17 As for us, our eyes H5869 as yet failed H3615 for our vain H1892 help: H5833 in our watching H6836 we have watched H6822 for a nation H1471 that could not save H3467 us.
And all the inhabitants H3427 of Egypt H4714 shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 because they have been a staff H4938 of reed H7070 to the house H1004 of Israel. H3478 When they took hold H8610 of thee by thy hand, H3709 thou didst break, H7533 and rend H1234 all their shoulder: H3802 and when they leaned H8172 upon thee, thou brakest, H7665 and madest all their loins H4975 to be at a stand. H5976
Woe H1945 to the rebellious H5637 children, H1121 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that take H6213 counsel, H6098 but not of me; and that cover H5258 with a covering, H4541 but not of my spirit, H7307 that they may add H5595 sin H2403 to sin: H2403 That walk H1980 to go down H3381 into Egypt, H4714 and have not asked H7592 at my mouth; H6310 to strengthen H5810 themselves in the strength H4581 of Pharaoh, H6547 and to trust H2620 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt! H4714 Therefore shall the strength H4581 of Pharaoh H6547 be your shame, H1322 and the trust H2622 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt H4714 your confusion. H3639 For his princes H8269 were at Zoan, H6814 and his ambassadors H4397 came H5060 to Hanes. H2609 They were all ashamed H3001 of a people H5971 that could not profit H3276 them, nor be an help H5828 nor profit, H3276 but a shame, H1322 and also a reproach. H2781 The burden H4853 of the beasts H929 of the south: H5045 into the land H776 of trouble H6869 and anguish, H6695 from whence come the young H3833 and old lion, H3918 the viper H660 and fiery H8314 flying H5774 serpent, H8314 they will carry H5375 their riches H2428 upon the shoulders H3802 of young asses, H5895 and their treasures H214 upon the bunches H1707 of camels, H1581 to a people H5971 that shall not profit H3276 them. For the Egyptians H4714 shall help H5826 in vain, H1892 and to no purpose: H7385 therefore have I cried H7121 concerning this, H2063 Their H1992 strength H7293 is to sit still. H7674
Woe H1945 to them that go down H3381 to Egypt H4714 for help; H5833 and stay H8172 on horses, H5483 and trust H982 in chariots, H7393 because they are many; H7227 and in horsemen, H6571 because they are very H3966 strong; H6105 but they look H8159 not unto the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 neither seek H1875 the LORD! H3068 Yet he also is wise, H2450 and will bring H935 evil, H7451 and will not call back H5493 his words: H1697 but will arise H6965 against the house H1004 of the evildoers, H7489 and against the help H5833 of them that work H6466 iniquity. H205 Now the Egyptians H4714 are men, H120 and not God; H410 and their horses H5483 flesh, H1320 and not spirit. H7307 When the LORD H3068 shall stretch out H5186 his hand, H3027 both he that helpeth H5826 shall fall, H3782 and he that is holpen H5826 shall fall down, H5307 and they all shall fail H3615 together. H3162
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Thus shall ye say H559 to the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 that sent H7971 you unto me to enquire H1875 of me; Behold, Pharaoh's H6547 army, H2428 which is come forth H3318 to help H5833 you, shall return H7725 to Egypt H4714 into their own land. H776 And the Chaldeans H3778 shall come again, H7725 and fight H3898 against this city, H5892 and take H3920 it, and burn H8313 it with fire. H784 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Deceive H5377 not yourselves, H5315 saying, H559 The Chaldeans H3778 shall surely H1980 depart H3212 from us: for they shall not depart. H3212 For though ye had smitten H5221 the whole army H2428 of the Chaldeans H3778 that fight H3898 against you, and there remained H7604 but wounded H1856 men H582 among them, yet should they rise up H6965 every man H376 in his tent, H168 and burn H8313 this city H5892 with fire. H784
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Lamentations 4
Commentary on Lamentations 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
La 4:1-22. The Sad Capture of Jerusalem, the Hope of Restoration, and the Retribution Awaiting Idumea for Joining Babylon against Judea.
Aleph.
1. gold—the splendid adornment of the temple [Calvin] (La 1:10; 1Ki 6:22; Jer 52:19); or, the principal men of Judea [Grotius] (La 4:2).
stones of … sanctuary—the gems on the breastplate of the high priest; or, metaphorically, the priests and Levites.
Beth.
2. comparable to … gold—(Job 28:16, 19).
earthen pitchers—(Isa 30:14; Jer 19:11).
Gimel.
3. sea monsters … breast—Whales and other cetaceous monsters are mammalian. Even they suckle their young; but the Jewish women in the siege, so desperate was their misery, ate theirs (La 4:10; La 2:20). Others translate, "jackals."
ostriches—see on Job 39:14; Job 39:16, on their forsaking their young.
Daleth.
4. thirst—The mothers have no milk to give through the famine.
He.
5. delicately—on dainties.
are desolate—or, "perish."
in scarlet embrace dunghills—Instead of the scarlet couches on which the grandees were nursed, they must lie on dunghills.
embrace—They who once shrank sensitively from any soil, gladly cling close to heaps of filth as their only resting-place. Compare "embrace the rock" (Job 24:8).
Vau.
6. greater than … Sodom—(Mt 11:23). No prophets had been sent to Sodom, as there had been to Judea; therefore the punishment of the latter was heavier than that of the former.
overthrown … in a moment—whereas the Jews had to endure the protracted and manifold hardships of a siege.
no hands stayed on her—No hostile force, as the Chaldeans in the case of Jerusalem, continually pressed on her before her overthrow. Jeremiah thus shows the greater severity of Jerusalem's punishment than that of Sodom.
Zain.
7. Nazarites—literally, "separated ones" (Nu 6:2). They were held once in the highest estimation, but now they are degraded. God's blessing formerly caused their body not to be the less fair and ruddy for their abstinence from strong drink. Compare the similar case of Daniel, &c. (Da 1:8-15). Also David (1Sa 16:12; 17:42). Type of Messiah (So 5:10).
rubies—Gesenius translates, "corals," from a Hebrew root, "to divide into branches," from the branching form of corals.
polishing—They were like exquisitely cut and polished sapphires. The "sapphires" may represent the blue veins of a healthy person.
Cheth.
8. blacker than … coal—or, "than blackness" itself (Joe 2:6; Na 2:10).
like a stick—as withered as a dry stick.
Teth.
9. The speedy death by the sword is better than the lingering death by famine.
pine away—literally, "flow out"; referring to the flow of blood. This expression, and "stricken through," are drawn from death by "the sword."
want of … fruits—The words in italics have to be supplied in the original (Ge 18:28; Ps 109:24).
Jod.
10. (La 2:20; De 28:56, 57).
pitiful—naturally at other times compassionate (Isa 49:15). Josephus describes the unnatural act as it took place in the siege under Titus.
sodden—boiled.
Caph.
11. fire … devoured … foundations—(De 32:22; Jer 21:14). A most rare event. Fire usually consumes only the surface; but this reached even to the foundation, cutting off all hope of restoration.
Lamed.
12. Jerusalem was so fortified that all thought it impregnable. It therefore could only have been the hand of God, not the force of man, which overthrew it.
Mem.
13. prophets—the false prophets (Jer 23:11, 21). Supply the sense thus: "For the sins … these calamities have befallen her."
shed the blood of the just—(Mt 23:31, 37). This received its full fulfilment in the slaying of Messiah and the Jews' consequent dispersion (Jas 5:6).
Nun.
14. blind—with mental aberration.
polluted … with blood—both with blood of one another mutually shed (for example, Jer 2:34), and with their blood shed by the enemy [Glassius].
not touch … garments—as being defiled with blood (Nu 19:16).
Samech.
15. They … them—"They," that is, "men" (La 4:14). Even the very Gentiles, regarded as unclean by the Jews, who were ordered most religiously to avoid all defilements, cried unto the latter, "depart," as being unclean: so universal was the defilement of the city by blood.
wandered—As the false prophets and their followers had "wandered" blind with infatuated and idolatrous crime in the city (La 4:14), so they must now "wander" among the heathen in blind consternation with calamity.
they said—that is, the Gentiles said: it was said among the heathen, "The Jews shall no more sojourn in their own land" [Grotius]; or, wheresoever they go in their wandering exile, "they shall not stay long" [Ludovicus De Dieu], (De 28:65).
Pe.
16. Ain and Pe are here transposed (La 4:16, 17), as in La 2:16, 17; 3:46-51.
anger—literally, "face"; it is the countenance which, by its expression, manifests anger (Ps 34:16). Gesenius translates, "the person of Jehovah"; Jehovah present; Jehovah Himself (Ex 33:14; 2Sa 17:11).
divided—dispersed the Jews.
they respected not … priests—This is the language of the Gentiles. "The Jews have no hope of a return: for they respected not even good priests" (2Ch 24:19-22) [Grotius]. Maurer explains it, "They (the victorious foe) regard not the (Jewish) priests when imploring their pity" (La 5:12). The evident antithesis to "As for us" (La 4:17) and the language of "the heathen" at the close of La 4:15, of which La 4:16 is the continuation, favor the former view.
Ain.
17. As for us—This translation forms the best antithesis to the language of the heathen (La 4:15, 16). Calvin translates, "While as yet we stood as a state, our eyes failed," &c.
watched for a nation that could not save us—Egypt (2Ki 24:7; Isa 30:7; Jer 37:5-11).
Tzaddi.
18. They—the Chaldeans.
cannot go—without danger.
Koph.
19. The last times just before the taking of the city. There was no place of escape; the foe intercepted those wishing to escape from the famine-stricken city, "on the mountains and in the wilderness."
swifter … than … eagles—the Chaldean cavalry (Jer 4:13).
pursued—literally, "to be hot"; then, "to pursue hotly" (Ge 31:36). Thus they pursued and overtook Zedekiah (Jer 52:8, 9).
Resh.
20. breath … anointed of … Lord—our king, with whose life ours was bound up. The original reference seems to have been to Josiah (2Ch 35:25), killed in battle with Pharaoh-necho; but the language is here applied to Zedekiah, who, though worthless, was still lineal representative of David, and type of Messiah, the "Anointed." Viewed personally the language is too favorable to apply to him.
live among the heathen—Under him we hoped to live securely, even in spite of the surrounding heathen nations [Grotius].
Schin.
21. Rejoice—at our calamities (Ps 137:7). This is a prophecy that Edom should exult over the fall of Jerusalem. At the same time it is implied, Edom's joy shall be short-lived. Ironically she is told, Rejoice while thou mayest (Ec 11:9).
cup—for this image of the confounding effects of God's wrath, see Jer 13:12; 25:15, 16, 21; as to Edom, Jer 49:7-22.
Tau.
22. (Isa 40:2). Thou hast been punished enough: the end of thy punishment is at hand.
no more carry thee … into captivity—that is, by the Chaldeans. The Romans carried them away subsequently. The full accomplishment of this prophecy must therefore refer to the Jews' final restoration.
discover—By the severity of His punishments on thee, God shall let men see how great was thy sin (Jer 49:10). God "covers" sin when He forgives it (Ps 32:1, 5). He "discovers," or "reveals," it, when He punishes it (Job 20:27). Jer 49:10 shows that Margin is wrong, "carry captive" (this rendering is as in Na 2:7; compare "discovered," Margin).