Lamentations 4

Lamentations 4:7

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, &c.

While Jerusalem stood upright with God, her votaries were holy and innocent.

Lamentations 4:14

They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

For this their cruelty, they are stricken with the hand of God; so, as that they are driven to wander in the streets, without habitations; groping for the way, like blind men; being so defiled with innocent blood, as that men could not touch their very garments, without uncleanness.

Lamentations 4:15

They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean: depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.

No part of the city was free from very foul pollution: on all sides might be heard that cry, appointed to the lepers, Depart, depart; I am unclean: at last, there was no way but to flee away from that defiled city; they fled therefore at uncertain, and wandered they knew not whither; so much as it was said among the heathen, There will be no more hope of their return, to dwell in Jerusalem.

Lamentations 4:17

In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

We depended upon hope and aid from the Egyptians, which could not succour us, nor preserve themselves.

Lamentations 4:18

They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets.

They hunt and chase us up and down in our streets; they follow us at the heels, so as we cannot so much as look out of our doors.

Lamentations 4:19

Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven, &c.

These Chaldean persecutors are so swift, that it is vain to hope for an escape from them.

Lamentations 4:20

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits.

Yea, which makes up the measure of our sorrow and misery, our king Zedekiah, the anointed of the Lord, who was dear to us as our very breath and life, was taken by them in their pursuit.

Lamentations 4:21

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

Rejoice, O thou ancient enemy, the posterity of Esau, that dwellest in the land of Uz; rejoice thou in our ruin and desolation, as thou pleasest; but this cup of the Lord’s vengeance shall come, in due time, unto thee also; and thou shalt drink deep of it, and the shame of thy wickedness shall be discovered.