1«WIE weilt so einsam die Stadt die reich an Volk! Ist worden wie die Witwe die groß war bei den Völkern die Fürstin bei den Ländern verfallen der Fron. 2Sie weinet, weint des Nachts die Träne auf der Wange hat keinen, der tröstet von all ihren Liebsten. All ihre Freunde waren treulos sind Feinde ihr worden. 3Fort ist Jehuda vor Elend und schwerer Fron weilt es bei den Völkern fand keine Ruhstatt. Alldie es jagten, ereiltens im Gezwänge. 4Die Wege Zijons trauern da keiner zum Fest kommt. All ihre Tore verödet die Priester ächzend die Jungfraun vergrämt und ihr - ists bitter. 5Es waren ihre Dränger hochauf ihre Feinde getrost; denn der Ewige hat sie betrübt ob der Fülle ihrer Sünden. Ihre Kindlein zogen gefangen vor dem Bedränger. 6So schwand von Zijons Tochter all ihre Pracht es waren ihre Obern wie Hirsche die Weide nicht finden sie zogen kraftlos vor dem Verfolger. 7Es gedachte Jeruschalaim zur Zeit ihres Elends und Jammers all ihrer Köstlichkeiten, die gewesen seit Urzeittagen. Da fiel ihr Volk in Feindeshand und keiner half ihr zusahen die Dränger und lachten ob ihrer Vernichtung! 8Versündigt hatte sich Jeruschalaim ist drum zum Abscheu worden. Alldie sie geehrt, verachten sie weil ihre Blöße sie sahen. Und sie auch stöhnt und kehrt sich ab. 9Ihr Schmutz an ihrer Schleppe! Sie dacht nicht ihrer Zukunft so sank sie unfaßbar hat keinen Tröster. ,Sieh, Ewger, mein Elend da der Feind beschimpft.' 10Seine Hand legt der Feind auf all ihre Schätze denn Völker sah sie in ihr Heiligtum dringen wo du geboten, daß sie nie zur Volksschar dir kommen. 11All ihr Volk, es ächzt sie betteln um Brot sie gaben ihre Schätze für Speise die Seele zu halten. Schau, Ewger, und sieh daß ich erniedrigt! 12Ists zu euch nicht gedrungen all ihr Wandrer der Straße? Schaut aus und seht! Gibts Schmerz wie den meinen der mir ward getan da der Ewge mich kränkte am Tag seiner Zornglut? 13Hochher warf er den Brand in mein Gebein und läßt ihn wüten er legt' ein Netz für meine Füße trieb mich zurück er macht' mich starr allezeit wund. 14Geknüpft ist meiner Frevel Joch von seiner Hand. Verflochten legt es sich auf meinen Nacken lähmt meine Kraft. Preisgab der Herr mich Händen draus ich nicht aufkann. 15Verworfen hat all meine Führer der Herr in meiner Mitte. Hat wider mich zum Fest geladen zu brechen meine Jünglinge. Die Kelter hat der Herr getreten der Maid, Tochter Jehudas. 16Darüber wein ich mein Aug, mein Auge fließt in Tränen weil fern mir ein Tröster der die Seele mir hielte verstarrt sind meine Kinder da gesiegt der Feind. 17Es breitet Zijon die Hände hat keinen Tröster. Aufbot der Ewge wider Jaakob ringsum seine Dränger. Geworden ist Jeruschalaim ein Abscheu bei ihnen. 18,Gerecht ist der Ewge da seinem Mund ich trotzte. O hört es, Völker alle und seht meinen Schmerz; meine Mädchen und Jünglinge sie zogen gefangen. 19Ich rief meinen Liebsten sie trogen mich. Meine Priester und Greise in der Stadt hinstarben da sie Speise sich suchten die Seele zu halten. 20Sieh, Ewger, wie mir angst ist mein Innres siedet mein Herz, es wendet sich in mir weil ich trotzig gewesen. Würgt draußen das Schwert und drin ists wie Sterben. 21Sie hörten, daß ich ächze hab keinen Tröster all meine Feinde hörten mein Unglück frohlocken, daß du es gewirkt. Bringst du den Tag, den du ausriefst sind sie wie ich. 22Es komme all ihr Arg vor dich daß ihnen du tust wie mir du getan ob all meiner Frevel! Denn viel ist mein Ächzen und wund mein Herz.»
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Lam. 1:1-22)
how is she . . . widow! she that was great, &c.--English Version is according to the accents. But the members of each sentence are better balanced in antithesis, thus, "how is she that was great among the nations become as a widow! (how) she who was princess among the provinces (that is, she who ruled over the surrounding provinces from the Nile to the Euphrates,
Gen 15:18;
1Kgs 4:21;
2Chr 9:26;
Ezra 4:20) become tributary!" [MAURER].
sit--on the ground; the posture of mourners (
Lam 2:10;
Ezra 9:3). The coin struck on the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, representing Judea as a female sitting solitary under a palm tree, with the inscription, Judća Capta, singularly corresponds to the image here; the language therefore must be prophetical of her state subsequent to Titus, as well as referring retrospectively to her Babylonian captivity.
2 in the night--even in the night, the period of rest and oblivion of griefs (
Job 7:3).
lovers . . . friends--the heathen states allied to Judah, and their idols. The idols whom she "loved" (
Jer 2:20-
Jer 2:25) could not comfort her. Her former allies would not: nay, some "treacherously" joined her enemies against her (
2Kgs 24:2,
2Kgs 24:7;
Ps 137:7).
3 (
Jer 52:27).
because of great servitude--that is, in a state "of great servitude," endured from the Chaldeans. "Because" is made by VATABLUS indicative of the cause of her captivity; namely, her having "afflicted" and unjustly brought into "servitude" the manumitted bond-servants (
Jer 34:8-
Jer 34:22). MAURER explains it, "Judah has left her land (not literally 'gone into captivity') because of the yoke imposed on it by Nebuchadnezzar."
no rest-- (
Deut 28:64-
Deut 28:65).
overtook her between . . . straits--image from robbers, who in the East intercept travellers at the narrow passes in hilly regions.
4 feasts--the passover, pentecost (or the feast of weeks), and the feast of tabernacles.
gates--once the place of concourse.
5 the chief--rule her (
Deut 28:43-
Deut 28:44).
adversaries . . . prosper; for the Lord--All the foes' attempts would have failed, had not God delivered His people into their hands (
Jer 30:15).
6 beauty . . . departed--her temple, throne, and priesthood.
harts that find no pasture--an animal timid and fleet, especially when seeking and not able to "find pasture."
7 remembered--rather, "remembers," now, in her afflicted state. In the days of her prosperity she did not appreciate, as she ought, the favors of God to her. Now, awakening out of her past lethargy, she feels from what high privileges she has fallen.
when her people fell, &c.--that is, after which days of prosperity "her people fell."
mock at her sabbaths--The heathen used to mock at the Jews' Sabbath, as showing their idleness, and term them Sabbatarians [MARTIAL, 4.4]. Now, said they ironically, ye may keep a continuous Sabbath. So God appointed the length of the captivity (seventy years) to be exactly that of the sum of the Sabbaths in the four hundred ninety years in which the land was denied its Sabbaths (
Lev 26:33-
Lev 26:35). MAURER translates it "ruin." But English Version better expresses the point of their "mocking," namely, their involuntary "Sabbaths," that is, the cessation of all national movements. A fourth line is added in this stanza, whereas in all the others there are but three. So in
Lam 2:19.
8 (
1Kgs 8:46).
is removed--as a woman separated from the congregation of God for legal impurity, which is a type of moral impurity. So
Lam 1:17;
Lev 12:2;
Lev 15:19, &c.
her nakedness--They have treated her as contumeliously as courtesans from whom their clothes are stripped.
turneth backward--as modest women do from shame, that is, she is cast down from all hope of restoration [CALVIN].
9 Continuation of the image in
Lam 1:8. Her ignominy and misery cannot be concealed but are apparent to all, as if a woman were suffering under such a flow as to reach the end of her skirts.
remembereth not . . . last end-- (
Deut 32:29;
Isa 47:7). She forgot how fatal must be the end of her iniquity. Or, as the words following imply: She, in despair, cannot lift herself up to lay hold of God's promises as to her "latter end" [CALVIN].
wonderfully--Hebrew, "wonders," that is, with amazing dejection.
O Lord, behold--Judah here breaks in, speaking for herself.
for the enemy hath magnified himself--What might seem ground for despair, the elated insulting of the enemy, is rather ground for good hope.
10 for--surely she hath seen, &c.
heathen . . . command . . . not enter . . . congregation--for instance, the Ammonites and Moabites (
Deut 23:3;
Neh 13:1-
Neh 13:2). If the heathen, as such, were not allowed to enter the sanctuary for worship, much less were they allowed to enter in order to rob and destroy.
11 (
Jer 37:21;
Jer 38:9;
Jer 52:6).
given . . . pleasant things for meat-- (
2Kgs 6:25;
Job 2:4).
relieve . . . soul--literally, "to cause the soul or life to return."
for I am become vile--Her sins and consequent sorrows are made the plea in craving God's mercy. Compare the like plea in
Ps 25:11.
12 The pathetic appeal of Jerusalem, not only to her neighbors, but even to the strangers "passing by," as her sorrow is such as should excite the compassion even of those unconnected with her. She here prefigures Christ, whom the language is prophetically made to suit, more than Jerusalem. Compare Israel, that is, Messiah,
Isa 49:3. Compare with "pass by,"
Matt 27:39;
Mark 15:29. As to Jerusalem,
Dan 9:12. M AURER, from the Arabic idiom, translates, "do not go off on your way," that is, stop, whoever ye are that pass by. English Version is simpler.
13 bones--a fire which not only consumes the skin and flesh, but penetrates even to my "bones" (that is, my vital powers).
prevaileth against--not as ROSENMULLER, "He (Jehovah) hath broken them"; a sense not in the Hebrew.
net-- (
Ezek 12:13); image from hunting wild beasts. He has so entangled me in His judgments that I cannot escape.
turned me back--so that I cannot go forward and get free from His meshes.
14 yoke . . . is bound by his hand-- (
Deut 28:48). Metaphor from husbandmen, who, after they have bound the yoke to the neck of oxen, hold the rein firmly twisted round the hand. Thus the translation will be, "in His hand." Or else, "the yoke of my transgressions" (that is, of punishment for my transgressions) is held so fast fixed on me "by" God, that there is no loosening of it; thus English Version, "by His hand."
wreathed--My sins are like the withes entwined about the neck to fasten the yoke to.
into their hands, from whom--into the hands of those, from whom, &c. MAURER translates, "before whom I am not able to stand."
15 trodden, &c.--MAURER, from Syriac root, translates, "cast away"; so
2Kgs 23:27. But
Ps 119:118, supports English Version.
in . . . midst of me--They fell not on the battlefield, but in the heart of the city; a sign of the divine wrath.
assembly--the collected forces of Babylon; a very different "assembly" from the solemn ones which once met at Jerusalem on the great feasts. The Hebrew means, literally, such a solemn "assembly" or feast (compare
Lam 2:22).
trodden . . . virgin . . . in a wine-press--hath forced her blood to burst forth, as the red wine from the grapes trodden in the press (
Isa 63:3;
Rev 14:19-
Rev 14:20;
Rev 19:15).
16 (
Jer 13:17;
Jer 14:17). Jerusalem is the speaker.
mine eye, mine eye--so
Lam 4:18, "our end . . . our end"; repetition for emphasis.
17 Like a woman in labor-throes (
Jer 4:31).
menstruous woman--held unclean, and shunned by all; separated from her husband and from the temple (compare
Lam 1:8;
Lev 14:19, &c.).
18 The sure sign of repentance; justifying God, condemning herself (
Neh 9:33;
Ps 51:4;
Dan 9:7-
Dan 9:14).
his commandment--literally, "mouth"; His word in the mouth of the prophets.
19 lovers-- (
Lam 1:2;
Jer 30:14).
elders--in dignity, not merely age.
sought . . . meat--Their dignity did not exempt them from having to go and seek bread (
Lam 1:11).
20 bowels . . . troubled-- (
Job 30:27;
Isa 16:11;
Jer 4:19;
Jer 31:20). Extreme mental distress affects the bowels and the whole internal frame.
heart . . . turned-- (
Hos 11:8); is agitated or fluttered.
abroad . . . sword . . . at home . . . as death-- (
Deut 32:25;
Ezek 7:15). The "as" does not modify, but intensifies. "Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home as it were death itself" (personified), in the form of famine and pestilence (
2Kgs 25:3;
Jer 14:18;
Jer 52:6). So
Hab 2:5, "as death" [MICHAELIS].
21 they are glad that thou hast done it--because they thought that therefore Judah is irretrievably ruined (
Jer 40:3).
the day . . . called--(but) thou wilt bring on them the day of calamity which thou hast announced, namely, by the prophets (Jer. 50:1-46;
Jer 48:27).
like . . . me--in calamities (
Ps 137:8-
Ps 137:9;
Jer 51:25, &c.).
22 Such prayers against foes are lawful, if the foe be an enemy of God, and if our concern be not for our own personal feeling, but for the glory of God and the welfare of His people.
come before thee--so
Rev 16:19, "Babylon came in remembrance before God" (compare
Ps 109:15).