Lamentations 4:17-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 4:13-20

We have here, I. The sins they were charged with, for which God brought this destruction upon them, and which served to justify God in it (Lam. 4:13, 14): It is for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests. Not that the people were innocent; no, they loved to have it so (Jer. 5:31), and it was to please them that the prophets and priests did as they did; but the fault is chiefly laid upon them, who should have taught them better, should have reproved and admonished them, and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 4:21-22

David's psalms of lamentation commonly conclude with some word of comfort, which is as life from the dead and light shining out of darkness; so does this lamentation here in this chapter. The people of God are now in great distress, their aspects all doleful, their prospects all frightful, and their ill-natured neighbours the Edomites insult over them and do all they can to exasperate their destroyers against them. Such was their violence against their brother Jacob (Obad. 1:10), such their... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:18

They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets ,.... The Chaldeans, from their forts and batteries, as they could see, they watched the people as they came out of their houses, and walked about the streets, and shot their arrows at them; so that they were obliged to keep within doors, and not stir out, which they could not do without great danger: our end is near, for our days are fulfilled; for our end is come ; either the end of their lives, the days, months, and years appointed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:19

Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heavens ,.... That fly in the heavens; and which, as they have a quick sight to discern their prey afar off, are very swift to pursue it; they are the swiftest of birds, and are so to a proverb. Apuleius F9 Florida, l. 2. represents the swift pursuit of their prey, and sudden falling upon it, to be like thunder and lightning. Cicero F11 De Divinatione, l. 2. p. 2001. relates of a certain racer, that came to an interpreter of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:20

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits ,.... Or "the Messiah", or "the Christ of the Lord" F14 משיח יהוה χριστος κυριος , Sept. "Christus Dominus", V. L. "Christus Domini", Pagninus. ; not Josiah, as the Targum; and so Jarchi and others; for though he was the Lord's anointed, and the life of the people, being the head of them, as every king is, especially a good one; yet he was slain, and not taken, and much less in their pits, and that not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:21

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom ,.... The land of Idumea, and the inhabitants of it, who did indeed rejoice at the destruction of Jerusalem, Obadiah 1:12 ; and here, in an ironic manner, are bid to go on with their mirth, if they could, like the young man in Ecclesiastes 11:9 , as Aben Ezra observes; for it would not last long, their note would soon be changed: that dwellest in the land of Uz ; not the country of Job, which had its name from Uz the son of Nahor, Job 1:1 ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 4:22

The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion ,.... In part in the seventy years' captivity in Babylon, and more fully in their present captivity; for, as has been observed, there are some things in the preceding account, which had a further accomplishment in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the distress of the Jews by the Romans. The Targum is, "and after thine iniquity is fulfilled, O congregation of Zion, and thou shalt be delivered by the hands of the Messiah,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 4:17

We have watched for a nation - Viz., the Egyptians, who were their pretended allies, but were neither able nor wilting to help them against the Chaldeans. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 4:18

We cannot go in our streets - Supposed to refer to the darts and other missiles cast from the mounds which they had raised on the outside of the walls, by which those who walked in the streets were grievously annoyed, and could not shield themselves. read more

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