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| .1
¶ How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is
she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess
among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
.2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. |
Widow
A very humiliating situation in the culture of Israel. She sits solitarily
– alone. See re1807.
Great among the nations In the time of David and Solomon. Tributary or "forced laborer," NASB. The word is in ex0111. Lovers Jerusalem was the Lord's bride but she became unfaithful and followed the ways of the surrounding nations. See je0430. |
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3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because
of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest:
all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. |
No
rest Or "resting place." ge0809.
The spiritual sense may be more important here ps11607.
Ways ... gates Also described as human. No one walked on the paths to feasts at Jerusalem. |
| .5
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted
her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into
captivity before the enemy.
6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. |
Chief Or "head." de2844 fulfilled. |
| .7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. | Jerusalem
remembered. She wept in verse 2. She is like a woman in trouble.
And Jeremiah may be experiencing the trouble. Thus he prophesied through
his experience. Compare John's experience of prophetic significance. He
ate a book re1009-11.
Mock at her sabbaths Others mock what is not normal for themselves. The word here translated "sabbaths" however, is unique in the OT. It may actually refer to Jerusalem's cessation. The people were not keeping the Sabbath at the time je1719ff. |
| .8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. | Jerusalem
... sinned She had made alliances with other nations thus being
unfaithful like a prostitute.
Is removed Literally, "is become impure." Both ceremonial and morally unclean 2ch2905, ezr0911. Those who desire purity may have it 1pe0122. She is removed "as a woman separated from the congregation of God for legal impurity, which is a type of moral impurity. See La 1:17; Le 12:2; 15:19, &c." (JFB). Despise ... seen ... nakedness As of conquered people. |
| 9 Her filthiness
is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came
down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for
the enemy hath magnified himself.
10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. |
Filthiness
... skirts Spiritual adultery. Compare the end-time spiritual adultery
re1802
fallen.
Heathen ... not enter Consider "the Ammonites and Moabites (De 23:3; Ne 13:1,2)." |
| 11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile. | Seek
bread ... relieve the soul Literally, "...
to cause the soul or life to return." Apparently they spent their money
for entertainment and alcohol (soul bread).
I am becoming vile Jerusalem may be speaking. (v8). And Jeremiah bears the burden of her guilt. "Becoming vile" may refer to depression. |
| 12 ¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. | Nothing to you? "The pathetic appeal of Jerusalem, not only to her neighbors, but even to the strangers "passing by," as her sorrow is such as should excite the compassion even of those unconnected with her. She here prefigures Christ, whom the language is prophetically made to suit, more than Jerusalem. Compare Israel, that is, Messiah, Isa 49:3. Compare with "pass by," Mt 27:39; Mr 15:29." |
| 13 From
above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them:
he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made
me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. |
Fire into my bones Or in my inner self. See ge0713. Literal fire had done a terrible thing to the city. |
| .15
The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me:
he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath
trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. |
The
Lord What God allows He may be said to cause
because He is in control of all things.
Trodden From samech. See ps119:118. |
| .17
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD
hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about
him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. |
Zion ... none to comfort The mountain Jerusalem was on is called Zion 2ki1931. |
| 19
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders
gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve
their souls.
19 I sent for my lovers, but they were false to me: my priests and my responsible men were breathing their last breath in the town, while they were looking for food to give them new life. (BBE) 20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death. |
Lovers
See v2 and v17
and je1314.
Gave up the ghost ... sought meat They died while continuing the process of life. See v15 |
| 21 They
have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have
heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring
the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint. |
Thou
wilt bring the day Should read, "You have brought the day."
Their wickedness ... before thee In judgment. Faint Literally "sick." |
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