RECAPITULATION OF ZION’S CALAMITIES AND PRAYER
THE verses of this chapter are not arranged according to the order of
the alphabet, yet their number corresponds to its number. More
distinctly than the preceding Chapter s this one shows the
“parallelism” of Hebrew poetry, in which one clause of a ver... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:1. REMEMBER, O JEHOVAH, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US—an
application not to one who had forgotten, but to One who could
_consider their affliction and pain with a view to forgive all their
sins and redeem Israel out of all his troubles;_ a prayer which is not
so much an... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:2 begins to describe the substance of the reproaches.
OUR INHERITANCE, the land which was promised to Abraham, and of which
his descendants had held possession for generations, IS TURNED OVER
UNTO STRANGERS. Indeed, all their property had passed into other
hands; O... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:6. Judæa was on the verge of famine through the
foragings of the invaders, and, under the ominous shadow of
starvation, TO EGYPT WE HAVE GIVEN THE HAND, _i.e.,_ imploring
supplies of food, as is signified by the parallel clause, TO ASSYRIA
TO BE SATISFIED WITH BREA... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:10. The bread, which was obtained at the risk of their
lives, was not enough in quantity to nourish them. OUR SKIN IS HOT
LIKE AN OVEN; the feverishness is BECAUSE OF THE BURNING HEAT OF
HUNGER. “Hunger dries up the pores of the skin, so that it becomes
like as if... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:14. Entire collapse of interest in the common ways of
life was shown by the abandonment of public meetings and social
pastimes. THE ELDERS CEASED FROM [FREQUENTING] THE GATE. They had gone
thither as to the usual gathering-place; they adjudicated, advised,
had gene... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:16. FALLEN IS THE CROWN FROM OUR HEAD. That which was
their honour has gone—the crown with which the Lord Jehovah had
decked His chosen nation. _I put … a beautiful crown upon thine head
… and thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty; for it
was perfec... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:17. How depressing is the conviction of personal sin.
FOR THIS OUR HEART HAS BECOME FAINT. Many sorrows had surged over them
and exhausted the faculty of external and mental vision. FOR THESE
THINGS OUR EYES ARE DARKENED.
Lamentations 5:18. The depression of heart... [ Continue Reading ]
EXEGETICAL NOTES.—
Lamentations 5:19. Nevertheless, whatever be the low estate of His
sanctuary and people, the living God is and reigns. THOU, O JEHOVAH,
ABIDEST FOR EVER. Not only is His continual existence denoted, but
also that _Jehovah sitteth as king for ever_ (Psalms 29:10), the same
verb be... [ Continue Reading ]