Before the face of the most High. In ancient phraseology, to bring a case before the judges was to bring it "unto the deity" ( 'el hā-'elōh ı ̄m ) , Exodus 21:6 ; comp. Exodus 22:8 ; or . The text reading is, "the Lord seeth not." This may be explained either as "the Lord regardeth not (such thing)," or as a question, "Doth not the Lord regard (this)?" read more
Neither does God approve of wanton cruelty inflicted by one man on another. Three examples are given: the treatment of prisoners of war; the procuring an unjust sentence before a legal tribunal acting in the name of God (see Exodus 21:6); and the perversion of justice generally. read more
Lamentations 3:34-36. To crush under his feet, &c. In these verses certain acts of tyranny, malice, and injustice are specified, in the practice of which men are prone to indulge themselves one toward another, but which the divine goodness is far from countenancing or approving by any similar conduct. By the prisoners of the earth, or of the land, as the words may be properly rendered, Blaney thinks are meant the poor insolvent debtors, whom their creditors among the Jews, as well... read more
Grief, repentance and hope (3:1-66)This poem is different in style from the previous two. The poet speaks as if he is the representative of all Judah, describing Judah’s sufferings as if they were his own. And those sufferings are God’s righteous judgment (3:1-3). He is like a starving man ready to die. Indeed, he feels as if he already dwells in the world of the dead (4-6). He is like a man chained and locked inside a stone prison from which there is no way out (7-9).To the writer God seems... read more
turn aside, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 16:19 ; Deuteronomy 24:17 ; Deuteronomy 27:19 , same word). the MOST HIGH. Hebrew. 'Elyon. App-4 . read more
"To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth,To turn aside the right of a manbefore the face of the Most High,To subvert a man in his cause,the Lord approveth not.Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass,when the Lord commandeth it not?Out of the mouth of the Most Highcometh there not evil and good?Wherefore doth a living man complain,a man for the punishment of his sins?""To crush under foot ... the prisoners" (Lamentations 3:34). "This refers to the harsh cruelties of the... read more
Lamentations 3:34. All the prisoners of the earth— All the prisoners of the land. By "the prisoners of the land," I am persuaded are meant the poor insolvent debtors, whom their creditors among the Jews, as well as among other nations, were empowered to cast into prison, and oblige to work out the debt; a power too often exerted with great rigour and inhumanity. See Matthew 18:30; Matthew 18:34. The sufferings of these persons seem to be alluded to Isa 58:3 where the people asking with... read more
Lamentations 3:36. To subvert a man in his cause— That is, to prevent his having justice done him in a law-suit or controversy by any undue interference; as by bearing or suborning false witness, or exerting any kind of influence in opposition to truth and right. read more
34-36. This triplet has an infinitive in the beginning of each verse, the governing finite verb being in the end of Lamentations 3:36, "the Lord approveth not," which is to be repeated in each verse. Jeremiah here anticipates and answers the objections which the Jews might start, that it was by His connivance they were "crushed under the feet" of those who "turned aside the right of a man." God approves (literally, "seeth," Lamentations 3:36- :; so "behold," "look on," that is, look on with... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Lamentations 3:34-39
These two triads form a transition to the renewed complaints and appeals for help in the following verses. The first triad is probably an amplification of the statement that "the Lord doth not afflict willingly." This being the ease, the injustice which darkens human life cannot be approved by him. read more