Lamentations 3:2

3:2 He drove me into captivity ¹  and made me walk ² 

in darkness and not light.

Lamentations 3:15

3:15 He has given me my fill of bitter herbs

and made me drunk with bitterness. ³ 

Lamentations 3:34

ל (Lamed)

3:34 To crush underfoot

all the earth’s prisoners, ⁴ 

Lamentations 3:55

ק (Qof)

3:55 I have called on your name, O Lord,

from the deepest pit. ⁵ 

[3:2]  ¹ tn The verb נָהַג (nahag) describes the process of directing (usually a group of) something along a route, hence commonly “to drive,” when describing flocks, caravans, or prisoners and spoils of war (1 Sam 23:5; 30:2). But with people it may also have a positive connotation “to shepherd” or “to guide” (Ps 48:14; 80:1). The line plays on this through the reversal of expectations. Rather than being safely shepherded by the Lord their king, he has driven them away into captivity.

[3:2]  ² tn The Hiphil of הָלַךְ (halakh, “to walk”) may be nuanced either “brought” (BDB 236 s.v. 1) or “caused to walk” (BDB 237 s.v. 5.a).

[3:15]  ³ tn Heb “wormwood” or “bitterness” (BDB 542 s.v. לַעֲנָה; HALOT 533 s.v. לַעֲנָה).

[3:34]  ⁵ tn Heb “prisoners of earth/land.” The term ארצ may refer to (1) the earth or (2) a country or (3) the promised land in particular (as well as other referents). “Earth” is chosen here since the context presents God’s general principles in dealing with humanity. Given the historical circumstances, however, prisoners from the land of Israel are certainly in the background.

[3:55]  ⁷ tn Heb “from a pit of lowest places.”