam. 3:18).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:55–57 In the depths of the pit (the extremity of his suffering), the speaker called upon the very one who had placed him there. you heard my plea. Cf. Ps. 30:2; 40:2–4; 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!). Cf. Jer. 1:17–19.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:58 taken up my cause. God has become the speaker’s advocate against his attackers (v. 52). redeemed my life. God’s advocacy resulted in deliverance (cf. 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 (cf. Jer. 11:18–12:6; 17:18; 18:23).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:61–63 taunts. See v. 30; Ps. 69:9; 79:4; Jer. 20:10–12. all their plots. See Lam. 3:60. Behold. Or “look closely” (cf. 1:11; 2:20; 5:1).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:65 You will give them dullness of heart. God will give them hard hearts, unwilling to repent and avoid judgment (Isa. 6:8–10). your curse. The judgment that comes as the consequences of their actions (cf. Deut. 28:15–68), not some sort of magical incantation.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 3:66 You will pursue … and destroy them. For “pursue,” see 1:3, 6; 3:43; 4:19; 5:5. in anger. Or “wrath” (cf. 1:12; 2:1, 3, 6; 3:43). God will bring the same type of justice to Jerusalem’s enemies that Jerusalem has experienced (cf. v. 64).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:1–22 How the Gold Has Grown Dim. Chapter 4 returns to themes found 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 (vv. 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 4:1–10 The Suffering of Jerusalem’s Children. Jerusalem’s children have been scattered (vv. 1–2) and starved (vv. 3–6), and their elders have hardly fared better.
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. Cf. 2:19; 4:5, 8, 14. Suffering occurs in every section of the ravaged city.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:2 worth their weight in fine gold. In the eyes of their parents and countrymen. 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 because of the severity of the siege, famine, and devastation (cf. Jer. 15:1–4). like the ostriches in the wilderness. Job 39:13–17 depicts these creatures abandoning their eggs.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:5 Some of these children were raised in luxury, but now they live in abject poverty. delicacies. Foods normally reserved for royalty. perish. Probably due to starvation. purple. Expensive clothing colored by the best dyeing processes. embrace ash heaps. Scavenge among garbage dumps.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:6 Jerusalem’s sin has been greater than that of Sodom, due to her greater knowledge of God’s will; therefore, her punishment has been greater than Sodom’s. Sodom was overthrown in a moment, but Jerusalem has suffered over a long time.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:7 purer than snow. Their skin was untouched by the sun; they were not common laborers. 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 (cf. v. 6). pierced by lack. Rather than by a sword.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:10 The most compassionate women in the land boiled their own children, due to gnawing hunger and as a consequence of covenant infidelity (cf. 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 4:11–16 God’s Punishing of Jerusalem’s Religious Leaders. A more detached speaker addresses Jerusalem’s punishment as part of the day of the Lord (vv. 11–12; cf. Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16) and describes the sins and suffering of Jerusalem’s priests and prophets.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:11 his wrath. See 1:12; 2:1, 3, 6, 21, 22; 3:43, 66. gave full vent. Poured it out until it achieved its purpose (2:11, 22). he kindled a fire in Zion. See 2:3, 4; Amos 1:3–2:5. that consumed its foundations. Babylon served as God’s instrument in carrying out this task (Jer. 52:12–13).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:12 did not believe. Jerusalem had stood despite invasions by Egypt (1 Kings 14:25–28), Israel (2 Kings 14:13–14), Assyria (2 Kings 18:1–19:35), and Babylon (2 Kings 24:10–17), so it must have surprised those who heard that it had fallen.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:13 sins of her prophets. In failing to warn and rebuke the people (cf. Jer. 5:30–31; 23:9–40). iniquities of her priests. In failing to teach the people God’s word and its ramifications for godly living (cf. Hos. 4:1–9; Mal. 2:1–9). shed … the blood of the righteous. Persecuted those who told the truth.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:14 The blood of the righteous covers the prophets and priests’ garments, thereby rendering them morally and ritually unclean.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:15 These blood-soaked, blind, unclean religious leaders find no refuge among the nations. No one wants such undesirable fugitives and wanderers.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:16 God himself … scattered them. See 1:4, 19; 4:13; 5:12. no honor … no favor. The priests and prophets lost the respect usually reserved for their persons and offices because of their sins (4:13).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:17–20 The Power of Jerusalem’s Enemies. Babylon cut off Jerusalem’s allies (v. 17), prevented all attempts to escape (vv. 18–19), and captured David’s heir (v. 20).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:17 Jerusalem watched vainly for help during Babylon’s siege. Most often they watched for help from Egypt (Jer. 37:1–10).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:18 dogged our steps. Babylon tracked Jerusalem’s every move to get free. we could not walk in our streets. No place felt safe, for the walls could be breached at any time. our end had come. The day of the Lord (cf. Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14–16) broke upon them at last.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:19 Once the city was breached, Jerusalem’s citizens fled, yet only into Babylon’s clutches (Jer. 39:1–40:6). Babylon was relentless (Lam. 1:3, 6).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:20 Jerusalem’s king, the LORD’s anointed, was the very breath of their nostrils, so much did they depend on him. They had lived under the shadow of his protection. Yet he was captured. See Jer. 39:1–10.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:21–22 The End of Jerusalem’s Suffering. Nations that rejoice over Jerusalem’s day of punishment will experience God’s wrath in due course (v. 21), but Jerusalem can take comfort that her punishment has concluded (v. 22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:21 Edom took great joy in Jerusalem’s fall and profited from her destruction (Ps. 137:7; Jer. 49:7; Joel 3:19; Obad. 10–14), perhaps because of the ancient Israel/Edom conflict (Gen. 25:19–34; 36:2–8). but to you also the cup shall pass. See Jer. 49:7–22, especially v. 12. drunk … bare. Metaphors for confusion and shame.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 4:22 accomplished. Their punishment has ceased, and 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. (cf. Ezra 1:1–2:70; Jer. 29:10–14; Dan. 9:1–2). but … Edom. See Jer. 49:7–22 and Lam. 4:21.
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 woes the people have faced (vv. 2–18), and an urgent plea for restored relationship (vv. 19–22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:1 Opening Petition. This verse continues the book’s emphasis on God “seeing” the people’s plight (cf. 1:11, 20; 2:20; 3:63). Remember, O LORD. A common theme in the book (cf. 1:7; 2:1; 3:19, 20), “remember” evokes covenantal redemptive events like the exodus (Ex. 2:23–25), when God acted on Israel’s behalf. our disgrace. Due to Jerusalem’s exposed and humiliating posture (Ps. 74:4–8, 18; 89:50–51; Lam. 1:11, 12; 2:20).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:2–18 The Woes Jerusalem Has Faced. These woes include economic impoverishment (vv. 2–10), social humiliation (vv. 11–14), and social and political disintegration (vv. 15–18).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:2 Our inheritance. The Promised Land, which was the tangible evidence of Israel’s relationship with God (Deut. 4:21, 38). Foreigners denotes aggressive, harsh opponents, not just non-Israelites.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:3 orphans, fatherless. They have lost their fathers, presumably through war, exile, and starvation. like widows. They have no resources, whether their husbands are alive or dead.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:4 must pay for the water. Not only do the people lack land (v. 2) and family (v. 3), they also lack the essentials for survival.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:5 pursuers. Probably persons to whom they owe money, or the foreign taskmasters who rule over them. are at our necks. Desiring payment or more work. given no rest. They get no break from their labor. They are at their rulers’ mercy.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:6 In the past, the people reached out to allies like Egypt and Assyria for aid rather than trusting God. Some of them did so after Jerusalem fell (cf. Jer. 44:1). The gesture proved every time to be folly.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:7 Past mistakes (v. 6) have led to terrible present realities. Though people are not condemned for others’ sins (cf. Jer. 31:29–30; Ezek. 18:2), they can certainly suffer for what others have done. It is also possible to sin in a manner similar to one’s ancestors (cf. Dan. 9:16).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:8 Slaves (or “servants”) rule over us. Either nations that once served Judah, or (more likely) servants of Babylon’s kings.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:9 Necessities are expensive near Jerusalem (v. 4), but leaving the area to get food is dangerous. sword. A metaphor for bandits (2 Kings 13:20–21) or famine (Deut. 28:22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:10 skin is hot as an oven. One of the many effects of slowly starving to death (cf. 4:7–8).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:11 Women are not safe even after the city has fallen (cf. 1:4, 18). Lawlessness of the worst sort abounds.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:12 Princes. Or “officials.” hung up by their hands. Most likely for execution (cf. Gen. 40:19; Est. 2:23), perhaps by Babylon’s servants to ward off rebellion. elders. See Lam. 1:19; 2:10; 4:16.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:13 grind at the mill. A task usually performed by animals. stagger under loads. Forced to do arduous manual labor beyond their years, until they collapse.
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:14–15 old men. Civic leaders. have left the city gate. They no longer sit where decisions were made and business was conducted. Music was also offered at the city gates, but now such joyous occasions have ceased (Jer. 16:1–13).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:16 The crown has fallen. Both the Davidic kingship (4:20) and Jerusalem itself were considered crowning glories (cf. Jer. 13:18). we have sinned. Punishment has followed transgression (cf. Lam. 1:5, 8, 14, 18, 22; 2:14; 3:42; 4:6, 13, 22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:17 our heart has become sick. Over the condition of the people and the city (cf. 1:13, 22). our eyes have grown dim. Perhaps with tears (cf. 1:2, 16; 2:18; 3:48).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:18 desolate. Without people, kingship, palace, or temple (1:4, 16; 3:11; 4:5). jackals. Animals known to inhabit ruins (cf. Ezek. 13:4).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:19–22 A Concluding Prayer for Restoration. The book closes with a plea for renewal. The people confess God’s permanence and kingship (v. 19), decry their ongoing suffering (v. 20), ask for renewal (v. 21), and wonder when renewal will come, given God’s justifiable anger (v. 22).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:19 Unlike frail humanity, 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 the one whose throne endures to all generations (Ps. 45:6–7; 93:1–2).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:20 forever. See Ps. 74:1; 89:46. for so many days. A seemingly endless sequence of days (cf. Ps. 23:6; 93:5, where the same expression means “forever”). Forget … forsake indicate feelings of covenantal abandonment (Isa. 49:14–15).
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. as of old. Before covenant infidelity had broken the relationship (Jeremiah 2–6; Lam. 1:7).
LAMENTATIONS—NOTE ON 5:22 unless. Denotes God’s ongoing delay in restoring his elect people and chosen city. utterly rejected us. Because of their sin (vv. 16, 20; Lev. 26:15–39; Jer. 6:19, 30). remain exceedingly angry. A situation that cannot remain permanent, given God’s promises (cf. Lev. 26:44–45; Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 57:14–21; Jeremiah 31–32; Hos. 11:1–9).