Lamentations 4

&c.] When they fled for their lives, they were like blind men not knowing which way to go, because of the many carcasses which lay in the way: whereby they became stained with blood, and so legally polluted: see Numb. xix. 16. Thus they carried the marks of their sin in their punishment. W. Lowth. — so that men could not touch their garments.] They were so defiled with innocent blood, that men could not touch their very garments without uncleanness. Bp. Hall. Some translate it, “so that they could not but touch it with their garments.” W. Lowth.

Chap. V. ver. 4. We have drunken our water for money.] See Numb. xx. 17. 19. It would sound strange in England, if a person, travelling, should propose to pay for drinking of the water at the wells by the road-side. But still stronger is the expression here: “We have drunken our own water for money:” we bought it of our foreign rulers, although we were the natural proprietors of the wells. Fragments to Calmet.

borne their iniquities.] It is not to be imagined from these words, that God, who is just and good, punishes children so as to exclude them from his mercy, for the sins which their fathers have committed: but it often happens, that God, to chastise the fathers, and for the good of the children themselves, exposes them in this life to the calamities which their fathers by their sins have brought upon them. This the captive Jews at Babylon experienced, as God had threatened in their law, Exod. xx. 5; and this we daily see come to pass in the course of his providence. Ostervald. See the notes on Jer. xxxi. 29, 30.

Lamentations 4:5

5. Our necks are under persecution:] We are become slaves to our enemies, “who put a yoke of iron upon our necks” according to the threatenings denounced by Moses, Deut. xxviii. 48. W. Lowth.

Lamentations 4:6

6. We have given the hand to the Egyptians, &c.] We have made ourselves slaves and tributaries to them: this was done by the ceremony of “giving the hand,” a form used in an oath or covenant. See Ezek. xvii. 18; Gen. xxiv. 2. W. Lowth. From Ockley’s History of the Saracens it appears, that the putting of the protester’s hand into the hand of him who received the protestation, which conveyed the notion of an oath between the parties, was a customary token of acknowledgment of allegiance. The mode of swearing allegiance, or doing homage for provinces, anciently used between sovereigns and vassals, in some European countries, bears considerable resemblance to this Eastern usage. The vassal put both his hands into the hands of his sovereign, repeating words to this effect: “Thus I do thee homage for such, or such, a province,” &c. After which he withdrew his hands. The phrase, used to denote this customary token of allegiance and fidelity among the Orientals, is the same as that in the text; namely, to “give the hand.” Frag-

Lamentations 4:8

8. Servants have ruled over us:] Servants to the great men among the Chaldeans, and other strangers, are become our masters. See Neb. v. 15. W. Lowth. 9. We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.] It may mean, that the people were exposed to the incursions of the Arabian freebooters, who might not improperly be styled “the sword of the wilderness.” Dr. Blayney.

Lamentations 4:12

12.—by their hand:] The hand of the enemies. W. Lowth.

Lamentations 4:13

13.—to grind,] See Exod. xi. 5; xii. 29; and the notes there. —the children fell under the wood.] They were made to carry such heavy burdens of wood, that they fainted under the load. W. Lowth.

Lamentations 4:14

14. The elders have ceased from the gate,] That is, they no longer sit there to administer justice. Dr. Blayney.

Lamentations 4:15

15. They cried unto them, Depart ye; &c.] When they fled to save their lives they could find no safe retreat, but every body shunned them; and used the same words to express their abhorrence of this defilement of such persons, whose office it was to cleanse and purify others, as the lepers were obliged by the law to pronounce upon themselves and cry “Unclean, unclean:” see Lev. xiii. 45. The filthy garments of the priests were an emblem of their filthy minds; see Zech. iii. 4, 5; and called to remembrance the innocent blood, which had been shed by their means; see ver. 13; when people saw their sin thus retaliated upon them. W. Lowth. — they said among the heathen, &c.] When those priests were driven out into heathen countries, every one looked upon their punishment as a just judgment then, They shall no more sojourn there.

Lamentations 4:18

18.—the foxes] See the notes at Judges xv. 4; Cant. ii. 15.

Lamentations 4:19

19. Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles &c.] God has brought upon us the judgments which He threatened by Moses, of “bringing a nation against us as swift as the eagle flinth,” Deut. xxviii. 49. Such were the horsemen of the Chaldean army. See Jer. iv. 13; lii 8. W. Lowth. 20. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, &c. Zedekiah is here meant, of whom the Prophet saith, he was taken in those toils which his enemies laid to catch him with: see Jer. lii. 9; Ezek. xii. 13. As long as he was safe they had hopes of preserving some face of government, although carried away captive into a foreign land. W. Lowth.

Lamentations 4:21

21. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom.] An ironical expression, like that of Solomon, Eccles. xi. 9, “Rejoice, O young man,” &c. As if the Prophet had said, Rejoice while thou mayest, O Edom, over the calainties of the Jews. See Ps. cxxxvii. 7; Obad. ver. 10. But thou shalt not rejoice long, for in a little time it shall come to thy turn to feel God’s afflicting hand. See Jer. xlix. 7, &c. W. Lowth.

Lamentations 4:22

22. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished.] It is usual with the Prophets, when they have denounced God’s judgments against any heathen nation, at the same time to give gracious promises to Israel: thereby importing, that God will never cast off his people utterly, as He doth strangers, but in due time will ex- A pitiful complaint of Zion in prayer unto God. Before CHRIST about 558. Or, carry thee captive for thy sins. away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will || discover thy sins. ### CHAP. V. A pitiful complaint of Zion in prayer unto God. REMEMBER, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach.