INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 5 In this chapter are reckoned up the various calamities and distresses of the Jews in Babylon, which the Lord is desired to remember and consider, Lamentations 5:1; their great concern for the desolation of the temple in particular is expressed, Lamentations 5:17; and... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER, O LORD, WHAT IS COME UPON US,.... This chapter is called, in some Greek copies, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, "the prayer of Jeremiah". Cocceius interprets the whole of the state of the Christian church after the last destruction of Jerusalem; and of what happened... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR INHERITANCE IS TURNED TO STRANGERS,.... The land of Canaan in general, which was given to Abraham and his seed to be their inheritance; and their field, and vineyards in particular, which came to them by inheritance from their fathers, were now in the hands of the Chaldeans, strangers to God, an... [ Continue Reading ]
WE ARE ORPHANS AND FATHERLESS,.... In every sense; in a natural sense, their fathers having been cut off by the sword, famine, or pestilence; in a civil sense, their king being taken from them; and in a religious sense, God having forsaken them for their sins: OUR MOTHERS [ARE] AS WIDOWS; either re... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE DRUNKEN OUR WATER FOR MONEY,.... They who in their own land, which was a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, had wells of water of their own, and water freely and in abundance, now were obliged to pay for it, for drink, and other uses: OUR WOOD IS SOLD UNTO US; or, "comes to u... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR NECKS [ARE] UNDER PERSECUTION,.... A yoke of hard servitude and bondage was put upon their necks, as Jarchi interprets it; which they were forced to submit unto: or, "upon our necks we are pursued" s; or, "suffer persecution": which Aben Ezra explains thus, in connection with the Lamentations 5:... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE GIVEN OUR HAND [TO] THE EGYPTIANS,.... Either by way of supplication, to beg bread of them; or by way of covenant and agreement; or to testify subjection to them, in order to be supplied with food: many of the Jews went into Egypt upon the taking of the city, Jeremiah 43:5; [AND TO] THE ASS... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR FATHERS HAVE SINNED, [AND ARE] NOT,.... In the world, as the Targum adds; they were in being, but not on earth; they were departed from hence, and gone into another world; and so were free from the miseries and calamities their children were attended with, and therefore more happy: AND WE HAVE... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVANTS HAVE RULED OVER US,.... The Targum is, "the sons of Ham, who were given to be servants to the sons of Shem, they have ruled over us;'' referring to the prophecy of Noah, Genesis 9:26; or such as had been tributary to the Jews, as the Edomites; so Aben Ezra; the Babylon, an, are meant; and... [ Continue Reading ]
WE GAT OUR BREAD [WITH THE PERIL OF] OUR LIVES,.... This seems to refer to the time of the siege when they privately went out of the city to get in some provision, but went in danger of their lives: BECAUSE OF THE SWORD OF THE WILDERNESS: or, "of the plain" t; because of the, word of the Chaldean a... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR SKIN WAS BLACK LIKE AN OVEN, BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE FAMINE. Or "terrors [and horrors of] famine"; which are very dreadful and distressing: or, "the storms of famine"; see Psalms 11:6; or, "burning winds" u; such as are frequent in Africa and Asia; to which the famine is compared that was in Jer... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY RAVISHED THE WOMEN IN ZION,.... Or "humbled" them w; an euphemism; the women that were married to men in Zion, as the Targum; and if this wickedness was committed in the holy mountain of Zion, it was still more abominable and afflicting, and to be complained of; and if by the servants before me... [ Continue Reading ]
PRINCES ARE HANGED UP BY THEIR HAND,.... According to some, as Aben Ezra observes, by the hand of the servants before mentioned; however, by the hand of the Chaldeans or Babylonians; see Jeremiah 52:10. Some understand it of their own hands, as if they laid violent hands upon themselves, not being a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY TOOK THE YOUNG MEN TO GRIND,.... In the mill, which was laborious service; and which persons were sometimes put to, by way of punishment; and was the punishment of servants; see Judges 16:21. Some render it, "the young men bore the grist" x; carried the corn, the meal ground, from place to plac... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ELDERS HAVE CEASED FROM THE GATE,.... Of the sanhedrim, or court of judicature, as the Targum; from the gate of the city, where they used to sit and try causes; but now there was nothing of this kind done: THE YOUNG MEN FROM THEIR MUSIC; vocal and instrumental; the latter is more particularly s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JOY OF OUR HEART IS CEASED,.... ward joy was gone, as well as the external signs of it: it "sabbatized" y, as it may be rendered; alluding perhaps to the cordial joy expressed formerly on their sabbaths and other festivals, now not observed; at least, not with that joy, inward and outward, they... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CROWN IS FALLEN [FROM] OUR HEAD,.... Or, "the crown of our head is fallen" a; all their honour and glory as a nation were gone; the glory of their kingdom and priesthood, to both which a crown or mitre belonged; the glory of church and state. Aben Ezra interprets it of the temple, the place of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS OUR HEART IS FAINT,.... Our spirits sink; we are ready to swoon and die away; either for this, that we have sinned; because of our sins, they are so many, so great, and so aggravated; or for those distresses and calamities they have brought upon us before mentioned; or for the desolation of... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE OF THE MOUNTAIN OF ZION, WHICH IS DESOLATE,.... Meaning either the city of Jerusalem in general, or the temple in particular, which both lay in ruins: but the latter gave the truly godly the greatest concern; that the seat of divine Majesty should be in such a condition; that the public exer... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU, O LORD, REMAINEST FOR EVER,.... The same in his nature and perfections; in his grace and goodness; in his power and faithfulness; in his purposes and promises; though all things else change, are fickle and inconstant, he changes not, but abides the same, without any variableness or shallow of... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE DOST THOU, FORGET US FOR EVER,.... Since thou art firm, constant, and unchangeable, and thy love and covenant the same. God seems to forget his people when he afflicts them, or suffers them to be oppressed, and does not arise immediately for their help; which being deferred some time, look... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN THOU US UNTO THEE, O LORD, AND WE SHALL BE TURNED,.... This prayer expresses the sense they had of their backslidings from God, and distance from him; of their inability to turn themselves to the Lord, or convert themselves; and of their need of divine grace, and of the efficacy of that to effe... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU HAST UTTERLY REJECTED US,.... That looks as if they had no hope, and were in despair of having their petitions granted; since God had entirely rejected them from being his people, and would never more have mercy on them; but the words may be rendered, "though thou hast in rejecting rejected... [ Continue Reading ]