---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Lamentations 4"
description: "CHAPTER (ELEGY) 4   :-. THE SAD
CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM,
THE HOPE OF
RESTORATION, AND THE
RETRIBUTION AWAITING
IDUMEA FOR JOINING
BABYLON AGAINST JUDEA. Alep"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/lamentations/4"
---

CHAPTER (ELEGY) 4

. THE SAD
CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM,
THE HOPE OF
RESTORATION, AND THE
RETRIBUTION AWAITING
IDUMEA FOR JOINING
BABYLON AGAINST JUDEA.
*Aleph.*

**1. gold**—the splendid adornment
of the temple [CALVIN]
([Lamentations 1:10](../../../kjv/lamentations/1/10); [1 Kings 6:22](../../../kjv/1-kings/6/22);
[Jeremiah 52:19](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/19)); or, *the principal
men* of Judea [GROTIUS]
([Lamentations 4:2](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/2)).
**stones of . . . sanctuary**—the
gems on the breastplate of the high priest; or, metaphorically, the
priests and Levites.
*Beth.*

**2. comparable to . . . gold**—
([Job 28:16](../../../kjv/job/28/16); [Job 28:19](../../../kjv/job/28/19)).
**earthen pitchers**—
([Isaiah 30:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/30/14); [Jeremiah 19:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/19/11)).
*Gimel.*

**3. sea monsters . . . breast**—Whales
and other cetaceous monsters are mammalian. Even they suckle their
young; but the Jewish women in the siege, so desperate was their
misery, ate theirs ([Lamentations 4:10](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/10);
[Lamentations 2:20](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/20)). Others translate,
"jackals."
**ostriches**—see on [Lamentations 2:20](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/20); [Lamentations 2:20](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/20), on their
forsaking their young.
*Daleth.*

**4. thirst**—The mothers have no
milk to give through the famine.
*He.*

**5. delicately**—on dainties.
**are desolate**—or,
"perish."
**in scarlet embrace
dunghills**—Instead of the *scarlet* couches on which the
grandees were nursed, they must lie on *dunghills.*
**embrace**—They who once
shrank sensitively from any soil, gladly *cling close* to heaps
of filth as their only resting-place. Compare "embrace the rock"
([Job 24:8](../../../kjv/job/24/8)).
*Vau.*

**6. greater than . . . Sodom**—
([Matthew 11:23](../../../kjv/matthew/11/23)). No prophets had
been sent to Sodom, as there had been to Judea; therefore the
punishment of the latter was heavier than that of the former.
**overthrown . . . in a
moment**—whereas the Jews had to endure the protracted and
manifold hardships of a siege.
**no hands stayed on her**—No
*hostile force,* as the Chaldeans in the case of Jerusalem,
*continually pressed on her* before her overthrow. Jeremiah thus
shows the greater severity of Jerusalem's punishment than that of
Sodom.
*Zain.*

**7. Nazarites**—literally,
"separated ones" ([Numbers 6:2](../../../kjv/numbers/6/2)).
They were held once in the highest estimation, but now they are
degraded. God's blessing formerly caused their body not to be the
less fair and ruddy for their abstinence from strong drink. Compare
the similar case of Daniel, c. ([Numbers 6:2](../../../kjv/numbers/6/2)). Also David ([1 Samuel 16:12](../../../kjv/1-samuel/16/12)
[1 Samuel 17:42](../../../kjv/1-samuel/17/42)). Type of Messiah ([1 Samuel 17:42](../../../kjv/1-samuel/17/42)).
**rubies**—GESENIUS
translates, "corals," from a *Hebrew* root, "to
divide into branches," from the branching form of corals.
**polishing**—They were
like exquisitely cut and *polished sapphires.* The "sapphires"
may represent the *blue* veins of a healthy person.
*Cheth.*

**8. blacker than . . . coal**—or,
"than blackness" itself ([Joel 2:6](../../../kjv/joel/2/6);
[Nahum 2:10](../../../kjv/nahum/2/10)).
**like a stick**—as
withered as a dry stick.
*Teth.*

**9.** The speedy death by the sword
is better than the lingering death by famine.
**pine away**—literally,
"flow out"; referring to the flow of blood. This
expression, and "stricken through," are drawn from death by
"the sword."
***want of*****. . .
fruits**—The words in italics have to be supplied in the original
([Genesis 18:28](../../../kjv/genesis/18/28); [Psalms 109:24](../../../kjv/psalms/109/24)).
*Jod.*

**10.** ([Lamentations 2:20](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/20);
[Deuteronomy 28:56](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/56); [Deuteronomy 28:57](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/57)).
**pitiful**—naturally at
other times compassionate ([Deuteronomy 28:57](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/57)). JOSEPHUS
describes the unnatural act as it took place in the siege under
Titus.
**sodden**—boiled.
*Caph.*

**11. fire . . . devoured . . .
foundations**— ([Deuteronomy 32:22](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/22);
[Jeremiah 21:14](../../../kjv/jeremiah/21/14)). A most rare event.
Fire usually consumes only the surface; but this reached even to the
*foundation,* cutting off all hope of restoration.
*Lamed.*

**12.** Jerusalem was so fortified
that all thought it impregnable. It therefore could only have been
the hand of God, not the force of man, which overthrew it.
*Mem.*

**13. prophets**—the false
prophets ([Jeremiah 23:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/23/11); [Jeremiah 23:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/23/21)).
Supply the sense thus: "For the sins . . . *these calamities
have befallen her.*"
**shed the blood of the just**—
([Matthew 23:31](../../../kjv/matthew/23/31); [Matthew 23:37](../../../kjv/matthew/23/37)).
This received its full fulfilment in the slaying of Messiah and the
Jews' consequent dispersion ([Matthew 23:37](../../../kjv/matthew/23/37)).
*Nun.*

**14. blind**—with mental
aberration.
**polluted . . . with
blood**—both with blood of one another mutually shed (for
example, [Jeremiah 2:34](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/34)), and with
their blood shed by the enemy [GLASSIUS].
**not touch . . . garments**—as
being defiled with blood ([Jeremiah 2:34](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/34)).
*Samech.*

**15. They . . . them**—"They,"
that is, "men" ([Lamentations 4:14](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/14)).
Even the very *Gentiles,* regarded as unclean by *the Jews,*
who were ordered most religiously to avoid all defilements, cried
unto the *latter,* "depart," as being unclean: so
universal was the defilement of the city by blood.
**wandered**—As the false
prophets and their followers had "wandered" blind with
infatuated and idolatrous crime in the city ([Lamentations 4:14](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/14)), so they must now "wander" among the heathen in
blind consternation with calamity.
**they said**—that is, the
Gentiles said: *it was said* among the heathen, "The Jews
shall no more sojourn in their own land" [GROTIUS];
or, wheresoever they go in their wandering exile, "they shall
not stay long" [LUDOVICUS
DE DIEU],
([Deuteronomy 28:65](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/65)).
*Pe.*

**16.** *Ain* and *Pe* are
here transposed ([Lamentations 4:16](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/16);
[Lamentations 4:17](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/17)), as in [Lamentations 2:16](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/16);
[Lamentations 2:17](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/17); [Lamentations 3:46-51](../../../kjv/lamentations/3/46-51).
**anger**—literally,
"face"; it is the countenance which, by its expression,
manifests anger ([Psalms 34:16](../../../kjv/psalms/34/16)).
GESENIUS translates, "the
*person* of Jehovah"; Jehovah present; Jehovah Himself
([Exodus 33:14](../../../kjv/exodus/33/14); [2 Samuel 17:11](../../../kjv/2-samuel/17/11)).
**divided**—dispersed the
Jews.
**they respected not . . .
priests**—This is the language of the *Gentiles.* "The
Jews have no hope of a return: for *they respected not* even
good *priests*" ([2 Samuel 17:11](../../../kjv/2-samuel/17/11)) [GROTIUS].
MAURER explains it, "They
(the victorious foe) regard not the (Jewish) priests when imploring
their pity" ([Lamentations 5:12](../../../kjv/lamentations/5/12)). The
evident antithesis to "As for *us*" ([Lamentations 5:12](../../../kjv/lamentations/5/12)) and the language of "the heathen" at the close of
[Lamentations 4:15](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/15), of which [Lamentations 4:15](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/15) is the continuation, favor the former view.
*Ain.*

**17. As for us**—This translation
forms the best antithesis to the language of *the heathen*
([Lamentations 4:15](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/15); [Lamentations 4:16](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/16)).
CALVIN translates, "While
as *yet* we stood as a state, our eyes failed," c.
**watched for a nation that
could not save us**—Egypt ([2 Kings 24:7](../../../kjv/2-kings/24/7)
[Isaiah 30:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/30/7); [Jeremiah 37:5-11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/37/5-11)).
*Tzaddi.*

**18. They**—the Chaldeans.
**cannot go**—without
danger.
*Koph.*

**19.** The last times just before
the taking of the city. There was no place of escape; the foe
intercepted those wishing to escape from the famine-stricken city,
"on the mountains and in the wilderness."
**swifter . . . than . . .
eagles**—the Chaldean cavalry ().
**pursued**—literally, "to
be hot"; then, "to pursue hotly" (). Thus they pursued and overtook Zedekiah ([Jeremiah 52:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/8);
[Jeremiah 52:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/9)).
*Resh.*

**20. breath . . . anointed of . . .
Lord**—our king, with whose life ours was bound up. The original
reference seems to have been to Josiah (), killed in battle with Pharaoh-necho; but the language is
here applied to Zedekiah, who, though worthless, was still lineal
representative of David, and type of Messiah, the "Anointed."
Viewed *personally* the language is too favorable to apply to
him.
**live among the heathen**—Under
him we hoped to live securely, even in spite of the surrounding
heathen nations [GROTIUS].
*Schin.*

**21. Rejoice**—at our calamities
([Psalms 137:7](../../../kjv/psalms/137/7)). This is a *prophecy*
that Edom should exult over the fall of Jerusalem. At the same time
it is implied, Edom's joy shall be short-lived. *Ironically* she
is told, Rejoice while thou mayest ([Psalms 137:7](../../../kjv/psalms/137/7)).
**cup**—for this image of
the confounding effects of God's wrath, see [Jeremiah 13:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/13/12);
[Jeremiah 25:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/15); [Jeremiah 25:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/16);
[Jeremiah 25:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/21); as to Edom, [Jeremiah 25:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/21).
*Tau.*

**22.** (). Thou hast been punished enough: the end of thy punishment
is at hand.
**no more carry thee . . . into
captivity**—that is, by the Chaldeans. The Romans carried them
away subsequently. The *full* accomplishment of this prophecy
must therefore refer to the Jews' final restoration.
**discover**—By the
severity of His punishments on thee, God shall let men see how great
was thy sin ([Jeremiah 49:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/10)). God
"covers" sin when He forgives it ([Psalms 32:1](../../../kjv/psalms/32/1);
[Psalms 32:5](../../../kjv/psalms/32/5)). He "discovers,"
or "reveals," it, when He punishes it ([Psalms 32:5](../../../kjv/psalms/32/5)). [Jeremiah 49:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/10) shows
that *Margin* is wrong, "carry captive" (this
rendering is as in [Nahum 2:7](../../../kjv/nahum/2/7);
compare "discovered," *Margin*).

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