Lamentations 3:28-30

י (Yod)

3:28 Let a person ¹  sit alone in silence,

when the Lord ²  is disciplining him. ³ 

3:29 Let him bury his face in the dust; ⁴ 

perhaps there is hope.

3:30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him; ⁵ 

let him have his fill of insults.

[3:28]  ¹ tn Heb “him.” The speaking voice in this chapter continues to be that of the גֶּבֶר (gever, “man”). The image of female Jerusalem in chs. 1-2 was fluid, being able to refer to the city or its inhabitants, both female and male. So too the “defeated soldier” or “everyman” (see note at 3:1 on “man”) is fluid and can represent any member of the Jewish community, male and female. This line especially has a proverbial character which can be extended to any person, hence the translation. But masculine pronouns are otherwise maintained reflecting the Hebrew grammatical system and the speaking voice of the poem.

[3:28]  ² tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:28]  ³ tn Heb “has laid it on him.” The verb נָטַל (natal) is used 4 times in Biblical Hebrew; the related noun refers to heaviness or a burden. The entry of BDB 642 s.v. is outdated while HALOT 694 s.v. נטל is acceptable for the Qal. See D. R. Hillers, Lamentations (AB), 57. Hillers’ suggestion of a stative meaning for the Qal is followed here, though based on 2 Sam 24:12 “impose” is also possible.

[3:29]  ⁴ tn Heb “Let him put his mouth in the dust.”

[3:30]  ⁵ tn Heb “to the smiter.”