1Jak sedí osaměle město, které mělo mnoho lidu! Je jako vdova to, jež bylo velké mezi národy. Kněžna mezi provinciemi je vydána nuceným pracím. 2V noci hořce pláče a slzy jí tečou po tvářích. Mezi všemi svými milenci nemá utěšitele. Všichni její přátelé ji nevěrně opustili, stali se jejími nepřáteli. 3Juda byl vystěhován v soužení a v těžké otročině. Bydlí mezi národy, nenalezl místo odpočinku. Všichni, kdo jej pronásledují, ho dostihnou uprostřed velké tísně. 4Cesty na Sijón truchlí, protože na svátky nikdo nepřichází. Všechny jeho brány jsou opuštěné, jeho kněží vzdychají, jeho panny jsou sklíčené a jemu je hořko. 5Jeho protivníci získali navrch, jeho nepřátelům se daří, protože Hospodin ho sklíčil pro množství jeho přestoupení. Jeho děti odešly před zraky protivníka do zajetí. 6Od dcery sijónské odešla všechna její ozdoba, její knížata jsou jako jeleni, kteří nenašli pastvu, utekli vysílení před pronásledovatelem. 7Jeruzalém vzpomíná ve dnech svého soužení a svého bezdomovství na všechny své drahocennosti, které měl od dávných časů. Když jeho lid padl do ruky protivníka a neměl pomocníka, protivníci se na něj dívali a vysmívali se jeho zániku. 8Jeruzalémská dcera velmi zhřešila; proto se stala nečistou. Všichni, kdo ji ctili, jí opovrhují, protože viděli její nahotu; ona sama vzdychá a obrací se zpět. 9Na jejích sukních je její nečistota, nepamatovala na svoji budoucnost. Padla prapodivným způsobem, nemá utěšitele. Hospodine, pohleď na mé soužení, protože nepřítel se vyvyšuje. 10Protivník vztáhl svou ruku na všechny její vzácnosti, ano, viděla pohanské národy, jak přicházejí do její svatyně, ty, o nichž jsi přikázal, aby do tvého shromáždění nevcházeli. 11Všechen její lid vzdychá, hledají pokrm. Dali svoje vzácnosti za jídlo, aby zachovali život. Podívej se, Hospodine, a pohleď, že jsem opovržená. 12Je to ničím pro vás všechny, kteří procházíte kolem? Pohleďte a podívejte se, jestli je bolest jako moje bolest, kterou mě ranil, kterou mě Hospodin sklíčil v den svého planoucího hněvu? 13Z výšiny poslal oheň do mých kostí a opanoval je. Rozprostřel síť pro mé nohy, obrátil mě zpět. Učinil mě opuštěnou, celý den jsem nemocná. 14Má přestoupení jsou svázána do jha, jeho rukou jsou propletena. Vstoupila na mou šíji, přivedl k pádu moji sílu. Panovník mě vydal do rukou těch, proti nimž nemohu obstát. 15Panovník zavrhl všechny mé siláky v mém středu, svolal proti mně shromáždění, aby rozdrtil mé mládence. Jako v lisu šlapal Panovník pannu, dceru judskou. 16Nad tím pláču, z mých očí, z mých očí plyne voda, protože je ode mě daleko utěšitel, který by obnovil mou duši. Moji synové se stali opuštěnými, protože zvítězil nepřítel. 17Dcera sijónská rozhazuje rukama, nemá utěšitele. Hospodin přikazuje o Jákobovi, že národy okolo něj se stanou jeho protivníkem. Jeruzalémská dcera se mezi nimi stala nečistou. 18Hospodin je spravedlivý, protože jsem se vzpírala jeho příkazu. Poslyšte, prosím, všechny národy a pohleďte na mou bolest. Moje panny a moji mládenci odešli do zajetí. 19Volala jsem své milence, ale oni mě podvedli. Moji kněží a starci vydechli ve městě naposled, když si hledali jídlo, aby si zachovali život. 20Hospodine, pohleď, neboť je mi úzko, mé nitro vře; srdce se ve mně převrací, protože jsem byla velmi vzpurná. Venku činí bezdětným meč, v domě je smrt. 21Slyšeli, že vzdychám, nemám utěšitele, všichni moji nepřátelé slyšeli o mém trápení a rozjásali se, žes to učinil. Přiveď den, který jsi vyhlásil, aby byli jako já. 22Všechno jejich zlo ať přijde před tebe a jednej s nimi, jako jsi jednal se mnou za všechna má přestoupení. Vždyť mnoho vzdychám a mé srdce je zemdlené.
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,
Rdz 15:18;
1Kl 4:21;
2Kn 9:26;
Ezd 4:20) become tributary!" [MAURER].
sit--on the ground; the posture of mourners (
Lam 2:10;
Ezd 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 (
Hi 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 (
2Kl 24:2,
2Kl 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-- (
Pwt 28:64-
Pwt 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 (
Pwt 28:43-
Pwt 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 (
Kpł 26:33-
Kpł 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 (
1Kl 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;
Kpł 12:2;
Kpł 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-- (
Pwt 32:29;
Iz 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 (
Pwt 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-- (
2Kl 6:25;
Hi 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,
Iz 49:3. Compare with "pass by,"
Mt 27:39;
Mk 15:29. As to Jerusalem,
Dn 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-- (
Eze 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-- (
Pwt 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
2Kl 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 (
Iz 63:3;
Obj 14:19-
Obj 14:20;
Obj 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;
Kpł 14:19, &c.).
18 The sure sign of repentance; justifying God, condemning herself (
Neh 9:33;
Ps 51:4;
Dn 9:7-
Dn 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-- (
Hi 30:27;
Iz 16:11;
Jer 4:19;
Jer 31:20). Extreme mental distress affects the bowels and the whole internal frame.
heart . . . turned-- (
Oz 11:8); is agitated or fluttered.
abroad . . . sword . . . at home . . . as death-- (
Pwt 32:25;
Eze 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 (
2Kl 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
Obj 16:19, "Babylon came in remembrance before God" (compare
Ps 109:15).
