Reference: Lamentations, Book of
Easton
called in the Hebrew canon 'Ekhah, meaning "How," being the formula for the commencement of a song of wailing. It is the first word of the book (see 2Sa 1:19-27). The LXX. adopted the name rendered "Lamentations" (Gr. threnoi = Heb qinoth) now in common use, to denote the character of the book, in which the prophet mourns over the desolations brought on the city and the holy land by Chaldeans. In the Hebrew Bible it is placed among the Khethubim. (See Bible.)
As to its authorship, there is no room for hesitancy in following the LXX. and the Targum in ascribing it to Jeremiah. The spirit, tone, language, and subject-matter are in accord with the testimony of tradition in assigning it to him. According to tradition, he retired after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar to a cavern outside the Damascus gate, where he wrote this book. That cavern is still pointed out. "In the face of a rocky hill, on the western side of the city, the local belief has placed 'the grotto of Jeremiah.' There, in that fixed attitude of grief which Michael Angelo has immortalized, the prophet may well be supposed to have mourned the fall of his country" (Stanley, Jewish Church).
The book consists of five separate poems. In chapter 1 the prophet dwells on the manifold miseries oppressed by which the city sits as a solitary widow weeping sorely. In chapter 2 these miseries are described in connection with the national sins that had caused them. Chapter 3 speaks of hope for the people of God. The chastisement would only be for their good; a better day would dawn for them. Chapter 4 laments the ruin and desolation that had come upon the city and temple, but traces it only to the people's sins. Chapter 5 is a prayer that Zion's reproach may be taken away in the repentance and recovery of the people.
The first four poems (chapters) are acrostics, like some of the Psalms (25, 34, 37, 119), i.e., each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet taken in order. The first, second, and fourth have each twenty-two verses, the number of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The third has sixty-six verses, in which each three successive verses begin with the same letter. The fifth is not acrostic.
Speaking of the "Wailing-place (q.v.) of the Jews" at Jerusalem, a portion of the old wall of the temple of Solomon, Schaff says: "There the Jews assemble every Friday afternoon to bewail the downfall of the holy city, kissing the stone wall and watering it with their tears. They repeat from their well-worn Hebrew Bibles and prayer-books the Lamentations of Jeremiah and suitable Psalms."
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The beauty of Israel was wounded upon thy heights: how have the powerful fallen Ye shall not announce in Gath, ye shall not announce the good news in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the rovers shall rejoice--lest the daughters of the uncircumcised shall exult read more. Mountains of Gilboa, no dew and no rain upon you, and fields of offerings: for there the shield of the powerful was cast away--the shield of Saul as not anointed with oil. From the blood of the wounded and from the fat of the powerful, the bow of Jonathan drew not back in the rear, and the sword of Saul will not turn back empty. Saul and Jonathan beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not separated: they were swift above eagles, they were strong above lions. Daughters of Israel weep for Saul, having clothed you with scarlet, with delights; bringing up ornaments of gold upon your garments. How have the powerful fallen in the midst of the battle Jonathan wounded upon the heights! Distress to me for thee, my brother Jonathan: thou wert sweet to me exceedingly: thy love to me was wonderful above the love of women. How have the powerful fallen and the vessels of war perished.
Hastings
LAMENTATIONS, BOOK OF
1. Occasion.
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And Jeremiah will lament for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women will speak concerning Josiah in their lamentations, even to this day, and they will give them for a law upon Israel: and behold them written upon the lamentations.
How sat the city alone being many in people she was as a widow: being many among the nations, being a leader in the provinces, she became for tribute.
How sat the city alone being many in people she was as a widow: being many among the nations, being a leader in the provinces, she became for tribute. Weeping, she will weep in the night, and her tears upon her cheeks: no comfort to her from all loving her: all her friends dealt faithlessly with her, they were to her for enemies. read more. Judah was carried away captive from affliction, and from the greatness of her serving: she dwelt in the nations, she found no rest: all pursuing her overtook her between straitnesses. The ways of Zion mourn from none coming to the appointment: all her gates being desolated: her priests groaning, her virgins grieved, and it is bitterness to her. Her adversaries were for head, her enemies were secure; for Jehovah afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children went into captivity before the face of him pressing. From the daughter of Zion all her decoration went forth: her chiefs were as rams; they found not feed, and they went without strength before him pursuing. Jerusalem remembered the days of her affliction and her wanderings, all her delights which were from the days of old in the falling of her people into the hand of the enemy, and none helping for her: the adversaries saw her; they laughed at her calamities. Jerusalem sinned a sin; for this she was for a removing: all honoring her despised her, for they saw her nakedness: also she sighed, and she will turn away behind. Her uncleanness is in her train; she remembered not her latter state; and she will come down wonderfully: none comforting for her. See, O Jehovah, my affliction: for the enemy magnified. The adversary spread out his hand upon all her delights, for she saw the nations came in to her holy place, which thou didst command they shall not come in to the convocation to thee. All her people sighing, seeking bread; they gave from their delights for food to turn back the soul: see, O Jehovah, and regard; for I was despised. Nothing to you, all ye passing by the way? Behold, and see if there is pain as my pain, which was done to me with which Jehovah afflicted in the day of the burning of his anger. From height he sent fire into my bones, and it brought them down: he spread a net for my feet, he turned me away behind: he gave me desolation, being sad all the day. The yoke of my transgressions was bound by his hand: they will be woven together, they came up upon my neck: he caused my strength to fail, Jehovah gave me into the hands; I shall not be able to rise up. Jehovah contemned all my mighty ones in my midst: he called an appointment upon me to break my chosen ones: Jehovah trod the wine-press to the virgin, the daughter of Judah. For these I weep; mine eye, mine eye will go down with water, for he comforting turning back my soul, removed far off from me: my sons were desolations, for the enemy prevailed. Zion spread forth her hands, none comforting for her: Jehovah commanded for Jacob, his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem was for uncleanness within them. Jehovah he is just: for I embittered his mouth: hear now, all ye peoples, and see my pain: my virgins and my chosen ones went into captivity. I called to those loving me, they deceived me: my priests and my old men expired in the city, for they sought food for them, and they will turn back their souls. See, O Jehovah; for straits to me: my bowels were in a ferment; my heart turned in my midst; for embittering, I embittered: without, the sword bereaved; in the house, as death. Hear, ye, for I groan: none comforting for me: all mine enemies heard my evils: they rejoiced that thou didst: thou broughtest the day thou didst call, and they shall be like me. All their evil shall come before thee; and do evil to them according as thou didst evil to me for all my transgressions: for many my groanings, and any heart being sad.
I The man seeing affliction by the rod of his wrath. He led me and he brought darkness and not light read more. Surely he will turn back against me; he will turn his hand all the day. He wasted away my flesh and my skin; he broke my bones. He built against me, and he will surround with poison and distress. He caused me to dwell in darknesses as the dead of old. He walled about me and I shall not go forth: he loaded my brass. Also when I shall exclaim and cry out, he stopped my prayer. He walled up my ways with hewn stones, he made crooked my beaten paths. He is to me a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places. He turned aside my ways and he will tear me in pieces: he set me a desolation. He bent his bow, he will set me up as a mark for the arrow. He brought the sons of his quiver into my reins. I was a derision to all my people; their song all the day. He filled me with bitternesses, he gave me wormwood to drink He will break my teeth with gravel stones, he covered me with ashes. Thou wilt cast of my soul from peace: I forgat good. And saying, My glory perished, and my hope from Jehovah: Remembering my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the poison. Remembering, my soul will remember, and will be bowed down upon me. I will turn this back to my heart; for this I shall hope. The mercies of Jehovah are that we were not consumed, for his compassions were not finished. New for the mornings: great thy faithfulness. Jehovah my portion, said my soul; for this I will hope toward him. Good Jehovah to those waiting for him, to the soul that will seek him. Good, and he shall wait and stand still for the salvation of Jehovah. Good for a man that he shall lift up the yoke in his youth. He will sit alone and be silent, for he laid upon him. He will give his mouth in the dust, if perhaps there is hope. He will give the cheek to him striking him: he will be filled with reproach. For Jehovah will not cast of forever: For if he afflicted, and he compassionated according to the multitude of his mercy. For he afflicted not from his heart and grieved the sons of men, To crush under his feet all the bound of the earth, To turn aside the judgment of a man before the face of the Most High. To pervert a man in his contention Jehovah saw not Who this saying, And it shall be Jehovah commanding not? From the mouth of the Most High shall not come forth evil and good. Why shall a living man murmur? a man for his sin? We will search out our ways, and examine and turn back even to Jehovah.
We will search out our ways, and examine and turn back even to Jehovah. We will lift up our hearts upon the hands to God in the heavens. read more. We transgressed and resisted: thou forgavest not Thou didst cover with anger, and thou wilt pursue us: thou didst slay, thou didst not pity. Thou didst cover over thyself with a cloud from a prayer passing through. Thou didst set us the offscouring and despising in the midst of peoples. All our enemies opened their mouth against us. Fear and a snare were to us, desolation and breaking Mine eye will bring down streams of water for the breaking of the daughter of my people. Mine eye flowed and it will not be silent, from no intermission, Till Jehovah shall look forth and see from the heavens. Mine eye will glean for my soul for all the daughters of my city. Hunting, they hunted me as a bird, mine enemies, gratuitously. They cut off my life in the pit, and cast a stone upon me. Waters were spread over my head; I said I was cut off. I called thy name, O Jehovah, in the pit underneath. Thou heardest my voice: thou wilt not hide thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day I shall call thee: thou saidst, Thou shalt not fear. Thou didst contend, O Jehovah, the contentions of my soul; thou didst redeem my life. Thou sawest, O Jehovah, my bowing down: judge thou my judgment Thou sawest all their vengeance, all their purposes against me. Thou heardest their reproach, O Jehovah, all their purposes against me. The lips of those rising up, and their devices against me all the day. Their sitting and their rising, look thou: I their song. Thou wilt turn back to them a retribution, O Jehovah, according to the work Of their hands. Thou wilt give to them a covering of heart, thy curse to them. Thou wilt pursue in thine anger, and thou wilt destroy them from under the heavens, O Jehovah.
Also the dragons draw out the breast, they suckled their sucklings: the daughter of my people violent as the ostriches in the desert.
Continuing, yet our eyes will fail, for our help in vain: in our watching we watched for a nation it will not save us.
Wherefore wilt thou forget us forever? wilt thou forsake us to length of days?