1 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.
6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand.
9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured.
13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!
17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.
18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.
19 Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.
1 Remember, H2142 O LORD, H3068 what is come upon us: consider, H5027 and behold H7200 our reproach. H2781
2 Our inheritance H5159 is turned H2015 to strangers, H2114 our houses H1004 to aliens. H5237
3 We are orphans H3490 and fatherless, H369 H1 our mothers H517 are as widows. H490
4 We have drunken H8354 our water H4325 for money; H3701 our wood H6086 is sold H935 H4242 unto us.
5 Our necks H6677 are under persecution: H7291 we labour, H3021 and have no rest. H5117
6 We have given H5414 the hand H3027 to the Egyptians, H4714 and to the Assyrians, H804 to be satisfied H7646 with bread. H3899
7 Our fathers H1 have sinned, H2398 and are not; H369 and we have borne H5445 their iniquities. H5771
8 Servants H5650 have ruled H4910 over us: there is none that doth deliver H6561 us out of their hand. H3027
9 We gat H935 our bread H3899 with the peril of our lives H5315 because H6440 of the sword H2719 of the wilderness. H4057
10 Our skin H5785 was black H3648 like an oven H8574 because H6440 of the terrible H2152 famine. H7458
11 They ravished H6031 the women H802 in Zion, H6726 and the maids H1330 in the cities H5892 of Judah. H3063
12 Princes H8269 are hanged up H8518 by their hand: H3027 the faces H6440 of elders H2205 were not honoured. H1921
13 They took H5375 the young men H970 to grind, H2911 and the children H5288 fell H3782 under the wood. H6086
14 The elders H2205 have ceased H7673 from the gate, H8179 the young men H970 from their musick. H5058
15 The joy H4885 of our heart H3820 is ceased; H7673 our dance H4234 is turned H2015 into mourning. H60
16 The crown H5850 is fallen H5307 from our head: H7218 woe H188 unto us, that we have sinned! H2398
17 For this our heart H3820 is faint; H1739 for these things our eyes H5869 are dim. H2821
18 Because of the mountain H2022 of Zion, H6726 which is desolate, H8074 the foxes H7776 walk H1980 upon it.
19 Thou, O LORD, H3068 remainest H3427 for ever; H5769 thy throne H3678 from generation H1755 to generation. H1755
20 Wherefore dost thou forget H7911 us for ever, H5331 and forsake H5800 us so long H753 time? H3117
21 Turn H7725 thou us unto thee, O LORD, H3068 and we shall be turned; H7725 renew H2318 our days H3117 as of old. H6924
22 But thou hast utterly H3988 rejected H3988 us; thou art very H3966 wroth H7107 against us.
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us: Behold, and see our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, Our houses unto aliens.
3 We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunken our water for money; Our wood is sold unto us.
5 Our pursuers are upon our necks: We are weary, and have no rest.
6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, And to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are not; And we have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin is black like an oven, Because of the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hand: The faces of elders were not honored.
13 The young men bare the mill; And the children stumbled under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head: Woe unto us! for we have sinned.
17 For this our heart is faint; For these things our eyes are dim;
18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk upon it.
19 Thou, O Jehovah, abidest for ever; Thy throne is from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, `And' forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Jehovah, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; Thou art very wroth against us.
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what hath befallen us, Look attentively, and see our reproach.
2 Our inheritance hath been turned to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.
3 Orphans we have been -- without a father, our mothers `are' as widows.
4 Our water for money we have drunk, Our wood for a price doth come.
5 For our neck we have been pursued, We have laboured -- there hath been no rest for us.
6 `To' Egypt we have given a hand, `To' Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned -- they are not, We their iniquities have borne.
8 Servants have ruled over us, A deliverer there is none from their hand.
9 With our lives we bring in our bread, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin as an oven hath been burning, Because of the raging of the famine.
11 Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins -- in cities of Judah.
12 Princes by their hand have been hanged, The faces of elders have not been honoured.
13 Young men to grind they have taken, And youths with wood have stumbled.
14 The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
15 Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
16 Fallen hath the crown `from' our head, Wo `is' now to us, for we have sinned.
17 For this hath our heart been sick, For these have our eyes been dim.
18 For the mount of Zion -- that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.
19 Thou, O Jehovah, to the age remainest, Thy throne to generation and generation.
20 Why for ever dost Thou forget us? Thou forsakest us for length of days!
21 Turn us back, O Jehovah, unto Thee, And we turn back, renew our days as of old.
22 For hast Thou utterly rejected us? Thou hast been wroth against us -- exceedingly?
1 Remember, O Jehovah, what is come upon us; consider, and see our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
4 Our water have we to drink for money, our wood cometh unto us for a price.
5 Our pursuers are on our necks: we are weary, we have no rest.
6 We have given the hand to Egypt, [and] to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers have sinned, [and] they are not; and we bear their iniquities.
8 Bondmen rule over us: there is no deliverer out of their hand.
9 We have to get our bread at the risk of our lives, because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin gloweth like an oven, because of the burning heat of the famine.
11 They have ravished the women in Zion, the maids in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders were not honoured.
13 The young men have borne the mill, and the youths have stumbled under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
15 The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, for we have sinned!
17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes have grown dim,
18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: foxes walk over it.
19 Thou, Jehovah, dwellest for ever; thy throne is from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, dost thou forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, Jehovah, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
22 Or is it that thou hast utterly rejected us? Wouldest thou be exceeding wroth against us?
1 Remember, Yahweh, what has come on us: Look, and see our reproach.
2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, Our houses to aliens.
3 We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows.
4 We have drunken our water for money; Our wood is sold to us.
5 Our pursuers are on our necks: We are weary, and have no rest.
6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, To the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; We have borne their iniquities.
8 Servants rule over us: There is none to deliver us out of their hand.
9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
10 Our skin is black like an oven, Because of the burning heat of famine.
11 They ravished the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hanged up by their hand: The faces of elders were not honored.
13 The young men bare the mill; The children stumbled under the wood.
14 The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.
15 The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.
16 The crown is fallen from our head: Woe to us! for we have sinned.
17 For this our heart is faint; For these things our eyes are dim;
18 For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk on it.
19 You, Yahweh, abide forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.
20 Why do you forget us forever, [And] forsake us so long time?
21 Turn you us to you, Yahweh, and we shall be turned; Renew our days as of old.
22 But you have utterly rejected us; You are very angry against us.
1 Keep in mind, O Lord, what has come to us: take note and see our shame.
2 Our heritage is given up to men of strange lands, our houses to those who are not our countrymen.
3 We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.
4 We give money for a drink of water, we get our wood for a price.
5 Our attackers are on our necks: overcome with weariness, we have no rest.
6 We have given our hands to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians so that we might have enough bread.
7 Our fathers were sinners and are dead; and the weight of their evil-doing is on us.
8 Servants are ruling over us, and there is no one to make us free from their hands.
9 We put our lives in danger to get our bread, because of the sword of the waste land.
10 Our skin is heated like an oven because of our burning heat from need of food.
11 They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Their hands put princes to death by hanging: the faces of old men were not honoured.
13 The young men were crushing the grain, and the boys were falling under the wood.
14 The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.
15 The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.
16 The crown has been taken from our head: sorrow is ours, for we are sinners.
17 Because of this our hearts are feeble; for these things our eyes are dark;
18 Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste; jackals go over it.
19 You, O Lord, are seated as King for ever; the seat of your power is eternal.
20 Why have we gone from your memory for ever? why have you been turned away from us for so long?
21 Make us come back to you, O Lord, and let us be turned; make our days new again as in the past.
22 But you have quite given us up; you are full of wrath against us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 5
Commentary on Lamentations 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
La 5:1-22. Epiphonema, or a Closing Recapitulation of the Calamities Treated in the Previous Elegies.
1. (Ps 89:50, 51).
2. Our inheritance—"Thine inheritance" (Ps 79:1). The land given of old to us by Thy gift.
3. fatherless—Our whole land is full of orphans [Calvin]. Or, "we are fatherless," being abandoned by Thee our "Father" (Jer 3:19), [Grotius].
4. water for money—The Jews were compelled to pay the enemy for the water of their own cisterns after the overthrow of Jerusalem; or rather, it refers to their sojourn in Babylon; they had to pay tax for access to the rivers and fountains. Thus, "our" means the water which we need, the commonest necessary of life.
our wood—In Judea each one could get wood without pay; in Babylon, "our wood," the wood we need, must be paid for.
5. Literally, "On our necks we are persecuted"; that is, Men tread on our necks (Ps 66:12; Isa 51:23; compare Jos 10:24). The extremest oppression. The foe not merely galled the Jews face, back, and sides, but their neck. A just retribution, as they had been stiff in neck against the yoke of God (2Ch 30:8, Margin; Ne 9:29; Isa 48:4).
6. given … hand to—in token of submission (see on Jer 50:15).
to … Egyptians—at the death of Josiah (2Ch 36:3, 4).
Assyrians—that is, the Chaldeans who occupied the empire which Assyria had held. So Jer 2:18.
to be satisfied with bread—(De 28:48).
7. (Jer 31:29).
borne their iniquities—that is, the punishment of them. The accumulated sins of our fathers from age to age, as well as our own, are visited on us. They say this as a plea why God should pity them (compare Eze 18:2, &c.).
8. Servants … ruled … us—Servants under the Chaldean governors ruled the Jews (Ne 5:15). Israel, once a "kingdom of priests" (Ex 19:6), is become like Canaan, "a servant of servants," according to the curse (Ge 9:25). The Chaldeans were designed to be "servants" of Shem, being descended from Ham (Ge 9:26). Now through the Jews' sin, their positions are reversed.
9. We gat our bread with … peril—that is, those of us left in the city after its capture by the Chaldeans.
because of … sword of … wilderness—because of the liability to attack by the robber Arabs of the wilderness, through which the Jews had to pass to get "bread" from Egypt (compare La 5:6).
10. As an oven is scorched with too much fire, so our skin with the hot blast of famine (Margin, rightly, "storms," like the hot simoom). Hunger dries up the pores so that the skin becomes like as if it were scorched by the sun (Job 30:30; Ps 119:83).
11. So in just retribution Babylon itself should fare in the end. Jerusalem shall for the last time suffer these woes before her final restoration (Zec 14:2).
12. hanged … by their hand—a piece of wanton cruelty invented by the Chaldeans. Grotius translates, "Princes were hung by the hand of the enemy"; hanging was a usual mode of execution (Ge 40:19).
elders—officials (La 4:16).
13. young men … grind—The work of the lowest female slave was laid on young men (Jud 16:21; Job 31:10).
children fell under … wood—Mere children had to bear burdens of wood so heavy that they sank beneath them.
14. Aged men in the East meet in the open space round the gate to decide judicial trials and to hold social converse (Job 29:7, 8).
16. The crown—all our glory, the kingdom and the priesthood (Job 19:9; Ps 89:39, 44).
17. (La 1:22; 2:11).
18. foxes—They frequent desolate places where they can freely and fearlessly roam.
19. (Ps 102:12). The perpetuity of God's rule over human affairs, however He may seem to let His people be oppressed for a time, is their ground of hope of restoration.
20. for ever—that is, for "so long a time."
21. (Ps 80:3; Jer 31:18). "Restore us to favor with Thee, and so we shall be restored to our old position" [Grotius]. Jeremiah is not speaking of spiritual conversion, but of that outward turning whereby God receives men into His fatherly favor, manifested in bestowing prosperity [Calvin]. Still, as Israel is a type of the Church, temporal goods typify spiritual blessings; and so the sinner may use this prayer for God to convert him.
22. Rather, "Unless haply Thou hast utterly rejected us, and art beyond measure wroth against us," that is, Unless Thou art implacable, which is impossible, hear our prayer [Calvin]. Or, as Margin, "For wouldest Thou utterly reject us?" &c.—No; that cannot be. The Jews, in this book, and in Isaiah and Malachi, to avoid the ill-omen of a mournful closing sentence, repeat the verse immediately preceding the last [Calvin].