Lamentations 4

Lamentations 4:1

HOw is the gold become dim, &c.] The Princes and Nobles. Vers. 2. or, the gold, that the Temple was adorned with. 1 Kings 6:22. Matth. 23. 16, 17.

the stones of the Sanctuary] Or, holinesse. Psalms 20:2. & Psalms 114:2. & Psalms 150:1.

are poured out] Being demolished. Jeremiah 39:8.

in the top of every street] Heb. in the head, &c. Chap. 2. 19.

Lamentations 4:2

esteemed as earthen pitchers] As things of no estimation. Isaiah 30:14. Jeremiah 19:11. 2 Corinthians 4:7.

Lamentations 4:3

the sea-monsters draw out the breast] Or sea-calves, seales, or whales. as Psalms 44:19. For the seales and whales breed yong ones, have teats, and give suck.

they give suck to their young ones] Heb. whelps. Ezekiel 19:2-3.

the daughter of my people is become cruell] By extremity of distresse, in the siege, enforced to neglect their children, as if they had been stript of naturall affection. Chap. 2. 11, 12, 20. Vers. 4.

like the ostriches in the wildernesse] Or, owls. Leviticus 11:16. Deuteronomy 14:15. Like the Ostriches, that sit not, nor hatch, nor seed, Job 39:14-17. Or, the Owls; such of them as keep in waste places, where they want oft times to feed their young, or feed sometime on them. Job 30:29. Isaiah 13:21. & Isaiah 24:13. & Isaiah 43:20. Jeremiah 50:39. Micah 1:8. See of the ravens, Job 38:41.

Lamentations 4:4

The tongue of the sucking child, &c.] Chap. 2. 11.

cleaveth to the roof of his mouth] For drought. Psalms 22:15. as for fear and reverence, Job 29:10. See Psalms 137:6.

the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them] Or, there is none that affordeth it them. Isaiah 58:7. they can get none; there is none that giveth them any Chap. 2. 11, 12.

Lamentations 4:5

They that did feed delicately] Heb. on delicates, or, dainties. Genesis 49:20. That were daintily brought up. Proverbs 29:21. Luke 7:25.

brought up in scarlet] That were costly and softly clad. 2 Samuel 1:24. Ezekiel 23:6; Ezekiel 23:12; Ezekiel 23:15. Matthew 11:8.

embrace dunghills] Are glad of any sory food, that they can find in the dunghills; Luke 15:16. or of any rags to cover them with, that they can rake out from thence or, being harbourlesse, are fain to lye and lodge on the dung-heaps. Job 24:8.

Lamentations 4:6

the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater then the punishment of the sinne of Sodom] Or, the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is greater then the sinne of Sodome. So Genesis 4:13. vers. 22.

that was overthrown as in a moment] Genesis 19:25.

no hands stayed on her] They lay not long languishing; as wee do under the hands of our enemies. Leviticus 26:36-39. Deuteronomy 28:65-67. vers. 9.

Lamentations 4:7

Her Nazarites] Of whom see Numbers 6:2. or, her choise ones; her select, and honourable ones. Genesis 49:26.

purer then snow] Psalms 51:7.

their polishing was of saphire] Or, as the polishing of saphire. as Isaiah 5:29. & Isaiah 13:8. See Exodus 24:10.

Lamentations 4:8

Their visage is blacker then a coal] Heb. darker then blacknesse. With grief and famine. Jeremiah 14:2. Chap. 5. 10. Revel. 6. 5, 6.

they are not known in the streets] Their visage is so altered, that those who formerly knew them, meeting now with them, take them for some other persons.

their skin cleaveth to their bones] Their flesh is so consumed, that they are nothing but skin and bone. Job 19:20. Psal. 102. 4, 5. & 119. 83.

Lamentations 4:9

They that be slain with the sword, are better then they that be slain with hunger] Or, in better case.

these pine away] Heb. flow out. Jeremiah 49:4. waste away by degrees, with a lingring death. Leviticus 26:39. Vers. 6.

stricken through] Faring no better then as if they were stab’d, or thrust through. Jeremiah 37:10. & Jeremiah 51:4.

for want of the fruits of the field] For want of food. Haggai 1:10. See the like phrase, Psalms 109:24.

Lamentations 4:10

The hands of the pitifull women] That are so naturally, toward their own children especially. 1 Kings 3:26. Isaiah 49:15.

have sodden their own children] 1 Kings 6:29.

they were their meat] Deuteronomy 28:57. Chap. 2. 20. vers. 3.

the destruction, &c.] Heb. breaking. Chap. 2. 13. & 3. 47.

Lamentations 4:11

he hath poured out] Chap. 2. 4. Jeremiah 10:25.

his fierce anger] Chap. 1. 12.

kindled fire in Zion, &c.] Deuteronomy 32:22. Jeremiah 21:14.

Lamentations 4:12

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved, &c.] It seemed to them a thing incredible, that God should so destroy his own feat, his chief citie. Chap. 2. 1, 20.

Lamentations 4:13

For the sinnes of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests] Is all this come to passe. Jeremiah 5:31. & 23. 1. Chap. 2. 14. which yet is spoken, not to excuse the people, but to aggravate their guilt, who were formost and forwardest in those courses, which they should have reproved and restrained in others. Jeremiah 20:2. & Jeremiah 26:11.

that have shed the bloud of the just] Of innocent, or guiltless persons. Isaiah 59:7. Jeremiah 19:4.

in the midst of her] Or, in her. Psalms 55:11.

Lamentations 4:14

They have wandred as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with bloud] Or, the blind, as they wandred in the streets, were polluted with bloud. The citie was so full of bloud and dead corpses, that the blind could not avoid them; or, that none could shun them, but as if they were blind, Isaiah 59:10. they must needs stumble upon them. 2 Kings 21:16. & 2 Kings 24:4. Jeremiah 2:34. Ezekiel 7. 23.

so that men could not touch their garments] Or, in that they could not but touch it with their garments.

Lamentations 4:15

They cryed unto them, &c.] Or, though, when they cryed unto them, &c. though they made what shift they could away, when warning thereof was given, by crying to them in the Lepers note, Lev. 13. 45.

Depart ye, it is unclean,] Or, ye polluted, go some other way, for this is polluted. Numbers 19:11.

depart, depart, touch not] Isaiah 52:11. Colossians 2:21.

when they fled away and wandered] Or, they fled, and went some other way.

they said among the heathen] So abominable were their courses, that the heathen themselves thought surely, they could not long continue. Leviticus 18:16. Micah 2:10.

They shall no more sojourn there] Heb. not add to sojourn there. Isaiah 10:20. Vers. 16. 22. In the citie, or land, wherein they lived, and which they so notoriously defiled. Numbers 35:33-34. Psalms 106:38. Though some expound it of their false Prophets flattering prophecies, (of whom, vers. 13.) by which they did bear the people in hand, that their stay in Babylon and other countries, wherein they were captives, should not last long. Jer. 28. 3, 4. & 29. 8. reading the words, they said, that they should not continue sojourning among the nations.

Lamentations 4:16

The anger of the LORD] Heb. face. Psalms 34:16.

hath divided them] Or, dispersed them. Genesis 49:7.

he will no more regard them] Heb. not add to regard, vers. 15. or, behold them. Psalms 84:9.

they respected not the persons of the priests, &c.] Either the wicked Jewes, before their destruction; or, the Chaldeans, when they had taken the citie. 2 King. 25. 18, 21. 2 Chronicles 36:17. Chap. 2. 6. & 5. 12.

Lamentations 4:17

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help] Or, while yet we were, our eyes failed in looking for, &c. as Psalms 119:82. 123. So long as our state stood, and we were not as yet surprised, we lived in expectation of succour from abroad. Jeremiah 4:14. & Jeremiah 8:20.

in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us] Or, we watched long; or, earnestly (Isaiah 21:5.) for a nation that could not, (Heb. will not, or, shall not) save. as Job 15:3. Jeremiah 2:11. & Jeremiah 7:8. The Egyptians. Isaiah 20:5-6. Jer. 2. 18, 36. & 37. 7, 8. 2 Kings 24:7.

Lamentations 4:18

They hunt our steps] Our enemies, the Chaldeans, trace us like hounds. Psalms 56:6. & Psalms 140:11.

that we cannot go in our streets] Without danger; or, dare not be seen in them. Jeremiah 9:21. & Jeremiah 49:26. & Jeremiah 50:30.

our end is near] Ezekiel 7:2-3; Ezekiel 7:6-7; Ezekiel 7:10; Ezekiel 7:13.

our dayes are fulfilled] 2 Samuel 7:12. Jeremiah 28:34.

our end is come] Jeremiah 51:13.

Lamentations 4:19

Our persecuters are swifter then the Eagles of the heaven] Heb. lighter. Sam. 1. 23. Jeremiah 4:13. Job 9:25. That flye aloft into the ayre. Proverbs 23:5.

they pursued us upon the mountains] Whither we fled for safeguard. Jud. 6. 2. 1 Samuel 13:6. Jeremiah 13:16.

they laid wait for us in the wildernesse] Or, plains. Chap. 5. 9. So uk. 15. 4. with Matthew 18:12. By which we hoped to escape. 2 King. 25. 4, 5. so that there was no safety any where; or escape any way. Jeremiah 6:25.

Lamentations 4:20

The breath of our nostrils] Not Josiah, but Zedekiah, the last king of Davids seed, in whom their state drew its last breath; and by whom they hoped to have it restored and setled again, after Jehoiachins captivitie. 2 King. 24. 12-15. For the thing alluded to, see Gen. 2 7. Isaiah 2:22.

the anointed of the Lord] 1 Samuel 26:9.

was taken in their pits] As a Lion, or other like beast, in a pit covertly made by the hunter, or some other to catch him. Ezekiel 12:13. & 17 20. & 19. 4, 8. Jeremiah 52:8.

Under his shadow] Under whose protection and shelter. Genesis 19:8. Numbers 14:9. Ecclesiastes 7:12. Isai. 30. 2, 3. & 49. 2. & 51. 16. Jeremiah 48:45. A metaphore taken, either from some high rock, Isaiah 32:2. or thick cloud, Psalms 105:39. Isaiah 4:5. & 25. 4, 5. or fair tree, Job 40:21-22. Psalms 80:10. Ezekiel 17:23. & 31. 3, 6, 12, 17. Daniel 4:12; Daniel 4:21. Hosea 4:13. or other plant, Jud. 9. 15. Jonah 4:6. or booth, Nehem. 8. 10. or tent, Isaiah 4:6. that with the shade thereof keepeth off the heat of the sun, Psal. 121. 5 6. or from the manner of hens, or other fowls, that with their wings shadow, shroud, and shelter their young. Psalms 17:8. & Psalms 36:7. & Psalms 57:1. & 63. 7. & 91. 1. Isaiah 34:15. Matthew 23:37.

we shall live among] We hoped to continue safe from the incursions of our neighbouring nations. Ezekiel 31:17.

Lamentations 4:21

Rejoyce and be glad] Spoken in way of derision. as Psalms 60:8. Ecclesiastes 11:9.

O daughter of Edom] Who now insultest over me. Psalms 137:7. Chap. 1. 21. Micah 7:8.

in the land of Uz] Genesis 10:23. Job 1:1. Jeremiah 25:20.

the cup] Of Gods wrath, that I have drunk off before thee. Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 25:20-21.

shall passe through unto thee] Or, passe over (Isaiah 8:8.) unto thee.

thou shalt be drunken and shalt make thy self naked] Or, strip thy self. Thou shalt be exposed to scorn and derision. Genesis 9:21. Habakkuk 2:15-16.

Lamentations 4:22

The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished] Or, Thine iniquity is accomplished. vers. 6. See Isaiah 40:2.

he will no more carry thee away into captivity] Heb. not adde to carry thee into captivitie. as vers. 15. 16. After thy return from Babylon. Isaiah 54:9. & Isaiah 60:18.

he will visit thine iniquitie] Or, punish it. Jeremiah 50:18.

he will discover thy sinnes] God will take notice of them, and proceed openly against thee for them. Job 20:27. as on the contrary he is said to cover sinnes, when he passeth by and pardoneth them. Psalms 32:1. & Psalms 85:2. Nehem 4. 5. Or, he will discover thee, (as vers. 21. Ezekiel 16:37.) or, carry thee captive, for thy sinnes. as Amos 1:3.