Lamentations 4:1-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:8

Their visage is blacker than a coal ,.... Or, "darker than blackness"; or, "dark through blackness" F25 חשך משחור "obscurior ipsa nigredine", Tigurine version; "magis quam nigredo vel carbo", Vatablus; "prae caligines", Calvin; "ex nigredine", Piscator. ; by reason of the famine, and because of grief and trouble for themselves and their friends, which changed their complexions, countenances, and skins; they that looked before as pure as snow, as white as milk, as clear as pearls,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:9

They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger ,.... Not that they are better with respect to their state after death, but with respect to their manner of dying. They that were slain by the sword of the Chaldeans, as many were, either upon the walls, or in sallies out against the enemy, these felt less pain, and had less terror of mind in dying, than those did who perished by famine; they died a lingering death, as it were by inches, and were in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:10

The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children ,.... Such as were naturally, and agreeably to their sex, pitiful and compassionate; merciful to the poor, as the Targum; and especially tenderhearted to their own offspring; yet, by reason of the soreness of the famine, became so cruel and hardhearted, as to take their own children, and slay them with their own hands, cut them to pieces, put them into a pot of water, and make a fire and boil them, and then eat them, as follows: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:11

The Lord hath accomplished his fury ,.... Which rose up in his mind, and which he purposed in himself to bring upon the sinful people of the Jews: he hath poured out his fierce anger ; the vials of his wrath in great abundance, even all he meant to pour out upon them: and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof : not in the strong hold of Zion only, but in the whole city of Jerusalem, which was set on fire by the Chaldeans, as instruments, according... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:12

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world ,.... Not only the neighbouring nations, and the kings of them, but even such in all parts of the world that knew anything of Jerusalem: would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem ; when it was besieging, they did not believe it would be taken; and when they heard it was, it was incredible to them; it being so strongly fortified by art and nature, with mountains and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:13

For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests ,.... Aben Ezra interprets this of the prophets of Baal, and the priests of the high places; but though false prophets and wicked priests are meant, yet such as were among the Jews, made choice of and approved of by them: see 2 Chronicles 36:14 ; not that the people were faultless, but these were the principals, who by their examples led on and encouraged the common people in sin: that have shed the blood of the just in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:14

They have wandered as blind men in the streets ,.... That is, the false prophets and wicked priests; and may be understood either literally, that when the city was taken, and they fled, they were like blind men, and knew not which way to go to make their escape, but wandered from place to place, and could find no way out; or spiritually, though they pretended to great light and knowledge, yet were as blind men, surrounded with the darkness of ignorance and error, and were blind leaders... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:15

They cried unto them, depart ye, it is unclean ,.... Or, O ye "unclean" F5 טמא "immunde", Montanus; "immundi", Strigelius. "gens polluta", Vatablus; "discedite polluti", Gataker. ; that is, the people said so to the priests, being polluted with blood; they abhorred them, did not care they should come nigh them, but bid them keep at distance; they that cleansed others of leprosy were treated as leprous persons themselves, and proclaimed unclean, and shunned as such: and, to show... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:16

The anger of the Lord hath divided them ,.... Or, "the face of the Lord" F6 פני יהוה "facies Domini", V. L. Montanus, Piscator. ; the anger that appeared in his face, in the dispensation of his providence, removed them out of their own land, and dispersed them among several countries and nations of the world, and as they now are: these are not the words of the Heathens continued, but of the prophet: he will no more regard them ; or, "he will not add to look on them" F7 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:17

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help ,.... Or, "while we were yet" F8 עודינה "quum adhuc essemus", Munster: Piscator. ; a nation, a people, a body politic, in our own land, before the city of Jerusalem was taken, we were looking for help, as was promised us; but it proved a vain help, none was given us; for which we kept looking to the last, till our eyes failed, and we could look no longer; no help appeared, nor was there any prospect or probability of it, and... read more

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