pleasant things. Hebrew = things of desire. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the things she used to enjoy. sabbaths: or, sabbath-keepings; which she had herself profaned. See Jeremiah 17:21-23 .Ezekiel 22:8 , Ezekiel 22:26 ; Ezekiel 23:38 , read more
Lamentations 1:7. Jerusalem remembered, &c.— Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction, and of her exile, all the pleasant things which she had in the days of old. Her people fall into the hand of the enemy, and no one helpeth her; her enemies behold this, and rejoice in her wound, or distress. Houbigant; who observes, that the word משׁבתה mishbatteha, rendered sabbaths, is never so used, and that there does not appear any reason why the Chaldeans should particularly mock the... read more
7. remembered—rather, "remembers," now, in her afflicted state. In the days of her prosperity she did not appreciate, as she ought, the favors of God to her. Now, awakening out of her past lethargy, she feels from what high privileges she has fallen. when her people fell, &c.—that is, after which days of prosperity "her people fell." mock at her sabbaths—The heathen used to mock at the Jews' Sabbath, as showing their idleness, and term them Sabbatarians [MARTIAL, 4.4]. Now, said they... read more
1. The extent of the devastation 1:1-7 read more
A. An observer’s sorrow over Jerusalem’s condition 1:1-11Jeremiah first viewed Jerusalem’s destruction as an outsider looking in. Lamentations 1:1-7 describe the extent of the desolation and Lamentations 1:8-11 its cause. read more
Jerusalem looked back on better times, now that she was in exile. She remembered how no other nations came to help her-but mocked her-when the Babylonians besieged her (e.g., Ammon, Moab, and Edom)."The heathen used to mock at the Jews’ Sabbath, as showing their idleness, and term them Sabbatarians . . ." [Note: Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 662.] "To this day in Bible lands laughter does not occupy the place it does... read more
Zion’s Desolation and SorrowThough the five poems contained in the book have practically the same theme—the downfall of Jerusalem—yet each poem dwells on a different phase of the subject as intimated in the opening words of each chapter This first one emphasises the desolation and misery of the city, describing it as ’solitary,’ as ’a widow,’ and as ’tributary,’ i.e. Judah has lost her independence; and there is ’no comforter,’ Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:17, Lamentations... read more
(7) Jerusalem remembered.—Better, remembereth. The present is contrasted with the past. Still. the “sorrow’s crown of sorrow is remembering happier things.”That she had in the days of old.—Better, which have been since the days of old.Did mock at her sabbaths.—The noun is not found elsewhere, but is connected with that commonly rendered “sabbath.” It seems coined as a word of pregnant meaning to express at once the enforced sabbaths of the untilled land (Leviticus 26:34-35), and the sabbaths,... read more
Civic Apathy (a Sermon for Women) Lamentations 1:12 I. The Home-Side of Patriotism. Is it not a serious matter to find such multitudes in all our large towns and cities who have little or no sense of what it means to belong to a great community, who have little or no idea of the life in common and of the responsibility and duty which all share? There are many around us who do not care anything for the problems of a great city; do not indeed realize that there are any problems at all, except... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Lamentations 1:1-22
THE FIVE POEMSDesolation in Jerusalem (1:1-22)Jerusalem, once a busy commercial city, is now empty. She is like a woman who has lost her husband, like a princess who has become a slave. The nations (her ‘lovers’) who she thought would help her have proved useless, some even treacherous (1:1-3).When Jerusalem’s hour of crisis came, all her leaders fled, leaving the people to be attacked, plundered and taken captive. Now that all the usual activities of daily life have ceased, there remain only... read more