Lamentations 1:7

Jerusalem remembered, &c.— Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction, and of her exile, all the pleasant things which she had in the days of old. Her people fall into the hand of the enemy, and no one helpeth her; her enemies behold this, and rejoice in her wound, or distress. Houbigant; who observes, that the word משׁבתה mishbatteha, rendered sabbaths, is never so used, and that there does not appear any reason why the Chaldeans should particularly mock the sabbaths; nor is there any thing in what goes before that may lead to such an interpretation. Instead of sabbaths, the Vatican copy of the LXX reads dwelling; the Alexandrian, captivity; the Chaldee, good things; and the Syriac, contrition. It may be proper, however, to remark, that the observation of the sabbath was a common reproach thrown out by the Heathens against the Jews. Even the wise Seneca looked upon the seventh day as lost, on account of the cessation, which is enjoined, from all labour; and many other authors have taken upon them to censure this holy and important practice.