How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. Ver. 1. _How is the gold become dim.?_] How by way of wonderment again, as Lamentations 1:1. - _q.d., _ _Quo tanto scelere hominum, et qua tanta indignatione Dei?_... [ Continue Reading ]
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! Ver. 2. The precious _a_ sons of Zion.] Those porphyrogeniti, as the Greek emperor's children were called, because born and bred up in a room made up of precious stone... [ Continue Reading ]
Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people [is become] cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. Ver. 3. _Even the sea monsters._] _a_ Heb., Whales or seals, which, being _amphibii,_ have both a willingness and a place convenient to s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man breaketh [it] unto them._ Ver. 4. _The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth._] For want of suck. That was a miracle which is recorded of the old woman of Bolton, in Lancashire,... [ Continue Reading ]
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. Ver. 5. _They that did feed delicately._] Such uncertainty there is of outward affluence. Our Richard II was famished to death. _a_ Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, grandchild to John of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her._ Ver. 6. _For the punishment of the iniquity of Zion is greater._] For Sodom was destroyed by angels, Zion by maliciou... [ Continue Reading ]
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing [was] of sapphire: Ver. 7. _Her Nazarites._] Who served God in a singular way of abstinence above other men. These had their rules given them, Num 6:1-21 which while they observ... [ Continue Reading ]
Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. Ver. 8. _Their visage is blacker than a coal._] Heb., Their visage is more darkened than blackness - _scil., _ With famine, fear, grief, and care; t... [ Continue Reading ]
Lamentations 4:9 [They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field. Ver. 9. _They that be slain with the sword are better._] They suffer less pain in dying; they are soon despatched. See... [ Continue Reading ]
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. Ver. 10. _The hands of the pitiful women have sodden._] Sodden them rather than roasted them, lest they should be discovered by the smell, and so in danger to be desp... [ Continue Reading ]
The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. Ver. 11. _The Lord hath accomplished his fury._] Which he had long deferred, but now hath paid it home. _Cave ne ira delata fiat duplicata._ He h... [ Continue Reading ]
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. Ver. 12. _The kings of the earth, &c._] These, knowing how impregnable a piece Jerusalem was; how the Jebusites of old held out the... [ Continue Reading ]
For the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, Ver. 13. _For the sins of her prophets._] These, these were the right cause of her ruin. Not that the people were not faulty - for they "loved to have it so" Jer 5:31 - but t... [ Continue Reading ]
They have wandered [as] blind [men] in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. Ver. 14. _They have wandered as blind men in the streets._] Well might a certain expositor say, _Hic versus cure sequentibus varie exponitur._ The sense, in shor... [ Continue Reading ]
They cried unto them, Depart ye; [it is] unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn [there]. Ver. 15. _They cried unto them._] The enemies in a mockery said aloud unto the Jews. _ Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, d... [ Continue Reading ]
The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders. Ver. 16. _The anger of the Lord hath divided them._] Say the heathen still concerning the wicked Jews; _continuatur enim hic instituta mimesis._ He wil... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation [that] could not save [us]._ Ver. 17. _As for us, our eyes as yet failed._] With long and vain looking. _as Psalms 119:82_ _; _ Psa 119:123 "For, As for us," some render, _Cum adhuc essemus,_ while as... [ Continue Reading ]
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. Ver. 18. _They hunt our steps._] There is an elegance in the original, as if we should say, They hunt our haunts. _ That we cannot go in our streets._] Because of their forts, from... [ Continue Reading ]
_Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness._ Ver. 19. _Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles._] Those swiftest of all fowl, whom Pindarus therefore calleth the queen of birds as the dolphin of fishes,... [ Continue Reading ]
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. Ver. 20. _The breath, of our nostrils._] King Zedekiah, in whose downfall we drew, as it were, our last breath. The Chaldee paraphrast understandeth it o... [ Continue Reading ]
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. Ver. 21. _Rejoice and be glad._] This is spoken to Edom by a certain ironic and bitter concession - _q.d., _ Do so if thou hast a... [ Continue Reading ]
The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins. Ver. 22. _The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion._] A word of comfort in t... [ Continue Reading ]