Lamentations 4

Lamentations 4 is the fourth chapter of the Book of Lamentations in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.^[1][2] This book contains the elegies of prophet Jeremiah as Zion bewaileth her misery, confesseth her sins, Lamentations 4:1-6. Miseries of the chief ones; women who killed and dressed their own children, Lamentations 4:7-12. The sin of the false prophets and priests; their vain hope, Lamentations 4:13-19. Their king taken prisoner, Lamentations 4:20. Edom is threatened, and Zion comforted, Lamentations 4:21,22.^[3] It is a part of the Ketuvim ("Writings").^[4][5]

Text

• The original text is written in Hebrew language.
• This chapter is divided into 22 verses.
• The chapter is acrostic, divided into twenty-two stanzas or verses. The stanzas consist of triplets of lines, each beginning with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in regular order (twenty-two in number).^[3]
• In verses 16-17, two letters are transposed. This is found is three instances in the whole book (Lamentations 2:16, 17; 3:46-51; 4:16, 17). Grotius thinks the reason for the inversion of two of the Hebrew letters, is that the Chaldeans, like the Arabians, used a different order from the Hebrews; in the first Elegy (chapter), Jeremiah speaks as a Hebrew, in the following ones, as one subject to the Chaldeans. However, this is doubtful.^[3]

Textual versions

Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter in Hebrew language:

• Masoretic Text (10th century)
• Dead Sea Scrolls: (2nd century BC)^[6][7]
  • 5Q6 (5QLam^a): extant: verses 5‑8, 11‑16, 19‑22^[6]
  • 5Q7 (5QLam^b): extant: verses 17‑20^[6]

Ancient translations in Koine Greek:

• Septuagint (3rd century BC)
• Theodotion version (~AD 180)

Structure

NKJV groups this chapter into:

• Lamentations 4:1-22 = The Degradation of Zion

Verse 1

How is the gold become dim!

how is the most fine gold changed!

the stones of the sanctuary are poured out

in the top of every street.^[8]

• "How" (Hebrew, Eichah): the title of the collection repeated here, and in Lamentations 2:1.^[3]
• "Gold": the splendid adornment of the temple [Calvin] (Lamentations 1:10; 1 Kings 6:22; Jeremiah 52:19); or, the principal men of Judea [Grotius] (Lamentations 4:2).^[3]
• "The stones of the sanctuary": The precious stones are the "sons of Zion," who are compared to "fine gold" in verse 2, precisely as they are in Zechariah 9:16 (compare Lamentations 4:13," Thy sons, O Zion") to "the stones of a crown." They are called "stones of the sanctuary," in allusion, perhaps, to the precious stones employed in the decoration of the temple according to 1 Chronicles 29:2 and 2 Chronicles 3:6. But we may also translate hallowed stones, which better suits the figurative use of the phrase. Those, however, who adopt the literal interpretation, explain "the stones of the sanctuary" of the hewn stones of the fabric of the temple, which are described as "costly" in 1 Kings 5:17. But how can even a poet have represented the enemy as carrying these stones out and throwing them down in the street? On the other hand, in an earlier lamentation we are expressly told that the young children "fainted for hunger in the top of every street" (Lamentations 2:19).^[9] The stones can also refer to the gems on the breastplate of the high priest; or, metaphorically, the priests and Levites.^[3]

Verse 2

The precious sons of Zion,

comparable to fine gold,

how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers,

the work of the hands of the potter!^[10]

• "The precious sons of Zion": The whole nation was consecrated to God, and formed "a kingdom of priests" Exodus 19:6; in this respect, a type of the Christian Church 1 Peter 2:5.^[11]
• "earthen pitchers" see Isaiah 30:14; Jeremiah 19:11.^[3]
• "The work of the hands of the potter": they are indeed earthen vessels with respect to their bodies, frail, weak, and mortal; but they are the work of God's hands, even as creatures, and particularly as new creatures, and are a curious piece of his workmanship, and so valuable, and especially by him, who is as tender and as careful of them as the apple of his eye; and yet these are greatly disesteemed by carnal men, are reckoned as the faith of the world, and the offscouring of all things; as earthen vessels, fit for no use but common or dishonourable ones, or to be broke in pieces, and rendered useless and contemptible: see Psalm 31:12.^[12]

See also

• Related Bible parts: Isaiah 30, Lamentations 1, Lamentations 2

Notes and references

Bibliography

External links

Jewish

• Lamentations 4 Hebrew with Parallel English
• Lamentations 4 Hebrew with Rashi's Commentary

Christian

• Lamentations 4 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate