Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Lamentations 4:9

[They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field.

9. The two modes of death experienced in the siege are contrasted.

pine away ] lit. as mg. flow away.

stricken through ] See on Jer 37:10, where (mg.) “thrust through” is the same word in the Heb. As the expression seems scarcely applicable to those dying of hunger, the Heb. text is somewhat suspicious, but no obviously satisfactory emendation has been suggested.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

During the siege many were killed by the enemies sword, many more perished by famine; the prophet saith the condition of those who perished by the sword was much better than the condition of those who perished by famine, because they had a quicker death, and were sooner despatched and put out of their pain; whereas they who perished by hunger died a miserable, lingering death, gradually pining away, because they wanted corn and herbs, the fruits of the field, to uphold their souls in life.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

9. The speedy death by the swordis better than the lingering death by famine.

pine awayliterally,”flow out”; referring to the flow of blood. Thisexpression, and “stricken through,” are drawn from death by”the sword.”

want of . . .fruitsThe words in italics have to be supplied in the original(Gen 18:28; Psa 109:24).

Jod.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

[They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger,…. Not that they are better with respect to their state after death, but with respect to their manner of dying. They that were slain by the sword of the Chaldeans, as many were, either upon the walls, or in sallies out against the enemy, these felt less pain, and had less terror of mind in dying, than those did who perished by famine; they died a lingering death, as it were by inches, and were in continual pain of body and uneasiness of mind:

for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field: that is, those that died by famine gradually wasted or “flowed” away, their fluid parts by degrees went off; and though they were not run through with the sword, they were stabbed by famine, and were so distressed in body and mind as if a sword had pierced them; not having the fruits of the field, the corn and the wine, to support nature, and keep them alive. Jarchi’s note is,

“they that were slain with hunger were inflated at the smell of the fruits of the field, when the enemies were roasting their flesh upon the grass without the wall; the smell entered into those that swelled by famine, and their bellies burst, and their excrements flowed out; and this is the death worse than that of being slain with the sword.”

And to this agrees the Targum,

“more happy are they that are slain with the sword than they that are slain with famine; for they that are slain with the sword flowed when their bellies were burst, by that which they ate of the fruits of the field; and those that were inflated with famine, their bellies burst through “want” of food.”

Most interpreters refer this clause to those that died of famine: but Gussetius z interprets it of those that were killed with the sword; and renders and paraphrases the words thus, “for they being stabbed, sent out”; by the open wounds, “a flux, [which arose] from the fruits of the field”; their food and nourishment being yet in their belly and veins, and so did not pine away through penury and famine; and their misery was short and light, in comparison of others: and so Abendana.

z Comment. Ebr. p. 225.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The beginning of the verse is without any difficulty; for the Prophet says that it happened better to those who immediately perished by the sword than to others who had to struggle with famine, according to what he had lately said, that the punishment of Sodom was more tolerable, because it was suddenly executed. Sudden death is the easiest And the Prophet, when complaining that the ungodly prospered, so that the faithful sometimes envied them, says that they die as it were in a moment, and are taken away from the world; but he says that the faithful are held, as it were, captive by the snares of death, and protract life in perpetual languor. For this reason the Prophet now says that the punishment of death would have been light to the Jews. And yet we know that. a violent death is regarded by us with horror. For he who dies on his bed is said to yield to his fate, as he seems to pay what he owes to nature; but, he who is slain by the sword is violently snatched away, and, as it were, contrary to nature. Violent death, then, is always horrible. But the comparison used by the Prophet amplifies the atrocity of their punishment, because it would have been more desirable to have been killed at once than to remain alive to struggle with famine.

And he expresses himself more clearly by saying that they pined away, having been pierced through by the fruits of the earth There is here some obscurity, but by the fruits of the earth, we are no doubt to understand all kinds of food. Some consider that “defect,” or failure, is to be understood. But the Prophet speaks much more emphatically, even that all the productions of the earth took vengeance on this wicked people, by refusing the usual supply. The earth is the servant of God’s bounty and kindness; for it is the same as though he with his hand extended food to us, when the earth opens its bowels; so also the productions of the earth are evidences of God’s paternal love towards us. Now, when the fruits of the earth withdraw themselves from us, they are as it were the weapons to execute God’s vengeance. So, then, the Prophet means that the Jews had been pierced through by the fruits of the earth, and thus had pined away; as though he had said, that they had not been pierced by the sword, but had been wounded by famine, for the productions of the earth became, as it were, swords, while yet they sustain, as we have said, the life of men. (215)

(215) Houbigant and Blayney have given the following version of this clause, which has been approved by Horsley, —

For those (the former) departed, having been cut off Before the fruits of the field.

That is, they bad been cut off before the fruits of the field failed, which occasioned the famine. This rendering is more satisfactory than our version or that of Calvin. — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(9) For want of . . .The italics indicate the difficulty of the sentence. Literally the clause stands, from the fruits of the field, and it has been explained by some as referring to those that died in battle, stricken through while yet there were fruits, i.e., not doomed to perish slowly from hunger. The construction of Psa. 109:24, however, faileth of fatnessi.e., for want of fatnessgives a sufficient support to the Authorised version.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Lam 4:9. For these pine away For they who are cut down by the sword, have departed quickly as the fruits of the field: “They who have perished by the sword, are quickly cut down like the ripe fruits of the field; and therefore it is better with them than with those who have wasted away by a long famine.” Houbigant.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Lam 4:9 [They that be] slain with the sword are better than [they that be] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [want of] the fruits of the field.

Ver. 9. They that be slain with the sword are better. ] They suffer less pain in dying; they are soon despatched. See on Lam 4:6 . But famine is a hard weapon.

“ Triste genus mortis miseris mortalibus omne:

Est tureen imprimis triste perire fame. ”

For these pine away. ] By a lingering death, as Drusus the Roman, to whom food being denied, he had eaten the stuffings of his bed, saith Suetonius; and our Richard II, who was tantalised and starved to death at Pomfret Castle, where his diet being served in and set before him in the wonted princely manner, he was not suffered either to taste or touch thereof. a

Stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. ] Those “precious fruits of the earth,” as James the apostle calleth them. Jam 5:7 These as a sword defend us from death; and the want of them, as a sword, runneth us through. In the time of Otho the emperor, there was so great a scarcity of bread grain in Germany for three years together that many thousands died of hunger; in remembrance of which great dearth there is yearly baked at Erfurt a little loaf, such as was then sold for much money. b

a Speed, 766.

b Melanchth.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

are = have proved.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

for: Lev 26:39, Eze 24:23, Eze 33:10

pine away: Heb. flow out

Reciprocal: Gen 47:13 – so that Exo 16:3 – Would Num 20:3 – when 1Ki 17:12 – that we may eat it 2Ki 7:13 – they are even 1Ch 21:12 – three years’ famine Psa 59:15 – for meat Isa 5:13 – honourable men are famished Isa 8:21 – hardly bestead Isa 22:2 – thy slain Isa 36:12 – that they may Jer 14:2 – they Jer 14:18 – go forth Jer 22:10 – Weep ye Jer 37:21 – until Lam 1:20 – abroad Lam 2:11 – because Lam 4:6 – the punishment Eze 4:16 – eat Eze 5:9 – that which Eze 6:7 – slain Eze 14:13 – break

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Lam 4:9. The ceremonial glory was taken from thsee men, and also they were exposed to the sword of the en-emy. Of the two misfortunes, to perish with hunger was worse than to be slain outright with the sword.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

4:9 [They that are] slain with the sword are better than [they that are] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for [lack of] the {f} fruits of the field.

(f) For lack of food they pine away and consume.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Some had died in battle, but others had starved to death. Those who had died by the sword were more fortunate because a swift death is better than a gradual one.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)