seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Lamentations 4:1 [a]How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at every street corner.
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at every street corner.
2 How the precious children of Zion,
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter’s hands!
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.
4 Because of thirst the infant’s tongue
sticks to the roof of its mouth;
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.
sticks to the roof of its mouth;
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.
5 Those who once ate delicacies
are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple
now lie on ash heaps.
are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple
now lie on ash heaps.
6 The punishment of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.
is greater than that of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.
7 Their princes were brighter than snow
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 But now they are blacker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as a stick.
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as a stick.
9 Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of famine;
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.
than those who die of famine;
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.
10 With their own hands compassionate women
have cooked their own children,
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.
have cooked their own children,
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;
he has poured out his fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed her foundations.
he has poured out his fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her
the blood of the righteous.
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her
the blood of the righteous.
14 Now they grope through the streets
as if they were blind.
They are so defiled with blood
that no one dares to touch their garments.
as if they were blind.
They are so defiled with blood
that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander about,
people among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”
“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander about,
people among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”
16 The Lord himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders no favor.
he no longer watches over them.
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders no favor.
17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain for help;
from our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.
looking in vain for help;
from our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.
18 People stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles in the sky;
they chased us over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.
than eagles in the sky;
they chased us over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.
20 The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.
We thought that under his shadow
we would live among the nations.
was caught in their traps.
We thought that under his shadow
we would live among the nations.
21 Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.
But to you also the cup will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.
you who live in the land of Uz.
But to you also the cup will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.
22 Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;
he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
and expose your wickedness.
he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
and expose your wickedness.
a. Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
This is from Bible-studys.org.
Until Jerusalem, the destruction of “Sodom” was considered the epitome of God’s wrath. That Sodom was “overthrown as in a moment”, compared to the duration of Jerusalem’s defeat, and underlines how much greater Israel’s sin was. The devastation in the land was not only the result of military conquest but a famine so great that once-robust princes and nobles were dying of starvation and mothers resorted to cannibalism. This was a living death; those slain in the siege seemed to be better off.
“Nazarites”: Those who were the purest, most devout (Num. chapter 6), strong, healthy and noble of the people became dirty, weak and contemptible.
The spiritual leaders were among those most responsible for the nation’s sins, for as they behaved, so did the people. Their offense was so repulsive that shouts like those of lepers were appropriate: “unclean!” (Lev. 13:34-46), and a condemnation to exile was truly just.
Captivity would be the new reality for God’s people . The switch to first person reveals that the experience of siege and capture had been so horrific, they could not get its images out of their minds.
“Edom” was singled out because they had rejoiced over Jerusalem’s demise and even profited from it (Psalm 137:7; see Obadiah). It is dangerous business to gloat over the demise of others, even if their affliction was deserved (Prov. 24:17-18). Despite its devastation, Jerusalem expected God’s justice to ultimately prevail because of His faithfulness to His promises.
This is from Bibletrack.org.This chapter goes back to the acrostic style of chapters 1 and 2. There are 22 verses; each verse is arranged alphabetically with all the verses beginning with a word having as its first letter the successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet - 22 letters. It's poetry, sad poetry. These verses show us how tough it was in Jerusalem at the time of the fall. Nebuchadnezzar's army simply surrounded the city of Jerusalem, and over a period of 18 months they ran out of food according to Jeremiah 52:4-6. Add to that a drought, and we see unbearable conditions in Jerusalem. Notice verse 4, "The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them." Imprisoned in Jerusalem without food - the babies were starving for nourishment. And then...the unthinkable in verse 10, "The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people." That's right - cannibalism right there in Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, everyone suffered the same discomfort prior to their fall due to this starvation tactic used by the Babylonians - even the leadership. Verses 7-8 indicate that the appearance of the leaders of Jerusalem (Hebrew: "naziyr" i.e. consecrated ones, translated in the KJV as Nazarites) were visibly malnourished and poorly groomed.
And why did all of this befall Jerusalem? Because they rejected God, they were given into the hands of the Babylonians. That is made clear in verse 11, "The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof." The Babylonians were only used as a tool of God to chastise the rebellion of Judah.
The Bible is reported to be about the "chosen" people of God.... the descendants of Jacob [whom God renamed Israel]. But Jacob had a twin brother.... a brother who was older and should have been the head of the family..... but Jacob tricked his brother a few times.... even Esau's mother, Rebecca, helped Jacob steal his birthright...... Jacob's people became the Zion in this chapter and Esau's people became the Edom in this chapter. While Jacob's family was getting their butts kicked by Babylonian soldiers..... Esau's family was sitting back saying "it's about time someone took them down a peg".
Verse 22 says..... Jacob's family is learning a lesson.... but the lesson to be taught to Esau's family is still to come.
When I was a kid.... sometimes my mom would catch my brother or sisters doing something and she would spank them. I can remember my cousin giggling because they got caught.... and I heard my aunt warn her.... "don't laugh unless you want the same". She would stop abruptly.
