Lamentations 3:43-47 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 3:42-54

It is easier to chide ourselves for complaining than to chide ourselves out of it. The prophet had owned that a living man should not complain, as if he checked himself for his complaints in the former part of the chapter; and yet here the clouds return after the rain and the wound bleeds afresh; for great pains must be taken with a troubled spirit to bring it into temper. I. They confess the righteousness of God in afflicting them (Lam. 3:42): We have transgressed and have rebelled. Note, It... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:43

Thou hast covered with anger ,.... Either himself; not as a tender father, that cannot bear to see the affliction of a child; this does not suit with anger; but rather as one greatly displeased, in whose face anger appears, being covered with it; or who covers his face with it, that he may not be seen, withdrawing his gracious presence; or hast put anger as a wall between thee and us, as Jarchi: so that there was no coming nigh to him: or else it means covering his people with it; so the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:44

Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud ,.... With wrath and anger, as a cloud; he wrapped up himself in thick darkness, so as not to be seen or come at: sin, when it appears not pardoned, is as a cloud between God and his people; and this causes him to show his anger and displeasure; which is the cloud about him, Or the hiding of his face. The Targum is, "thou hast covered the heavens with the clouds of thy glory:' that our prayer should not pass through ; in such circumstances God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:45

Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. Had given them up into the hands of the Gentiles, the Chaldeans, to be treated as the dirt of the streets, as the sweepings of a house; or the dross of metal; or anything that is vile, mean, and contemptible. The apostle seems to have some reference to this passage; and his words may be an illustration of it, 1 Corinthians 4:13 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:46

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. Like lions and other beasts of prey, to devour us; or in way of scorn and derision; pouring out their reproaches upon us, and scoffs at us, for our religion, and the worship of God, and on account of present miseries and distresses; see Lamentations 2:16 . The Targum adds, "to decree against us evil decrees.' read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:47

Fear and a snare is come upon us ,.... Or, "fear and a pit" F13 פחד ופחת "pavor et fovea", Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis. ; the fear of failing into the pit of ruin and destruction, on the brink of which they saw themselves; or fear seized us, and caused us to flee; and a snare or pit was prepared for us to fall into; so that there was no escaping hence: desolation and destruction ; desolation or devastation of their land; and destruction of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:47

Fear and a snare - See on Jeremiah 48:13 ; (note). read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:43

Verse 43 At the first view, this complaint may seem to proceed from a bitter heart; for here the faithful complain that they had been slain, and then that God had executed his judgment as it were in darkness, without any indulgence; and the next verse confirms the same thing. But it is a simple acknowledgment of God’s righteous vengeance for in their extreme calamities the faithful could not declare that God dealt mercifully with them, for they had been subjected to extreme rigor, as we have... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:44

Verse 44 The Prophet confirms the same thing, but the words are different. He again repeats the word to cover; but, that the metaphor might be clearer and more fully explained, he says, with a cloud. He simply intimates, that a cloud interposed, that God might more unrestrainedly punish the Jews, as they had deserved. Isaiah speaks somewhat otherwise, but for the same purpose: “The hand of God,” he says, “is not shortened, nor are his ears more deaf; but your sins have interposed a distance... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:45

Verse 45 They say here that they were exposed to reproach, so as to become, as it were, the sweepings of the world. Some render סחי, sachi, “refuse;” some by other words; and some “filth:” But the word properly means sweepings or scraping’s, called by the Greeks περιψήματα. Paul says, that he and his associates were the offscouring ( περιψήματα) of the world. (1 Corinthians 4:13.) He means that they were despised as offscourings or scrapings. The word is derived from sweeping. Whatever, then,... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 3:42-54

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:43

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:44

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:45

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:46

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 3:47

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:47

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:43

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:44

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 3:45

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