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Lamentations
Chapter Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 4
The
prophet begins this chapter with a complaint of the ill usage of the dear
children of God
and precious sons of Zion
Lamentations 4:1;
relates the dreadful effects of the famine during the siege of Jerusalem
Lamentations 4:3;
the taking and destruction of that city he imputes to the wrath of God; and
represents it as incredible to the kings and inhabitants of the earth
Lamentations 4:11;
the causes of which were the sins of the prophets
priests
and people
Lamentations 4:13;
expresses the vain hopes they once had
but now were given up entirely
their
king being taken
Lamentations 4:17;
and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy of the destruction of the
Edomites
and of the return of the Jews from captivity
Lamentations 4:21.
Lamentations 4:1 How
the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the
sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street.
YLT
1How is the gold become dim
Changed the best -- the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At
the head of all out-places.
How is the gold become dim!.... Or
"covered"F2יועם "rubigine
obducetur"
Montanus; "obtectum vel absconditum"
Vatablus. So Ben Melech. ; or hid with rust
dust
or dirt; so that it can
scarcely be discerned:
how is the most fine gold
changed! this may be literally true of the gold of the temple; and so the
Targum calls it
"the
gold of the house of the sanctuary;'
with
which that was overlaid
and many things in it
1 Kings 6:21; and
was sadly sullied and tarnished with the burning of the temple
and the rubbish
of it: its brightness was lost
and its colour changed; but though there may be
an allusion to that
it is to be figuratively understood of the people of God;
for what is here expressed in parabolical phrases
as Aben Ezra observes
is in
Lamentations 4:2
explained in proper and literal ones: godly and gracious men
there called the
precious sons of Zion
are comparable to gold
even the most fine gold; partly
because of their habit and dress; gold of Ophir; clothing of wrought gold; the
rich robe of Christ's righteousness; which
for its brightness and splendour
is like the finest gold; and is as lasting and durable as that; and in which
the saints look like a mass of pure gold
Psalm 45:9; and
partly because of the graces of the Spirit in them
which are like gold for
their purity
especially when tried; for their value
and the enriching nature
of them
and their duration; particularly the graces of faith
hope
love
humility
which are like rows of jewels
and chains of gold
and as ornamental
as they; see Song of Solomon 1:10;
as also because of the doctrines of grace received by them
which are more to
be desired than gold
than fine gold; and are better than thousands of gold and
silver
by reason of their intrinsic worth and value; for their purity and
brightness
being tried and purified
and because of their duration
Psalm 19:10; as
well as on account of the riches of grace and glory they are possessed of
and
entitled to: now this
in either of the senses of it
cannot be lost as to
substance
only become dim; may lose its brightness and glory
and like gold
change its colour
but not its nature; and; this may be the case of good men
comparable to it; when there is a decline in them
with respect to the exercise
of grace; faith in Christ and his righteousness is low
hope not lively
and
love waxen cold; when there is a veil drawn over the Gospel
a great opposition
to it
and a departure from it; or the doctrines of it are not so clearly and
consistently preached; and when there is a failure in a holy walk
and
conversation becoming it; all which is matter of lamentation:
the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every
street; in the literal sense it may regard the costly stones of the
temple
which
when that was destroyed
not only lay in heaps; but many of
them
at least
were separated and scattered about
and carried into every
corner of the city
and the streets of it
and there lay exposed
neglected
and trampled upon; see 1 Kings 5:17; but
in the figurative sense
it designs the people of God; who
though they are
taken out of the common quarry and pit of mankind
and are by nature as common
stones; yet by the Spirit and grace of God are made living and lively ones
and
are hewn and fitted for the spiritual building the church; where they are laid
and are as the stones of a crown
as jewels and precious stones; but when there
are animosities
contentions
and divisions among them
so that they disunite
and are scattered from one another
their case is like these stones of the
sanctuary; and which is to be lamented. It is by some Jewish writersF3Vid.
R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed
fol. 50. 1. interpreted of great personages
as
princes
and great men of the earth.
Lamentations 4:2 2 The precious sons of Zion
Valuable as fine gold
How they are regarded as clay pots
The work of the
hands of the potter!
YLT
2The precious sons of Zion
Who are comparable with fine gold
How have they been reckoned earthen bottles
Work of the hands of a potter.
The precious sons of Zion
comparable to fine gold
.... This
explains what is meant in Lamentations 4:1;
by gold
fine gold
and stones of the sanctuary; not Josiah and his sons
as
some Jewish interpreters; but all the sons of Zion
or children of God; not the
inhabitants of Zion literally
but spiritually; see Zechariah 9:13.
Zion is the church; her sons are her spiritual seed and offspring that are born
of her
she being the mother of them all
and born in her
by means of the
word; and brought up by her
through the ordinances
and so are regenerate
persons; and these the sons of God: and who are "precious"
not in
themselves
being of the fallen race of Adam; of the earth
earthly
as he was;
of the same mass and lump with the rest of mankind; in no wise better than
others
by nature; and have no intrinsic worth and value in them
but what
comes by and from the grace of God; nor are they precious in their own esteem
and much less in the esteem of the men of the world; but in the eye of God
and
of his son Jesus Christ
and of the blessed Spirit
and in the opinion of other
saints; see Psalm 16:3; in what
sense these are comparable to fine gold; see Gill on Lamentations 4:1;
how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers
the work of the hands
of the potter! they are indeed earthen vessels with respect to their bodies
frail
weak
and mortal; but they are the work of God's hands
even as
creatures
and particularly as new creatures
and are a curious piece of his
workmanship
and so valuable
and especially by him
who is as tender and as
careful of them as the apple of his eye; and yet these are greatly disesteemed
by carnal men
are reckoned as the faith of the world
and the offscouring of
all things; as earthen vessels
fit for no use but common or dishonourable
ones
or to be broke in pieces
and rendered useless and contemptible: see Psalm 31:12.
Lamentations 4:3 3 Even the jackals present
their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is
cruel
Like ostriches in the wilderness.
YLT
3Even dragons have drawn out
the breast
They have suckled their young ones
The daughter of my people is
become cruel
Like the ostriches in a wilderness.
Even the sea monsters draw out the breast
.... Which
some interpret of dragons; others of seals
or sea calves; but it is best to
understand it of whales
as the word is rendered in Genesis 1:21; and
elsewhere: and BochartF4Hierozoic. l. 1. c. 7. p. 46. has proved
out of various writers
that these have breasts and milk; but that their
breasts
or however their paps
are not manifest
but are hid as in cases
and
must be drawn out: and so Jarchi observes that they draw their breasts out of a
case
for their breasts have a covering
which they uncover: so Ben Melech.
AristotleF5Hist. Animal. l. 3. c. 20. says
that whales
as the
dolphin
sea calf
and balaena
have breasts or paps
and milk
which he makes
to be certain species of the whale; and each of these
he elsewhere says
have
milk
and suckle their young: the dolphin and sturgeon
he observesF6Ib.
l. 6. c. 12. have milk
and are sucked; and so the sea calf
he saysF7lbid.
lets out milk as a sheep
and has two breasts
and is sucked by its young
as
four footed beasts are. Agreeably to which AelianusF8Hist. de
Animal. 1. 10. c. 8. relates
that the female dolphins have paps like women
and suckle their young
with great plenty of milk; and the balaena
he saysF9Ib.
l. 5. c. 4.
is a creature like a dolphin
and has milk. And Pliny
speaking
of the dolphins
observesF11Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 8.
that they bring
forth their "whelps"
and so the young of this creature are called
here in the next clause in the Hebrew textF12גוריהן
"catulos suos"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius.
and nourish them with their breasts
as the balaena; and
of the sea calves the same writer saysF13Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 13.
they feed their young with their paps; but the paps of these creatures are not
manifest
as those of four footed beasts
as Aristotle observes; but are like
two channels or pipes
out of which the milk flows
and the young are suckled;
they give suck to their young ones; as they do
when they
are hungry; which is mentioned
as an aggravation of the case of the Jewish
women
with respect to their behaviour towards their children
by reason of the
famine
during the siege of Jerusalem; which here
and in the following verses
is described in the sad effects of it; and which had a further accomplishment
at the destruction of the same city by the Romans: now
though the monsters
suckled their young when hungry
yet these women did not suckle theirs;
the daughter of my people is become cruel; or
is
"unto a cruel one"F14לאכזר
"in crudelem"
Montanus; "sub. mutata fuit"
Piscator;
"similis est crudeli"
Munster. : that is
is changed unto a cruel
one
or is like unto one
and behaves as such
though of force and necessity:
the meaning is
that the Jewish women
though before tenderhearted mothers
yet
by reason of the famine
having no milk in their breasts
could give none
to their children
and so acted as if they were cruel to them; nay
in fact
instead of feeding them
they fed upon them
Lamentations 4:10;
like the ostriches in the wilderness; which lay
their eggs
and leave them in places easily to be crushed and broken; and when
they have any young ones
they are hardened against them
as if they were none
of theirs
Job 39:13; and this
seemed now to be the case of these women; or
"like the owls"
as the
word is sometimes rendered; and which also leave their eggs
and for want of
food will eat their young
as those women did. So Ben Melech says
it is a bird
which dwells in the wilderness
and causes a voice of hooping to be heard.
Lamentations 4:4 4 The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread
But
no one breaks it for them.
YLT
4Cleaved hath the tongue of
a suckling unto his palate with thirst
Infants asked bread
a dealer out they
have none.
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth
for thirst
.... Through want of the milk of the breast
which is both food
and drink unto it:
the young children ask bread; of their parents as
usual
not knowing how the case was
that there was a famine in the city; these
are such as were more grown
were weaned from the milk
and drawn from the
breasts
and lived on other food
and were capable of asking for it:
and no man breaketh it
unto them: distributes unto them
or gives them a piece of bread; not
father
friend
or any other person; it not being in their power to do it
they
having none for themselves.
Lamentations 4:5 5 Those who ate delicacies Are
desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash
heaps.
YLT
5Those eating of dainties
have been desolate in out-places
Those supported on scarlet have embraced
dunghills.
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets
.... That were
brought up in the king's palace
or in the houses of noblemen; or
however
born of parents rich and wealthy
and had been used to good living
and had
fared sumptuously and deliciously every day
were now wandering about in the
streets in the most forlorn and distressed condition
seeking for food of any
sort
but could find none to satisfy their hunger; and so
as the Vulgate Latin
version renders it
perished in the ways or streets:
they that were brought up in scarlet: in dyed
garments
as Jarchi; clothed with scarlet coloured ones
as was the manner of
the richer and better sort of people
Proverbs 31:21; or
"brought up upon scarlet"F15עלי תולע "super coccinum"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"super coccino"
Piscator
Michaelis. ; upon scarlet carpets
on
which they used to sit and eat their food
as is the custom of the eastern
people to this day: these
embrace dunghills
are glad of them
and with the greatest
eagerness rake into them
in order to find something to feed upon
though ever
so base and vile; or to sit and lie down upon. Aben Ezra interprets it of their
being cast here when dead
and there was none to bury them.
Lamentations 4:6 6 The punishment of the
iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin
of Sodom
Which was overthrown in a moment
With no hand to help her!
YLT
6And greater is the iniquity
of the daughter of my people
Than the sin of Sodom
That was overturned as
[in] a moment
And no hands were stayed on her.
For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
.... In the
long siege of their city
and the evils that attended it
especially the sore
famine:
is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom; which was
destroyed at once by fire from heaven: or it may be rendered
"the
iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom"F16מחטאת ----Nwe ldgyw "et ingens fuit iniquitas--prae
peccato"
Montanus; "et major extitit pravitas--prae peccato"
Cocceius. So V. L. ; though the men of Sodom were great sinners
the Jews were
greater
their sins being more aggravated; to this agrees the Targum
which
renders the word "sin"
and paraphrases the words following thus
"and
there dwelt not in her prophets to prophesy unto her
and turn her by
repentance;'
as
the Jews had
and therefore their sin was the greater; both senses are true
and the one is the foundation of the other; but the first seems best to agree
with what follows:
that was overthrown as in a moment; by a shower of fire from
heaven
which consumed it at once; whereas the destruction of Jerusalem was a
lingering one
through a long and tedious siege; the inhabitants were gradually
wasted and consumed by famine
pestilence
and sword
and so their punishment
greater than Sodom's:
and no hand stayed on her; that is
on Sodom; the
hand of God was immediately upon her
and dispatched her at once
but not the
hands of men; as the hands of the Chaldeans were upon the Jews
afflicting and
distressing them a long time
which made their ease the worse.
Lamentations 4:7 7 Her Nazirites[a] were
brighter than snow And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies
Like sapphire
in their appearance.
YLT
7Purer were her Nazarites
than snow
Whiter than milk
ruddier of body than rubies
Of sapphire their
form.
Her Nazarites were purer than snow
.... Such who separated
themselves by a vow to the Lord
and abstained from drinking wine and strong
drink
and by a moderate diet
and often washing themselves
as well as taking
great care of their hair
appeared very neat and comely
like snow
without any
spot or blemish. Some think such as were separated from others in dignity
very
honourable persons
the sons of nobles
are meant
since the word has the signification
of a "crown"
and interpret it
her princes; Jarchi makes mention of
this sense
and rejects it; but it is received by many: and the meaning is
that her young noblemen
who were well fed
and neatly dressed
looked as pure
and as beautiful as the driven snow:
they were whiter than milk; this intends the same
thing
expressed by another metaphor:
they were more ruddy in body than rubies; or rather
"than precious stones"; and particularly "than pearls"
which BochartF17Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 5. c. 6. p. 688. proves at
large are designed by the word used
which are white
and not red; and the word
should be rendered
"clearer" or "whiter than pearls"
as
it is by Lyra and othersF18אדמו עצם מפנינים "lucidiores
corpore margaritis"
Bochart; "candidi fuerunt in corpore prae
margaritis"
Noldius. ; and the word in the Arabic language signifies
white and clearF19"camelis tributum
candidus perquam
albus"
Giggeius; "candidi coloris"
Dorcas
Giggeius apud
Golium
col. 49
51.
as pearls are; and so the phrase is expressive of the
beauty and comeliness of these persons: and LudolphusF20Comment. in
Ethiop. Hist. l. 1. No. 107. says
that in the Ethiopic language it signifies
"beautiful"; and he translates the whole
"they were more
beautiful than pearls"; denoting the clearness of their skins
and the
goodness of their complexion:
their polishing was of sapphire; or
"their cutting
sapphire"F21ספיר
גזר־תאם "sapphirus excisio eorum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Calvin; "quasi sectio eorum esset ex
sapphiro"
Munster. ; they were as beautiful as if they had been cut out
of sapphire
and polished; which is a very precious stone
and looks very beautiful;
so smooth were their skins. The Targum is
"their
face or countenance is as sapphire.'
BrauniusF23De
Vestitu Sacerdot. Hebr. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 7. p. 676. thinks the word used
signifies the veins full of blood
which variously intersect the flesh like
sapphirine rivers; and that the sense of the words is
"their
bodies were white like snow and milk
yea
shining like pearls (or red in the
cheeks
lips
&c. like coralF24So Bootius
Animadv. l. 4. c. 3.
sect. 8. p. 144. Lutherus & Osiander in ib. ); veins full of blood running
between like sapphire
of a most agreeable sky colour; which is
a true
description of a most fair and beautiful body.'
See
Song of Solomon 5:14.
All this is to be understood of them before the famine
but
when that came
upon them
then they were as follow:
Lamentations 4:8 8 Now
their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their
skin clings to their bones
It has become as dry as wood.
YLT
8Darker than blackness hath
been their visage
They have not been known in out-places
Cleaved hath their
skin unto their bone
It hath withered -- it hath been as wood.
Their visage is blacker than a coal
.... Or
"darker
than blackness"; or
"dark through blackness"F25חשך משחור "obscurior ipsa
nigredine"
Tigurine version; "magis quam nigredo vel carbo"
Vatablus; "prae caligines"
Calvin; "ex nigredine"
Piscator. ; by reason of the famine
and because of grief and trouble for
themselves and their friends
which changed their complexions
countenances
and skins; they that looked before as pure as snow
as white as milk
as clear
as pearls
as polished as sapphire
now as black as charcoal
as blackness
itself:
they are not known in the streets; not taken notice of in a
distinguished manner; no respect shown them as they walk the streets
as used
to be; nay
their countenances were so altered
and their apparel so sordid
as
not to be known by their friends
when they met them in public:
their skin cleaveth to their bones; have nothing but skin
and bone
who used to be plump and fat:
it is withered
it is become like a stick; the skin
wrinkled and shrivelled up
the flesh being gone; and the bone became like a
stick
or a dry piece of wood
its moisture and marrow being dried up.
Lamentations 4:9 9 Those
slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For
these pine away
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
YLT
9Better have been the
pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine
For these flow away
pierced
through
Without the increase of the field.
They that be slain with the
sword are better than they that be slain with hunger
.... Not that
they are better with respect to their state after death
but with respect to
their manner of dying. They that were slain by the sword of the Chaldeans
as
many were
either upon the walls
or in sallies out against the enemy
these
felt less pain
and had less terror of mind in dying
than those did who
perished by famine; they died a lingering death
as it were by inches
and were
in continual pain of body and uneasiness of mind:
for these pine away
stricken through for want of the
fruits of the field: that is
those that died by famine gradually wasted or
"flowed" away
their fluid parts by degrees went off; and though they
were not run through with the sword
they were stabbed by famine
and were so
distressed in body and mind as if a sword had pierced them; not having the
fruits of the field
the corn and the wine
to support nature
and keep them alive.
Jarchi's note is
"they
that were slain with hunger were inflated at the smell of the fruits of the
field
when the enemies were roasting their flesh upon the grass without the
wall; the smell entered into those that swelled by famine
and their bellies
burst
and their excrements flowed out; and this is the death worse than that
of being slain with the sword.'
And
to this agrees the Targum
"more
happy are they that are slain with the sword than they that are slain with
famine; for they that are slain with the sword flowed when their bellies were
burst
by that which they ate of the fruits of the field; and those that were
inflated with famine
their bellies burst through "want" of food.'
Most
interpreters refer this clause to those that died of famine: but GussetiusF26Comment.
Ebr. p. 225. interprets it of those that were killed with the sword; and
renders and paraphrases the words thus
"for they being stabbed
sent
out"; by the open wounds
"a flux
which arose from the fruits
of the field"; their food and nourishment being yet in their belly and
veins
and so did not pine away through penury and famine; and their misery was
short and light
in comparison of others: and so Abendana.
Lamentations 4:10 10 The hands of the
compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In
the destruction of the daughter of my people.
YLT
10The hands of merciful women
have boiled their own children
They have been for food to them
In the
destruction of the daughter of my people.
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children
.... Such as
were naturally
and agreeably to their sex
pitiful and compassionate; merciful
to the poor
as the Targum; and especially tenderhearted to their own
offspring; yet
by reason of the soreness of the famine
became so cruel and
hardhearted
as to take their own children
and slay them with their own hands
cut them to pieces
put them into a pot of water
and make a fire and boil
them
and then eat them
as follows:
they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my
people: at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. This strange and
unnatural action was foretold by Moses
Deuteronomy 28:56;
and though we have no particular instance of it on record
as done at the siege
of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans
yet no doubt there was
as may be concluded from
the words: and at the siege of it by the Romans
when many things here spoken
of had a fuller accomplishment
we have a remarkable instance of it
which
JosephusF1De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 3. sect. 4. relates; an illustrious
woman
named Mary
pressed with the famine
slew her own son
a sucking child
boiled him
and ate part of him
and laid up the rest; which was found by the
seditious party that broke into her house
which struck them with the utmost
horror; See Gill on Lamentations 2:20.
Lamentations 4:11 11 The Lord has fulfilled
His fury
He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion
And it
has devoured its foundations.
YLT
11Completed hath Jehovah His
fury
He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger
And he kindleth a fire in
Zion
And it devoureth her foundations.
The Lord hath accomplished his fury
.... Which rose up in his
mind
and which he purposed in himself to bring upon the sinful people of the
Jews:
he hath poured out his fierce anger; the vials of his wrath
in great abundance
even all he meant to pour out upon them:
and hath kindled a fire in Zion
and it hath devoured the
foundations thereof: not in the strong hold of Zion only
but in the whole city of
Jerusalem
which was set on fire by the Chaldeans
as instruments
according to
the will of God; and which not only consumed the houses of it
but even the
foundations of them; so that it looked as if there was no hope of its ever
being rebuilt. Aben Ezra interprets this fire of the famine.
Lamentations 4:12 12 The kings of the earth
And
all inhabitants of the world
Would not have believed That the adversary and
the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem—
YLT
12Believe not did the kings
of earth
And any of the inhabitants of the world
That come would an adversary
and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.
The kings of the earth
and all the inhabitants of the world
.... Not only
the neighbouring nations
and the kings of them
but even such in all parts of
the world that knew anything of Jerusalem:
would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would
have entered into the gates of Jerusalem; when it was besieging
they did not believe it would be taken; and when they heard it was
it was
incredible to them; it being so strongly fortified by art and nature
with
mountains and hills
with walls and bulwarks
and had such a vast number of
people in it; and
especially
was the city of the great God
who had so often
and so signally preserved and saved it: the "adversary" and "enemy"
are the same
and design the Chaldeans. The Targum distinguishes them
and
makes Nebuchadnezzar the ungodly to be the adversary; and Nebuzaradan the
enemy
who entered to slay the people of the house of Israel
in the gates of
Jerusalem; this was a marvellous thing to the nations round about. Titus
when
he took this city
acknowledged it was owing to GodF2Joseph. De
Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1. ;
"God
(says he) favouring us
we fought; God is he that has drawn the Jews out of
these fortresses; for human hands and machines could have done nothing against
these towers.'
Lamentations 4:13 13 Because of the sins of her
prophets And the iniquities of her priests
Who shed in her midst The
blood of the just.
YLT
13Because of the sins of her
prophets
The iniquities of her priests
Who are shedding in her midst the
blood of the righteous
For the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her
priests
.... Aben Ezra interprets this of the prophets of Baal
and the
priests of the high places; but though false prophets and wicked priests are
meant
yet such as were among the Jews
made choice of and approved of by them:
see 2 Chronicles 36:14;
not that the people were faultless
but these were the principals
who by their
examples led on and encouraged the common people in sin:
that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her; not the blood
of innocent children
sacrificed to them by Moloch; but of good men in general
whom they persecuted and slew; and of the true prophets of the Lord in
particular
whose blood they shed; and was the sin that brought on the
destruction of their city by the Romans
as well as of that by the Chaldeans;
see Matthew 23:35.
Lamentations 4:14 14 They wandered blind in the
streets; They have defiled themselves with blood
So that no one would touch
their garments.
YLT
14They have wandered naked in
out-places
They have been polluted with blood
Without [any] being able to
touch their clothing
They have wandered as blind men in the streets
.... That is
the false prophets and wicked priests; and may be understood either literally
that when the city was taken
and they fled
they were like blind men
and knew
not which way to go to make their escape
but wandered from place to place
and
could find no way out; or spiritually
though they pretended to great light and
knowledge
yet were as blind men
surrounded with the darkness of ignorance and
error
and were blind leaders of the blind:
they have polluted themselves with blood
so that men could not
touch their garments; or
"could not but touch it with their garments"F3בלא יוכלו יגעו
בלבושיהם "quem non possunt
quin tangent
vestimentis suis"
"Junius & Tremellius. ; or
"might
not"F4"Tangebant eum (nempe sanguinem) vestibus eorum quem
non potuerunt"
i.e. "jure"
Gataker. ; it was not lawful for
them to do it: the sense is either
that
which way soever these men took to
make their escape
they found so many dead carcasses in the streets
and such a
profusion of blood by them
that they could not but touch it with their
garments; or being besmeared with it
were so defiled
that others might not
touch them
even their garments; or these men had defiled themselves with the
shedding of the blood of righteous persons; so that they were odious to men
and they shunned them as they would do anything that by the law rendered them
in a ceremonious sense unclean
and therefore said as follows:
Lamentations 4:15 15 They cried out to them
“Go
away
unclean! Go away
go away
Do not touch us!” When they fled and wandered
Those among the nations said
“They shall no longer dwell here.”
YLT
15`Turn aside -- unclean
'
they called to them
`Turn aside
turn aside
touch not
' For they fled -- yea
they have wandered
They have said among nations: `They do not add to sojourn.'
They cried unto them
depart ye
it is unclean
.... Or
O ye
"unclean"F5טמא
"immunde"
Montanus; "immundi"
Strigelius. "gens
polluta"
Vatablus; "discedite polluti"
Gataker. ; that is
the
people said so to the priests
being polluted with blood; they abhorred them
did not care they should come nigh them
but bid them keep at distance; they
that cleansed others of leprosy were treated as leprous persons themselves
and
proclaimed unclean
and shunned as such: and
to show their vehement abhorrence
of them
repeated the words
depart
depart
touch not: that is
touch us not;
they who had used to say; to others
stand by yourselves
we are more holy than
you
being the Lord's priests and prophets
are treated after the same manner
themselves:
when they fled away
and wandered; fled from the city
and
wandered among the nations; or when they were swiftly carried away captives
and became vagabonds in other countries:
they said among the Heathens
they shall no more sojourn there; being among
the Heathens
they took notice of them as very wicked men
and said concerning
them
now they are carried out of their own land
they shall never return there
any more
and dwell in Jerusalem
and officiate in the temple
as they had
formerly done.
Lamentations 4:16 16 The face[b] of the Lord scattered
them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor
show favor to the elders.
YLT
16The face of Jehovah hath
divided them
He doth not add to behold them
The face of priests they have not
lifted up
Elders they have not favoured.
The anger of the Lord hath divided them
.... Or
"the face of the Lord"F6פני יהוה "facies Domini"
V. L. Montanus
Piscator. ;
the anger that appeared in his face
in the dispensation of his providence
removed them out of their own land
and dispersed them among several countries
and nations of the world
and as they now are: these are not the words of the
Heathens continued
but of the prophet:
he will no more regard them; or
"he will not
add to look on them"F7יוסיף להביטם "non addet aspicere eos"
Montanus.
with
a look of love
but continue his anger and resentment:
they respect not the persons of the priests
they favour not the
elders; which is to be considered either as the sin of the false
prophets and priests before described
which was the cause of their punishment;
that they east great contempt on the true prophets of the Lord
as Jeremiah and
others
and showed no regard to the elders of the people
or those godly
magistrates; who would have corrected and restrained them: or else this is said
of the nations among whom they were dispersed
as the Targum; who would pay no
respect to their characters as priests
or show any pity to them on account of
their age.
Lamentations 4:17 17 Still our eyes failed us
Watching
vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could
not save us.
YLT
17While we exist -- consumed
are our eyes for our vain help
In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation
[that] saveth not.
As for us
our eyes as yet failed for our vain help
.... Or
"while we were yet"F8עודינה
"quum adhuc essemus"
Munster: Piscator. ; a nation
a people
a body
politic
in our own land
before the city of Jerusalem was taken
we were
looking for help
as was promised us; but it proved a vain help
none was given
us; for which we kept looking to the last
till our eyes failed
and we could
look no longer; no help appeared
nor was there any prospect or probability of
it
and therefore gave all up:
in our watching we watched for a nation that could not save
us; not the Romans
as the Targum
but the Egyptians; these promised
them help and relief
and therefore in their watching they watched
or
vehemently watched
and wistfully looked out for it
but all in vain; for
though these made an attempt to help them
they durst not proceed; were obliged
to retire
not being a match for the Chaldean army
and so could not save them
or break up the siege
and relieve them.
Lamentations 4:18 18 They tracked our steps So
that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over
For
our end had come.
YLT
18They have hunted our steps
from going in our broad-places
Near hath been our end
fulfilled our days
For
come hath our end.
They hunt our steps
that we cannot go in our streets
.... The
Chaldeans
from their forts and batteries
as they could see
they watched the
people as they came out of their houses
and walked about the streets
and shot
their arrows at them; so that they were obliged to keep within doors
and not
stir out
which they could not do without great danger:
our end is near
for our days are fulfilled; for our end is come; either the
end of their lives
the days
months
and years appointed for them being
fulfilled; or the end of their commonwealth
the end of their civil and church
state
at least as they thought; the time appointed for their destruction was
not only near at hand
but was actually come; it was all over with them.
Lamentations 4:19 19 Our pursuers were swifter Than
the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for
us in the wilderness.
YLT
19Swifter have been our
pursuers
Than the eagles of the heavens
On the mountains they have burned
[after] us
In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heavens
.... That fly
in the heavens; and which
as they have a quick sight to discern their prey
afar off
are very swift to pursue it; they are the swiftest of birds
and are
so to a proverb. ApuleiusF9Florida
l. 2. represents the swift
pursuit of their prey
and sudden falling upon it
to be like thunder and
lightning. CiceroF11De Divinatione
l. 2. p. 2001. relates of a
certain racer
that came to an interpreter of dreams
and told him
that in his
dream he seemed to become an eagle; upon which
says the interpreter
thou wilt
be the conqueror; for no bird flies with such force and swiftness as that. And
this bird is also remarkable for its constancy in flying: it is never weary
but keeps on flying to places the most remote. The poets have a fiction
that
Jupiter
being desirous of knowing which was the middle of the world
sent out
two eagles of equal swiftness
the one from the east
and the other from the
west
at the same moment; which stopped not till they came to Delphos
where
they met
which showed that to be the spot; in memory of which
two golden
eagles were placed in the temple thereF12Vid. Strabo Geograph. l. 9.
p. 289. & Pindar. Pythia
Ode 4. l. 7
8. & Schmidt in ib. p. 174
175.
. The swiftness and constancy of these creatures in flying are here intended to
set forth the speed and assiduity of the enemies of the Jews
in their pursuit
after them; who followed them closely
and never ceased till they had overtaken
them. The Chaldeans are designed
who pursued the Jews very hotly and eagerly
such as fled when the city was broken up; though not so much they themselves
as being thus swift of foot
as their horses on which they rode; see Jeremiah 4:13.
they pursued us upon the mountains
they laid wait for us in the
wilderness: or "plain"F13במדבר
"in plano"
Gataker. ; there was no safety in either; such as fled to
the mountains were pursued and overtaken there; and such who attempted to make
their escape through the valleys were intercepted there: the reference is to
the flight of Zedekiah
his nobles
and his army with him
who were pursued by
the Chaldeans
and taken in the plains of Jericho
Jeremiah 52:7;
hence it follows:
Lamentations 4:20 20 The breath of our
nostrils
the anointed of the Lord
Was caught in their
pits
Of whom we said
“Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”
YLT
20The breath of our nostrils
-- the anointed of Jehovah
Hath been captured in their pits
of whom we said:
`In his shadow we do live among nations.'
The breath of our nostrils
the anointed of the Lord
was taken in
their pits
.... Or "the Messiah"
or "the Christ of the
Lord"F14משיח יהוה
χριστος κυριος
Sept. "Christus
Dominus"
V. L. "Christus Domini"
Pagninus. ; not Josiah
as
the Targum; and so Jarchi and others; for though he was the Lord's anointed
and the life of the people
being the head of them
as every king is
especially a good one; yet he was slain
and not taken
and much less in their pits
and that not by the Chaldeans
but by the Egyptians; nor did the kingdom cease
with him
or the end of the Jewish state then come
which continued some years
after: but rather Zedekiah
as Aben Ezra and others
the last of the kings of
Judah
with whom all agrees; he was the Lord's anointed as king
and the
preserver of the lives and liberties of the people
at least as they hoped; but
when the city was taken by the Chaldeans
and he fled for his life
they
pursued him
and took him; he fell into their hands
their pits
snares
and
nets
as was foretold he should; and which are sometimes called the net and
snare of the Lord; see Ezekiel 12:13; See
Gill on Lamentations 4:19.
Many of the ancient Christian writers apply this to Christ; and particularly
Theodoret takes it to be a direct prophecy of him and his sufferings. Vatablus
who interprets it of Josiah
makes him to be a type of Christ; as Calvin does
Zedekiah
of whom he expounds the words; and the Targum
in the king of Spain's
Bible
is
"the
King Messiah
who was beloved by us
as the breath of the spirit of life
which
is in our nostrils.'
What
is here said may be applied to Christ; he is the life of men
he gives them
life and breath
and in him they live and move; their spiritual life is from
him
and is maintained and preserved by him; he lives in his people
and they
in him
and they cannot live without him
no more than a man without his
breath: he is the Christ of God
anointed with the Holy Ghost to the offices of
Prophet
Priest
and King; and from whom Christians have their holy unction and
their name: he was taken
not by the Chaldeans
but by the wicked Jews; who
looked upon him as a very mischievous person
as if he had been an evil beast
a beast of prey
though the pure spotless Lamb of God; and they dug pits
laid
snares
and formed schemes to take him
and at last did
and with wicked hands
crucified him
and slew him; though not without his own and his Father's will
and knowledge
Acts 2:23;
of whom we said
under his shadow we shall live among the Heathen; in the midst
of the nations round about them
unmolested by them
none daring to meddle with
them; at least safe from being carried captive
as now they were. Though
Jeconiah was taken and carried into Babylon
yet Zedekiah being placed upon the
throne
the Jews hoped to live peaceable and quiet lives under his government
undisturbed by their neighbours; the wise and good government of a prince
and
protection under it
being sometimes compared in Scripture to the shadow of a
rock or tree
Isaiah 32:2; but
now it was all over with them; their hope was gone
he being taken. Something
like this may be observed in the disciples of Christ; they hoped he would have
restored the kingdom to Israel
and they should have lived gloriously under his
government; they trusted that it was he that should have redeemed Israel; but
when he was taken and crucified
their hope was in a manner gone
Luke 24:21. True
believers in Christ do live peaceably
comfortably
and safely under him; they
are among the Heathen
among the men of the world
liable to their reproaches
insults
and injuries; Christ is a tree
to which he is often compared
one and
another
that casts a delightful
reviving
refreshing
and fructifying shadow
under which they sit with great delight
pleasure
and profit
Song of Solomon 2:3;
he is a rock
the shadow of which affords rest to weary souls
and shelters
from the heat of divine wrath
the fiery law of God
and darts of Satan
and
persecutions of men
Isaiah 32:2; and
under his government
protection
and power
they dwell safely
that sin cannot
destroy them
nor Satan devour them
nor the world hurt them; here they live
spiritually
and shall never die eternally
Jeremiah 23:5.
Lamentations 4:21 21 Rejoice and be glad
O
daughter of Edom
You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also
pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.
YLT
21Joy and rejoice
O daughter
of Edom
Dwelling in the land of Uz
Even unto thee pass over doth a cup
Thou
art drunk
and makest thyself naked.
Rejoice and be glad
O daughter of Edom
.... The land
of Idumea
and the inhabitants of it
who did indeed rejoice at the destruction
of Jerusalem
Obadiah 1:12; and
here
in an ironic manner
are bid to go on with their mirth
if they could
like the young man in Ecclesiastes 11:9
as Aben Ezra observes; for it would not last long
their note would soon be
changed:
that dwellest in the land of Uz; not the country of Job
which had its name from Uz the son of Nahor
Job 1:1; but a
country in Idumea
from whence the whole was so called
and that from Uz the
son of Dishan
one of the sons of Seir: or else the sense is
that Edom or
Idumea
and the inhabitants of it
dwelt upon the borders of Uz; and so agrees
very well with the place of Job's residence
which was near the land of Edom.
The Targum
according to R. EliasF15In Tishbi
p. 227.
is
"rejoice
O wicked Rome;'
but
in the king of Spain's Bible
it is
"rejoice
and be glad
O Constantine (that is
Constantinople)
the city of wicked Edom
which art built in the land of Armenia;'
and
Jarchi says that Jeremiah prophesies concerning the destruction of the second
temple
which the Romans destroyed; but in other copies
and according to Lyra
his words are
Jeremiah here prophesies concerning the destruction of the Roman
empire
because that destroyed the temple; and it is usual with him
and other
Rabbins
to interpret Edom of Rome;
the cup also shall pass through unto thee; the cup of
God's wrath and vengeance; which
as it had come to the Jews
and was passing
from one nation to another
in its turn would come to these Edomites; see Jeremiah 25:15;
thou shall be drunken
and shall make thyself naked; be overcome
by it; as persons with wine
or any strong drink
reel to and fro
and fall;
and be utterly destroyed
lie helpless and without strength: "and be made
naked"F16ותתערי "nudaberis"
V. L.
as it may be rendered; stripped of their riches and wealth; or they
should strip themselves of their clothes
and behave indecently
and expose those
parts which ought to be covered
as drunken persons the sense is
they should
be exposed
or expose themselves
to shame and contempt. The Septuagint version
is
"and thou shalt be drunken
and pour out"F17 και αποχεεις
Sept. "et
eris vomens"
Pagninus
Vatablus. ; that is
vomit
as drunken men do; and
so Jarchi and Abendana interpret the word of vomiting; and the Targum is
"and
thou shalt be emptied.'
Lamentations 4:22 22 The punishment of
your iniquity is accomplished
O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you
into captivity. He will punish your iniquity
O daughter of Edom; He will
uncover your sins!
YLT
22Completed [is] thy
iniquity
daughter of Zion
He doth not add to remove thee
He hath inspected
thy iniquity
O daughter of Edom
He hath removed [thee] because of thy sins!
The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished
O daughter of
Zion
.... In part in the seventy years' captivity in Babylon
and more
fully in their present captivity; for
as has been observed
there are some
things in the preceding account
which had a further accomplishment in the
destruction of Jerusalem
and the distress of the Jews by the Romans. The
Targum is
"and
after thine iniquity is fulfilled
O congregation of Zion
and thou shalt be
delivered by the hands of the Messiah
and of Elias the high priest;'
he will no more carry thee away into captivity; he
the
enemy; or the Lord
as the Targum: that is
thou shall no more be carried
captive: this seems to confirm the above observation
that this chapter is a
prophecy of what would be
as well as a narrative of what had been; and
includes the destruction both of the first and second temple
and of the Jews
both by the Chaldeans and Romans; for it is certain
that
after their
deliverance from the captivity of Babylon
they have been carried captive
and
are now in captivity;
he will visit thine iniquity
O daughter of Edom; punish the
Edomites for their sins
as is elsewhere threatened
Jeremiah 49:7
Amos 1:11; which
was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar as an instrument; and may have some respect to
the destruction of the Romans
when the Jews shall be converted
and return to
their own land. The Targum
in the king of Spain's Bible
is
"and
at that time I will visit thine iniquity
O wicked Rome
which art built in
Italy
and full of multitudes of the children of Edom; and the Persians shall
come and oppress thee
and make thee desolate;'
and
so the copy used by Munster:
he will discover thy sins; by the punishment of
them; as
when God pardons sins
he is said to cover them; so
when he punishes
for them
he discovers them; see Jeremiah 49:10.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)