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Texts -- Lamentations 4:1-20 (NET)

Context
The Prophet Speaks:
4:1 א (Alef)Alas ! Gold has lost its luster ; pure gold loses value. Jewels are scattered on every street corner . 4:2 ב(Bet) The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas !– but now they are treated like broken clay pots , made by a potter . 4:3 ג(Gimel) Even the jackals nurse their young at their breast , but my people are cruel , like ostriches in the desert . 4:4 ד(Dalet) The infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth due to thirst ; little children beg for bread , but no one gives them even a morsel. 4:5 ה(He) Those who once feasted on delicacies are now starving to death in the streets . Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes are now dying amid garbage . 4:6 ו(Vav) The punishment of my people exceeded that of of Sodom , which was overthrown in a moment with no one to help her. 4:7 ז(Zayin) Her consecrated ones were brighter than snow , whiter than milk ; their bodies more ruddy than corals , their hair like lapis lazuli . 4:8 ח(Khet) Now their appearance is darker than soot ; they are not recognized in the streets . Their skin has shriveled on their bones ; it is dried up , like tree bark. 4:9 ט(Tet) Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger , those who waste away , struck down from lack of food . 4:10 י(Yod) The hands of tenderhearted women cooked their own children , who became their food , when my people were destroyed . 4:11 כ(Kaf) The Lord fully vented his wrath ; he poured out his fierce anger . He started a fire in Zion ; it consumed her foundations . 4:12 ל(Lamed) Neither the kings of the earth nor the people of the lands ever thought that enemy or foe would enter the gates of Jerusalem . 4:13 מ(Mem) But it happened due to the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests , who poured out in her midst the blood of the righteous . 4:14 נ(Nun) They wander blindly through the streets , defiled by the blood they shed, while no one dares to touch their garments . 4:15 ס(Samek) People cry to them, “Turn away ! You are unclean ! Turn away ! Turn away ! Don’t touch us!” So they have fled and wander about; but the nations say , “They may not stay here any longer .” 4:16 פ(Pe) The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. They did not honor the priests ; they did not show favor to the elders .
The People of Jerusalem Lament:
4:17 ע (Ayin) Our eyes continually failed us as we looked in vain for help. From our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue 4:18 צ(Tsade) Our enemies hunted us down at every step so that we could not walk about in our streets . Our end drew near , our days were numbered , for our end had come ! 4:19 ק(Qof) Those who pursued us were swifter than eagles in the sky . They chased us over the mountains ; they ambushed us in the wilderness . 4:20 ר(Resh) Our very life breath – the Lord’s anointed king – was caught in their traps , of whom we thought , “Under his protection we will survive among the nations .”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Poetry

    [ebd] has been well defined as "the measured language of emotion." Hebrew poetry deals almost exclusively with the great question of man's relation to God. "Guilt, condemnation, punishment, pardon, redemption, repentance are the a...
    [nave] POETRY Lam. 1-5. Didactic Moses' song, Deut. 32. The Book of Job, the Proverbs, Solomon's Song, the books of prophecy. See: Psalms, Didactic. Elegy On the death of Saul, 2 Sam. 1:17, 19-27. Of Abner, 2 Sam. 3:33, 34. ...

  • Church

    [nave] CHURCH, the collective body of believers. Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics Called in the O.T., The Congregation, Ex. 12:3, 6, 19, 47; 16:1, 2, 9, 10, 22; Lev. 4:13, 15; 10:17; 24:14. Called in the N.T., Church, Matt. 16:18; ...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • War

    [nave] WAR Divine approval of, 2 Sam. 22:35. Civil, Judg. 12:1-6; 20; 2 Sam. 2:12-31; 3:1; 20; 1 Kin. 14:30; 16:21; Isa. 19:2; forbidden, 2 Chr. 11:4; averted, Josh. 22:11-34. Enemy harangued by general of opposing side, 2 Kin. 1...

  • Doubting

    [nave] DOUBTING. Job 4:3-6; Job 9:16-23; Job 30:20, 21 Job 3; 16; 17; 23:15-17. Psa. 22:2; Psa. 31:22; Psa. 42:5, 6; Psa. 49:5; Psa. 73:13-17; Psa. 77:3, 7-9; Prov. 24:10; Isa. 40:27, 28 Isa. 50:2. Isa. 49:14, 15; Jer. 8:18; Jer. ...

  • Famine

    [nave] FAMINE Pharaoh forewarned of, in dreams, Gen. 41. Described, Deut. 28:53-57; Isa. 5:13; 9:18-21; 17:11; Jer. 5:17; 14:1-6; 48:33; Lam. 1:11, 19; 2:11-22; 4:4-10; Joel 1:17-20. Sent as a judgment, Lev. 26:19-29; Deut. 28:23...

  • SIEGE

    [isbe] SIEGE - sej (matsor (Dt 28:52,53; 1 Ki 15:27; 2 Ki 25:2; Isa 29:3; Ezek 4:2); "to be besieged," "to suffer siege," ba-matsor bo' (Dt 20:19; 2 Ki 24:10; 25:2)): 1. In Early Hebrew History 2. In the Monarchy 3. Preliminaries t...

  • STONES, PRECIOUS

    [ebd] Frequently referred to (1 Kings 10:2; 2 Chr. 3:6; 9:10; Rev. 18:16; 21:19). There are about twenty different names of such stones in the Bible. They are figuratively introduced to denote value, beauty, durability (Cant. 5:14...
    [isbe] STONES, PRECIOUS - || 1. Ancient and Modern Names 2. Change of Signification of Names 3. Three Important Lists of Stones 4. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by John 5. Interpretation of Hebrew Names 6. Greek and Latin Equi...
    [smith] Precious stones are frequently alluded to in Scriptures; they were known and very highly valued in the earliest times. The Tyrians traded in precious stones supplied by Syria. (Ezekiel 27:16) The merchants of Sheba and Raamah...

  • Gold

    [isbe] GOLD - gold (zahabh; chrusos): 1. Terms: No metal has been more frequently mentioned in Old Testament writings than gold, and none has had more terms applied to it. Among these terms the one most used is zahabh. The Arabic e...
    [nave] GOLD Exported from Havilah, Gen. 2:11, 12. From Ophir, 1 Kin. 9:28; 10:11; 1 Chr. 29:4; 2 Chr. 8:18; Job 22:24; Tarshish, 1 Kin. 22:48; Parvaim, 2 Chr. 3:6; Sheba, 1 Kin. 10:10; 2 Chr. 9:9; Psa. 72:15; Uphaz, Jer. 10:9. Re...

  • OSTRICH

    [ebd] (Lam. 4:3), the rendering of Hebrew pl. enim; so called from its greediness and gluttony. The allusion here is to the habit of the ostrich with reference to its eggs, which is thus described: "The outer layer of eggs is gene...
    [isbe] OSTRICH - os'-trich (ya`anah; strouthos; Latin Struthio camelus): The largest bird now living. The Hebrew words ya`anah, which means "greediness," and bath ha-ya`anah, "daughter of greediness," are made to refer to the indis...
    [smith] a large bird, native of African and Arabia, nearly ten feet high, having s long neck and short wings. It seeks retired places, (Job 30:29; Lamentations 4:13) and has a peculiar mournful cry that is sometimes mistaken by the A...

  • Zedekiah

    [ebd] righteousness of Jehovah. (1.) The last king of Judah. He was the third son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, and hence he was the brother of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31; 24:17, 18...

  • Jackal

    [isbe] JACKAL - jak'-ol: (1) tannim, "jackals," the King James Version "dragons"; compare Arabic tinan, "wolf"; and compare tannin, Arab tinnin, "sea monster" or "monster" the English Revised Version "dragon" (Job 7:12 m; Ps 74:13;...
    [nave] JACKAL a carnivorous animal Neh. 2:13; Job 30:29; Psa. 44:19; 63:10; Isa. 13:21, 22; 34:13; 35:7; 43:20; Jer. 9:11; 10:22; 14:6; 49:33; 51:37; Lam. 4:3; 5:18; Ezek. 13:4; Mic. 1:8; Mal. 1:3

  • FINE

    [isbe] FINE - fin (adj., from Latin finire, "to finish"): Indicates superior quality. Only in a few instances does "fine" represent a separate word: (1) Tobh, "good," qualifies gold (2 Ch 3:5,8, "fine gold"; compare Gen 2:12, "good...

  • COAL

    [ebd] It is by no means certain that the Hebrews were acquainted with mineral coal, although it is found in Syria. Their common fuel was dried dung of animals and wood charcoal. Two different words are found in Hebrew to denote co...
    [isbe] COAL - kol (pecham, "charcoal"; compare Arabic fachm, "charcoal"; gacheleth, "burning coal" or "hot ember"; compare Arabic jacham, "to kindle"; shechor, "a black coal" (Lam 4:8); compare Arabic shachchar, "soot" or "dark-col...

  • Pitcher

    [isbe] PITCHER - pich'-er (kadh; keramion): The word is found chiefly in the Old Testament in the story of Rebekah in Gen 24:13 ff; but Gideon's men also had their lamps in pitchers (Jdg 7:16,19). Ecclesiastes speaks of the pitcher...
    [nave] PITCHER Earthen, Lam. 4:2. Used by Gideon in his battle with the Midianites, Judg. 7:10-20.

  • Minister

    [nave] MINISTER, a sacred teacher. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-topics; Call of; Character and Qualifications of; Charge Delivered to; Courage of; Duties of; Duties of the Church to; Emoluments of; Faithful, Instanc...

  • Nazirite

    [isbe] NAZIRITE - naz'-i-rit (nazir, connected with nadhar, "to vow"; nazeir, nazeiraios, as also various words indicating "holiness" or "devotion"; the King James Version, Nazarite): 1. Antiquity and Origin 2. Conditions of the Vo...
    [nave] NAZIRITE Law concerning, Num. 6:1-21; Judg. 13:5. Character of, Lam. 4:7; Amos 2:11, 12. Instances of Samson, Judg. 13:5, 7; 16:17. Samuel, 1 Sam. 1:11. Rechabites, Jer. 35. John the Baptist, Matt. 11:18; Luke 1:15; 7:...

  • Messiah

    [isbe] MESSIAH - me-si'-a (mashiach; Aramaic meshicha'; Septuagint Christos, "anointed"; New Testament "Christ"): 1. Meaning and Use of the Term 2. The Messianic Hope I. THE MESSIAH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. The Messianic King (1) Is...
    [nave] MESSIAH 1 Sam. 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 16:6; 24:6, 6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam. 1:14, 16, 21; 19:21; 22:51; 23:1; 1 Chr. 16:22; 2 Chr. 6:42; Psa. 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 84:9; 89:38, 51; 105:15; 132:10, 17; Isa. 45:1; Lam. 4:2...

  • Malice

    [nave] MALICE. Gen. 3:15; Lev. 19:14, 17, 18; Deut. 27:17, 18; Deut. 32:32, 33; 2 Kin. 6:21, 22; Job 31:29, 30; Psa. 4:2; Psa. 7:14-16 Job 15:35. Psa. 10:7-10, 14; Psa. 21:11; Psa. 22:7, 8; Psa. 35:15, 16, 19-21; Psa. 38:16, 19; P...

  • Breast

    [isbe] BREAST - brest: Signifying the front view of the bust in humans and the corresponding portion of the body in animals. chazeh, occurs in Ex 29:26,27; Lev 7:30,31,34; 8:29; 10:14,15; Nu 6:20; 18:18; and chadhi, in Dan 2:32. sh...
    [nave] BREAST parts of a sacrifice: Ex. 29:26, 27; Lev. 7:30, 30, 31, 34; 8:29; 9:20, 21; 10:14, 15; Num. 6:20; 18:18 area of the lap, chest: Jer. 31:19; Ezek. 21:12; Luke 18:13; 23:48; John 13:25; 21:20; Rev. 1:13; 15:6 of women: ...
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Questions

  • One of the big questions in the book of Hebrews concerns the recipients and the purpose of the warning passages like chapter 10. Was he writing to true believers with the possibility that some were only professing or merely a...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This record emphasizes the supernatural character of the victories David was able to enjoy because God fought for him by using various men in his army."The lists of heroes and heroic exploits that frame the poetic centre-piec...
  • God next called His people to prepare to receive the salvation that He would provide for them. They would have to lay hold of it by faith for it to benefit them.52:1 God called Israel to awake and to be strong (in the strengt...
  • This message to the people involved another symbolic act (cf. 13:1-11). This incident may have occurred between 609 and 605 B.C.19:1 Yahweh told Jeremiah to take some of Judah's elders and senior priests and to go and purchas...
  • 31:15 The Lord described the Israelite mothers, under the figure of Rachel, weeping for their children who had died because of the Assyrian invasion.404Rachel was the mother of Joseph, the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, and ...
  • This account describes other things associated with Jeremiah's being set at liberty. It contains more detail than 39:11-14.40:1 Evidently after Jeremiah's release in Jerusalem Babylonian soldiers rounded him up when they saw ...
  • This is one of four accounts of the fall of Jerusalem in the Old Testament (cf. 2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36:11-21; Jer. 39:1-14). The repetition underlines the importance of the event.52:1 Zedekiah (Mattaniah, 2 Kings 24:17) was ...
  • This book does not identify its writer. The common view that Jeremiah wrote it rests on a preface in the Greek Septuagint, which the Latin Vulgate adopted and elaborated on. The Septuagint version of Lamentations begins, "And...
  • The book consists of five laments (funeral or mourning songs, elegies). All but the third of these describe the Babylonians' destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and its aftermath. Each chapter exhibits its own special qualit...
  • The church at the beginning of the twenty-first century is very similar to Judah at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. Our times are very similar to Jeremiah's times. We minister in a cultural context that is remarkably ...
  • I. The destruction and misery of Jerusalem (the first lament) ch. 1A. An observer's sorrow over Jerusalem's condition 1:1-11B. Jerusalem's sorrow over her own condition 1:12-22II. The divine punishment of Jerusalem (the secon...
  • Jeremiah first viewed Jerusalem's destruction as an outsider looking in. Verses 1-7 describe the extent of the desolation and verses 8-11 its cause.1:1 Jeremiah bewailed the abandoned city of Jerusalem that had once been so g...
  • As mentioned previously, this lament is an acrostic in triplets; the same succeeding Hebrew consonant begins three verses instead of just one, as in the previous chapters. The verses are about one third as long as most of tho...
  • This section of the poem consists of two parallel parts (vv. 1-6, 7-11). The Judahites had become despised (vv. 1-2, 7-8), and both children and adults (everyone) suffered (vv. 3-5, 9-10). This calamity was the result of Yahw...
  • 4:12 The overthrow of Jerusalem had surprised the leaders and people of other nations. Invaders had forced their way into it in the past (cf. 1 Kings 14:25-28; 2 Kings 14:13-14; 2 Chron. 21:16-17), but the citizens had rebuil...
  • 4:21 The Edomites, kinsmen of the Judahites, were rejoicing over Judah's destruction (cf. Ps. 137:7; Jer. 49:7-22; Ezek. 25:12-14; 35), but the same fate was sure to overtake them (Deut. 30:7). They would have to drink the cu...
  • This poem, like the one in chapter 3, contains verses of only two lines each. It is the only non-acrostic chapter in the book, though like chapters 1, 2, and 4, it consists of 22 verses. The doleful qinahmeter is also absent ...
  • Evidently Ezekiel's verbal explanation of this drama came at the very end of the drama, at the time of the real destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was no longer silent then.5:5-6 The Lord explained that the center of the drama...
  • 16:44-47 Other people would quote the proverb, "Like mother, like daughter,"in regard to Jerusalem. She was like her Hittite "mother"who was also idolatrous and selfish. And she was like her older (larger) sister, Samaria, an...
  • 23:11-13 Oholibah observed her sister's behavior and fate, but she did not learn from them. As many historians have observed, the one thing we learn from history is that most people do not learn from history. Oholibah became ...
  • Though God had not responded to the prophet's questions previously, He did eventually, and Habakkuk recorded His answer. The form of this revelation is an oracle.1:5 The Lord told Habakkuk and his people (plural "you"in Hebre...
  • 3:16 Habakkuk trembled all over as he awaited the day of Babylon's invasion of Judah, the day of her distress. He could do nothing but wait patiently for the Babylonians to grow stronger and for judgment to come on Israel. It...
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