LAMENTATIONS, BOOK OF
In Biblical days lamentations or dirges were composed and chanted for deceased friends (2 Sam. 1:17-27), devastated nations (Amos 5:1, 2) and ruined cities (Ezek. 27:2, 32-36). The book of Lamentations furnishes an inspired example of such mournful, composition. It consists of five lyrical poems (in five chapters) lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem at Babylonian hands in 607 B.C.E.
The book acknowledges that Jehovah justly brought punishment upon Jerusalem and Judah due to the error of his people. (Lam. 1:5, 18) It also highlights God’s loving-kindness and mercy and shows that Jehovah is good to the one hoping in him.—Lam. 3:22, 25.
NAME
In the Hebrew this book is named by the opening word ʼEh·khahʹ, which means “How!” The Septuagint translators called the book Threʹnoi, meaning “Dirges; Laments.” In the Talmud it is identified by the term Qi·nohthʹ, meaning “Dirges; Elegies,” and it is called Lamentationes (Latin) by Jerome. The English name “Lamentations” comes from this latter title.
PLACE IN THE BIBLE CANON
In the Hebrew canon the book of Lamentations is usually counted in among the five Meghil·lohthʹ (Rolls), consisting of The Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. However, in ancient copies of the Hebrew Scriptures the book of Lamentations is said to have followed the book of Jeremiah, as it does in English Bibles of today.
WRITER
In the Septuagint Version this book is introduced with the words: “And it occurred that, after Israel had been taken captive and Jerusalem had been desolated, Jeremiah sat down weeping and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem and said.” The Targums also identify Jeremiah as the writer, introducing it as follows: “Jeremiah the prophet and great priest said.” The introduction in the Vulgate is: “And it occurred that, after Israel had been led away into captivity and Jerusalem was deserted, Jeremiah the prophet sat weeping and wailed with this lamentation over Jerusalem; and sighing with a bitter spirit, and moaning woefully, he said.”
STYLE
The five chapters of the book of Lamentations consist of five poems, the first four of which are acrostics. The Hebrew alphabet has twenty-two distinct letters (consonants) and in each of the first four chapters of Lamentations successive verses begin with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Chapters one, two and four each have twenty-two verses arranged alphabetically according to the Hebrew alphabet, verse one beginning with the first Hebrew letter ʼaʹleph, verse two commencing with the second letter, behth, and so forth, to the end of the alphabet. Chapter three has sixty-six verses and in it three successive verses begin with the same Hebrew letter before passing on to the next letter.
In chapters two, three and four there is a reversal of the letters ʽaʹyin and peʼ (there they are not in the same order as in Lamentations chapter one and Psalm 119). But this does not mean that the inspired writer of Lamentations made a mistake. It has been observed in a consideration of this matter: “Still less does the irregularity in question permit of being attributed to an oversight on the part of the composer . . . , for the irregularity is repeated in three poems. It is rather connected with another circumstance. For we find in other alphabetic poems also, especially the older ones, many deviations from the rule, which undeniably prove that the composers bound themselves rigorously by the order of the alphabet only so long as it fitted in to the course of thought without any artificiality.” (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament by C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, The Prophecies of Jeremiah, Vol, II, p. 338) Among examples then cited are Psalm 34, where the waw verse is lacking, and Psalm 145, which omits the nun verse. The fact that strict adherence to the alphabetical arrangement of Hebrew letters is not present in these inspired writings should cause no concern. The use of acrostics undoubtedly served as a memory aid, but the message was of primary importance and thought content took precedence over any literary device.
Lamentations chapter five is not an acrostic poem, though it does contain twenty-two verses, the same number as the distinct letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
TIME OF COMPOSITION
The vividness of Lamentations shows that the book was written shortly after Jerusalem’s fall in 607 B.C.E., while the events of the Babylonian siege and burning of Jerusalem were still fresh in the mind of Jeremiah. There is general agreement that the book of Lamentations was penned soon after Jerusalem’s fall, and it is reasonable to conclude that the writing of it was completed in 607 B.C.E.
FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
Fulfilled in Jerusalem’s experience as vividly portrayed in the book of Lamentations were the words of Deuteronomy 28:63-65. The fulfillment of various other divine prophecies and warnings is also shown in this book. For example, compare Lamentations 1:2 with Jeremiah 30:14; Lamentations 2:17 with Leviticus 26:17; Lamentations 2:20 with Deuteronomy 28:53.
CONTENTS
In the first chapter, beginning with verse twelve, Jeremiah personifies Jerusalem, God’s covenant “woman” Zion, as speaking. (Isa. 62:1-6) She is now desolate, as though widowed and bereft of her children, a captive woman put into forced labor as a slave. In chapter two, Jeremiah himself speaks. In chapter three, Jeremiah pours out his feelings, transferring them to the figure of the nation as an “able-bodied man.” In chapter four, Jeremiah continues his lament. In the fifth chapter, the inhabitants of Jerusalem are pictured as speaking. The expressions of acknowledgment of sin, the hope and confidence in Jehovah, and the desire to turn to the right way, as portrayed throughout, were not the actual feelings of the majority of the people. However, there was a remnant like Jeremiah. So the view expressed in the book of Lamentations is a true evaluation of Jerusalem’s situation as God saw it.
The book of Lamentations is therefore a true and valuable record, inspired by God.
OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I. Jerusalem is personified as a widow, sitting solitary in her grief (1:1-22)
A. Once a princess, now a slave; her “lovers” have forsaken her; her people have become captives of the adversary (1:1-7)
B. Jerusalem’s sinfulness has made her an abhorrent thing; her sanctuary has been violated by the nations, and hunger prevails (1:8-11)
C. She cries out that Jehovah has been alert to her transgressions; Jehovah himself is the one who has justly brought calamity upon her for rebelling against him (1:12-20)
D. She asks Him to repay her exulting enemies, dealing as severely with them as with her (1:21, 22)
II. Jehovah has executed judgment against Jerusalem (2:1-22)
A. He has thrown her “down from heaven to earth,” not remembering his “footstool”; he has become like an enemy (2:1-5)
B. Jehovah has caused festival and sabbath to be forgotten and has spurned his sanctuary; in his anger he has shown no respect for king and priest (2:6, 7)
C. God has brought ruin; there is mourning over Zion’s breakdown; her prophets have visioned worthless, misleading things; they have not uncovered her error (2:8-14)
D. Passersby wonder and enemies gloat over her desolate state (2:15-17)
E. Jeremiah calls on Jerusalem to pour out her heart to Jehovah (2:18, 19)
F. Jerusalem is pictured calling out to God for help because of the atrocities committed in His city and sanctuary (2:20-22)
III. As an “able-bodied man” the nation laments, expresses confidence in Jehovah’s mercy and repurchase of his people (3:1-66)
A. He describes great affliction suffered, the result of Jehovah’s fury (3:1-18)
B. Determines to show a waiting attitude, accept disciplinary yoke (3:19-30)
1. Knows that Jehovah will show mercy; not out of his heart has Jehovah afflicted (3:31-33)
2. As a sinful man, he cannot complain against God’s righteous acts (3:34-39)
C. Calls on nation to search out their own ways, return to Jehovah, who has up to this point blocked approach and prayer (3:40-45)
D. Reviews oppression (3:46-54)
E. Appeals to Jehovah with assurance that Jehovah will respond (3:55-58)
F. Expresses faith in Jehovah’s justice and repayment of vicious enemies (3:59-66)
IV. Distress attending the siege and captivity (4:1-22)
A. The temple’s glory has dimmed, Zion’s “sons” are of little value, and thirst and famine prevail (4:1-5)
B. Punishment for sin greater than that of Sodom; Nazirites’ “aspect has become darker than blackness,” and famine has caused women to eat their own children (4:6-10)
C. Jehovah’s anger has been poured out to burn up Zion, a thing unbelievable to land’s inhabitants (4:11, 12)
D. Prophets and priests responsible for bloodshed (4:13-16)
E. No salvation has come from looking to men (4:17)
F. Enemies pursue mercilessly; even Davidic king has been captured (4:18-20)
G. Let Edom exult now; but Zion’s error paid for, now Edom will get attention for her sins (4:21, 22)
V. Petition made to Jehovah for deliverance from desolation and captivity (5:1-22)
A. Jehovah is asked to remember his ‘orphaned’ people (5:1-5)
B. They have given their hand to Egypt and Assyria for bread, and have had to bear their forefathers’ errors (5:6, 7)
C. Mere servants rule over them; wives and virgins, princes, old and young men have been debased; they are sick at heart over their circumstances (5:8-18)
D. They beg that Jehovah bring them back to himself, though he has rejected them in indignation (5:19-22)
See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 130-132.