Lamentations 3:30-36

Context

3:30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him;¹

let him have his fill of insults.

כ (Kaf)

3:31 For the Lord² will not

reject us forever.³

3:32 Though he causes us⁴ grief, he then has compassion on us⁵

according to the abundance of his loyal kindness.⁶

3:33 For he is not predisposed to afflict⁷

or to grieve people.⁸

ל (Lamed)

3:34 To crush underfoot

all the earth’s prisoners,⁹

3:35 to deprive a person¹⁰ of his rights¹¹

in the presence of the Most High,

3:36 to defraud a person in a lawsuit –

the Lord¹² does not approve¹³ of such things!

[3:30] ¹tn Heb “to the smiter.”

[3:31] ²tc The MT reads אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “the Lord”) here rather than יהוה (YHWH, “the Lord”). See the tc note at 1:14.

[3:31] ³tn The verse is unusually short and something unrecoverable may be missing.

[3:32] ³tn Heb “Although he has caused grief.” The word “us” is added in the translation.

[3:32] ⁴tn Heb “He will have compassion.” The words “on us” are added in the translation.

[3:32] ⁵tc The Kethib preserves the singular form חַסְדּוֹ (khasdo, “his kindness”), also reflected in the LXX and Aramaic Targum. The Qere reads the plural form חֲסָדָיו (khasadayv, “his kindnesses”) which is reflected in the Latin Vulgate.

[3:33] ⁴tn Heb “he does not afflict from his heart.” The term לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) preceded by the preposition מִן (min) most often describes one’s initiative or motivation, e.g. “of one’s own accord” (Num. 16:28; 24:13; Deut. 4:9; 1Kings 12:33; Neh. 6:8; Job 8:10; Is. 59:13; Ezek. 13:2, 17). It is not God’s internal motivation to bring calamity and trouble upon people.

[3:33] ⁵tn Heb “sons of men.”

[3:34] ⁵tn 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.

[3:35] ⁶tn The speaking voice is still that of the גֶּבֶר (gever, “man”), but the context and line are more universal in character.

[3:35] ⁷tn Heb “to turn away a man’s justice,” that is, the justice or equitable judgment he would receive. See the previous note regarding the “man.”

[3:36] ⁷tc The MT reads אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “the Lord”) here rather than יהוה (YHWH, “the Lord”). See the tc note at 1:14.

[3:36] ⁸tn Heb “the Lord does not see.” The verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “to see”) is here used in reference to mental observation and approval: “to gaze at” with joy and pleasure (e.g., 2 Kgs 10:16; Mic 7:9; Jer 29:32; Isa 52:8; Job 20:17; 33:28; Pss 54:9; 106:5; 128:5; Son 3:11; 6:11; Eccl 2:1). If the line is parallel to the end of v. 35 then a circumstantial clause “the Lord not seeing” would be appropriate. The infinitives in 34-36 would then depend on the verbs in v. 33; see D. R. Hillers, Lamentations (AB), 71.