1Wie ward verdunkeltH6004 das GoldH2091, verändert das guteH2896, feine GoldH3800! Wie wurden verschüttetH8210 die SteineH68 des HeiligtumsH6944 an allen Straßenecken! 2Die KinderH1121 ZionsH6726, die kostbaren, die mit gediegenem GoldeH6337 aufgewogenen, wieH3335 sind sie irdenenH2789 Krügen gleichgeachtet, dem WerkeH4639 vonH3027 Töpferhänden! 3Selbst SchakaleH8577 reichen die BrustH7699, säugenH3243 ihre JungenH1482; die TochterH1323 meines VolkesH5971 ist grausam geworden wie die Strauße in der WüsteH4057. 4Die ZungeH3956 des Säuglings klebt vor DurstH6772 an seinem GaumenH2441; die KinderH5768 fordernH7592 BrotH3899, niemand bricht es ihnenH1692. 5Die von Leckerbissen aßenH398, verschmachtenH8074 auf den Straßen; die auf Karmesin getragen wurden, liegen auf Misthaufen. 6Und die Schuld der TochterH1323 meines VolkesH5971 istH1431 größer geworden als die SündeH5771 SodomsH5467, welches plötzlichH7281 umgekehrt wurde, ohne daß HändeH3027 dabei tätig waren. 7IhreH119 FürstenH5139 waren reinerH2141 als SchneeH7950, weißer als MilchH2461; röter waren sie am Leibe als KorallenH6443, wie SaphirH5601 ihre GestaltH6106. 8Dunkler als SchwärzeH7815 ist ihr Aussehen, man erkennt sie nichtH5234 auf den Straßen; ihre HautH5785 klebt an ihrem GebeinH6106, ist dürrH3001 geworden wieH8389 HolzH6086. 9DieH1992 vom SchwertH2719 ErschlagenenH2491 sind glücklicher als die vom HungerH7458 Getöteten, welche hinschmachten, durchbohrt vom Mangel an FrüchtenH8570 des FeldesH7704. 10Die HändeH3027 barmherziger WeiberH802 haben ihre KinderH3206 gekocht; sie wurden ihnen zur Speise bei der Zertrümmerung der TochterH1323 meines VolkesH5971. 11JehovaH3068 hatH8210 seinenH639 GrimmH2534 vollendetH3615, seine Zornglut ausgegossen; und er hatH2740 in ZionH6726 ein FeuerH784 angezündet, das seine GrundfestenH3247 verzehrtH398 hat. 12DieH3427 KönigeH4428 der ErdeH776 hätten es nicht geglaubtH539, noch alle Bewohner des Erdkreises, daß Bedränger und FeindH341 in die ToreH8179 JerusalemsH3389 kommenH935 würden. 13Es ist wegen der SündenH2403 seiner ProphetenH5030, der MissetatenH5771 seiner PriesterH3548, welche inH7130 seiner Mitte das BlutH1818 der GerechtenH6662 vergossenH8210 haben. 14SieH5128 irrten blindH5787 auf den Straßen umher; sie waren mit BlutH1818 beflecktH1351, so daß man ihre KleiderH3830 nichtH2351 anrührenH5060 mochte. 15"Weichet! UnreinH2931!" riefH7121 man ihnen zu; "Weichet, weichet, rühret nichtH3254 anH5060!" Wenn sieH5493 flüchteten, so irrten sieH5493 umher; man sagteH559 unter den Nationen: SieH5493 sollen nicht länger bei uns weilen! 16JehovasH3068 AngesichtH6440 hatH5375 sieH2505 zerstreut, erH5027 schaut sie nichtH3254 mehr an. AufH6440 die PriesterH3548 hatH2603 man keine Rücksicht genommen, an Greisen nicht Gnade geübt. 17Noch schmachten unsere AugenH5869 nach unserer nichtigen HilfeH5833; in unserem Warten warten wir aufH3615 ein VolkH1471, das nichtH3467 retten wird. 18SieH7126 stellen unseren Schritten nachH7093, daß wir auf unseren Straßen nichtH7339 gehenH6806 können. Unser EndeH7093 ist nahe, vollH4390 sind unsere TageH3117; ja, unser Ende ist gekommenH935. 19Unsere Verfolger waren schnellerH7031 als die AdlerH5404 des HimmelsH8064; sieH1814 jagten uns nachH7291 auf den BergenH2022, in der WüsteH4057 lauerten sie auf uns. 20Unser Lebensodem, derH7307 GesalbteH4899 JehovasH3068, wurde in ihren Gruben gefangen, von welchem wirH3920 sagtenH559 : In seinem SchattenH6738 werden wir lebenH2421 unter den Nationen. 21Sei fröhlich und freueH7797 dichH8055, TochterH1323 EdomH123, Bewohnerin des LandesH776 UzH5780! Auch an dichH3427 wirdH6168 der BecherH3563 kommen; du wirst trunkenH7937 werdenH5674 und dich entblößen. 22Zu Ende istH8552 deine SchuldH5771, TochterH1323 ZionH6726! ErH1540 wirdH6485 dich nichtH3254 mehr wegführen. er wird deine MissetatH5771 heimsuchen, TochterH1323 EdomH123, er wird deine SündenH2403 aufdeckenH1540.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE SAD CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM, THE HOPE OF RESTORATION, AND THE RETRIBUTION AWAITING IDUMEA FOR JOINING BABYLON AGAINST JUDEA. (Lam. 4:1-22)
gold--the splendid adornment of the temple [CALVIN] (
Lam 1:10;
1Kgs 6:22;
Jer 52:19); or, the principal men of Judea [GROTIUS] (
Lam 4:2).
stones of . . . sanctuary--the gems on the breastplate of the high priest; or, metaphorically, the priests and Levites.
2 comparable to . . . gold-- (
Job 28:16,
Job 28:19).
earthen pitchers-- (
Isa 30:14;
Jer 19:11).
3 sea monsters . . . breast--Whales and other cetaceous monsters are mammalian. Even they suckle their young; but the Jewish women in the siege, so desperate was their misery, ate theirs (
Lam 4:10;
Lam 2:20). Others translate, "jackals."
ostriches--see on
Job 39:14;
Job 39:16, on their forsaking their young.
4 thirst--The mothers have no milk to give through the famine.
5 delicately--on dainties.
are desolate--or, "perish."
in scarlet embrace dunghills--Instead of the scarlet couches on which the grandees were nursed, they must lie on dunghills.
embrace--They who once shrank sensitively from any soil, gladly cling close to heaps of filth as their only resting-place. Compare "embrace the rock" (
Job 24:8).
6 greater than . . . Sodom-- (
Matt 11:23). No prophets had been sent to Sodom, as there had been to Judea; therefore the punishment of the latter was heavier than that of the former.
overthrown . . . in a moment--whereas the Jews had to endure the protracted and manifold hardships of a siege.
no hands stayed on her--No hostile force, as the Chaldeans in the case of Jerusalem, continually pressed on her before her overthrow. Jeremiah thus shows the greater severity of Jerusalem's punishment than that of Sodom.
7 Nazarites--literally, "separated ones" (
Num 6:2). They were held once in the highest estimation, but now they are degraded. God's blessing formerly caused their body not to be the less fair and ruddy for their abstinence from strong drink. Compare the similar case of Daniel, &c. (
Dan 1:8-
Dan 1:15). Also David (
1Sam 16:12;
1Sam 17:42). Type of Messiah (
Song 5:10).
rubies--GESENIUS translates, "corals," from a Hebrew root, "to divide into branches," from the branching form of corals.
polishing--They were like exquisitely cut and polished sapphires. The "sapphires" may represent the blue veins of a healthy person.
8 blacker than . . . coal--or, "than blackness" itself (
Joel 2:6;
Nah 2:10).
like a stick--as withered as a dry stick.
9 The speedy death by the sword is better than the lingering death by famine.
pine away--literally, "flow out"; referring to the flow of blood. This expression, and "stricken through," are drawn from death by "the sword."
want of . . . fruits--The words in italics have to be supplied in the original (
Gen 18:28;
Ps 109:24).
10 (
Lam 2:20;
Deut 28:56-
Deut 28:57).
pitiful--naturally at other times compassionate (
Isa 49:15). JOSEPHUS describes the unnatural act as it took place in the siege under Titus.
sodden--boiled.
11 fire . . . devoured . . . foundations-- (
Deut 32:22;
Jer 21:14). A most rare event. Fire usually consumes only the surface; but this reached even to the foundation, cutting off all hope of restoration.
12 Jerusalem was so fortified that all thought it impregnable. It therefore could only have been the hand of God, not the force of man, which overthrew it.
13 prophets--the false prophets (
Jer 23:11,
Jer 23:21). Supply the sense thus: "For the sins . . . these calamities have befallen her."
shed the blood of the just-- (
Matt 23:31,
Matt 23:37). This received its full fulfilment in the slaying of Messiah and the Jews' consequent dispersion (
Jas 5:6).
14 blind--with mental aberration.
polluted . . . with blood--both with blood of one another mutually shed (for example,
Jer 2:34), and with their blood shed by the enemy [GLASSIUS].
not touch . . . garments--as being defiled with blood (
Num 19:16).
15 They . . . them--"They," that is, "men" (
Lam 4:14). Even the very Gentiles, regarded as unclean by the Jews, who were ordered most religiously to avoid all defilements, cried unto the latter, "depart," as being unclean: so universal was the defilement of the city by blood.
wandered--As the false prophets and their followers had "wandered" blind with infatuated and idolatrous crime in the city (
Lam 4:14), so they must now "wander" among the heathen in blind consternation with calamity.
they said--that is, the Gentiles said: it was said among the heathen, "The Jews shall no more sojourn in their own land" [GROTIUS]; or, wheresoever they go in their wandering exile, "they shall not stay long" [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU], (
Deut 28:65).
16 Ain and Pe are here transposed (
Lam 4:16-
Lam 4:17), as in
Lam 2:16-
Lam 2:17;
Lam 3:46-
Lam 3:51.
anger--literally, "face"; it is the countenance which, by its expression, manifests anger (
Ps 34:16). GESENIUS translates, "the person of Jehovah"; Jehovah present; Jehovah Himself (
Exod 33:14;
2Sam 17:11).
divided--dispersed the Jews.
they respected not . . . priests--This is the language of the Gentiles. "The Jews have no hope of a return: for they respected not even good priests" (
2Chr 24:19-22) [GROTIUS]. MAURER explains it, "They (the victorious foe) regard not the (Jewish) priests when imploring their pity" (
Lam 5:12). The evident antithesis to "As for us" (
Lam 4:17) and the language of "the heathen" at the close of
Lam 4:15, of which
Lam 4:16 is the continuation, favor the former view.
17 As for us--This translation forms the best antithesis to the language of the heathen (
Lam 4:15-
Lam 4:16). CALVIN translates, "While as yet we stood as a state, our eyes failed," &c.
watched for a nation that could not save us--Egypt (
2Kgs 24:7;
Isa 30:7;
Jer 37:5-
Jer 37:11).
18 They--the Chaldeans.
cannot go--without danger.
19 The last times just before the taking of the city. There was no place of escape; the foe intercepted those wishing to escape from the famine-stricken city, "on the mountains and in the wilderness."
swifter . . . than . . . eagles--the Chaldean cavalry (
Jer 4:13).
pursued--literally, "to be hot"; then, "to pursue hotly" (
Gen 31:36). Thus they pursued and overtook Zedekiah (
Jer 52:8-
Jer 52:9).
20 breath . . . anointed of . . . Lord--our king, with whose life ours was bound up. The original reference seems to have been to Josiah (
2Chr 35:25), killed in battle with Pharaoh-necho; but the language is here applied to Zedekiah, who, though worthless, was still lineal representative of David, and type of Messiah, the "Anointed." Viewed personally the language is too favorable to apply to him.
live among the heathen--Under him we hoped to live securely, even in spite of the surrounding heathen nations [GROTIUS].
21 Rejoice--at our calamities (
Ps 137:7). This is a prophecy that Edom should exult over the fall of Jerusalem. At the same time it is implied, Edom's joy shall be short-lived. Ironically she is told, Rejoice while thou mayest (
Eccl 11:9).
cup--for this image of the confounding effects of God's wrath, see
Jer 13:12;
Jer 25:15-
Jer 25:16,
Jer 25:21; as to Edom, Jer. 49:7-22.
22 (
Isa 40:2). Thou hast been punished enough: the end of thy punishment is at hand.
no more carry thee . . . into captivity--that is, by the Chaldeans. The Romans carried them away subsequently. The full accomplishment of this prophecy must therefore refer to the Jews' final restoration.
discover--By the severity of His punishments on thee, God shall let men see how great was thy sin (
Jer 49:10). God "covers" sin when He forgives it (
Ps 32:1,
Ps 32:5). He "discovers," or "reveals," it, when He punishes it (
Job 20:27).
Jer 49:10 shows that Margin is wrong, "carry captive" (this rendering is as in
Nah 2:7; compare "discovered," Margin).