Lamentations 5:9

We get our bread The reference is to the bands of wild Arabs (Bedaween), who plundered them as they ventured from the shelter of the city to reap the harvest or to tend the cattle or sheep of their masters.

the sword of the wilderness a unique expression in O.T. For the sense see last note. A suggestion, involving only changes of vocalisation and of one consonant (ûmiddeberinstead of hammidbar), is to read for "of the wilderness" and because of pestilence. Cp. Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 27:13; Jeremiah 34:17 (Stade, ZATW, xv. p. 285). But pestilencehas no proper place in this context. Enc. Bibl.(2700) suggests Arabianfor "sword" (-ărâbfor ḥereb).