Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Lamentations 1:2
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.
2. in the night ] The time of natural silence and darkness is made a part of the picture in order to heighten the effect. The absence of the distractions of the day intensifies the sense of bereavement.
her lovers (cp. Lam 1:19) her friends ] the neighbouring states, with whom in the sunshine of prosperity she was on friendly terms (cp. Jer 4:30; Jer 30:14). Such were Chaldaeans, Syrians, Moabites, Ammonites (2Ki 24:2), Edomites (Psa 137:7), Tyrians (Eze 26:3), Egyptians (Eze 17:17; Eze 29:6 ff.). For these last cp. Lam 4:17; Jer 37:5; for Edom Lam 4:21 f.; and for Ammon, Jer 40:14; Eze 25:3-7.
her friends enemies ] In the original there is a figure of paronomasia ( ’ohb ha, ’oybm).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lovers … friends – i. e. the states in alliance with Judaea, and all human helpers.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Lam 1:2
She weepeth sore in the night.
Lonely sorrow
1. According to the measure of Gods correcting hand upon us, must our grief be.
(1) Because God is sure to be (at the least) so angry as His rods are heavy.
(2) Our sins do cause Him to afflict us, which we must repent of according to the measure of Gods anger against them appearing by His smiting of us. This reproves them that remain unrepentant, when the correcting hand of God is upon them. It teaches us to increase in sorrow and lamentation, seeing the trouble of the Church in general, and our own crosses in particular are daily increased.
2. Weeping for sin and its punishment is such a sign of true repentance as we must labour to show forth, especially in time of calamity.
(1) Because the heart appeareth then to be truly affected when it breaketh into tears.
(2) The godly have always been brought thereunto (Joe 2:12). This reproves our corruption, that can easily be brought to weep for a worldly loss, but hardly for our sins. We must labour against this with all diligence, carefully using all the means of grace.
3. It is a grievous plague to lack comforts in affliction; the contrary whereof is a great blessing.
(1) Because the comfortable words and deeds of others will mitigate the sense of the misery.
(2) It adds to the grief to be left alone in it.
4. It is an intolerable grief to have friends become foes.
(1) Because we put great trust in our friends, and promise ourselves much assistance by them.
(2). They having been most inward with us, may do us more harm than those whom we have always esteemed enemies. Let us take heed with what men we make friendship. Let us not be dismayed though our friends become our foes, seeing it hath been often the lot of the godly, but seek to God the more earnestly for His assistance.
5. God often leaveth His people destitute of all outward help and comfort, to teach us to rest upon Him alone at whose disposition all things are, and not upon any outward thing, seem it never so glorious to our outward eyes. (J. Udall.)
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her.
Adversity the test of friendship
We do not know our friends until we are in some extremity. Fair-weather friends are not to be implicitly trusted. You cannot know a man until you have had occasion to test him by some practical sacrifice; until you have opposed a man you do not know what his temper is; until you have disappointed a man you cannot tell the extent of his good nature; until you have seen a man in trial you know nothing whatever of his grace or his virtue. Many persons shine the more brightly because of the surrounding darkness; they have no genius for conversation, they cannot display themselves in public, they are but poorly feathered and coloured, so that they have nothing to attract and gratify the attention of curiosity: but how full of life they are when their friends are in trouble, how constant in watchfulness, how liberal in contribution, how patient under exasperation! These are the men to trust! As we should never see the stars but for the darkness, so we never should see real friendship but for our affliction and sorrow. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. Among all her lovers] Her allies; her friends, instead of helping her, have helped her enemies. Several who sought her friendship when she was in prosperity, in the time of David and Solomon, are now among her enemies.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All her hours are hours of sadness, she doth not only mourn in the day time, but in the night also, when she should rest; her cheeks are like the grass in the morning, hanging full of drops, as if her head were a fountain of water, and her eyes rivers of tears. In her prosperity she had a great many friends that sought and courted her favour, with whom she made leagues and confederated (such were the Egyptians, Assyrians, &c.); but they were now so far from helping the Jews, that they helped their enemies, and dealt treacherously with them, becoming themselves enemies instead of assistants to them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. in the nighteven in thenight, the period of rest and oblivion of griefs (Job7:3).
lovers . . . friendstheheathen states allied to Judah, and their idols. The idols whom she”loved” (Jer2:20-25) could not comfort her. Her former allies wouldnot: nay, some “treacherously” joined her enemies againsther (2Ki 24:2; 2Ki 24:7;Psa 137:7).
Gimel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
She weepeth sore in the night,…. Or, “weeping weeps” i; two weepings, one for the first, the other for the second temples k; and while others are taking their sleep and rest; a season fit for mourners, when they can give their grief the greater vent, without any interruption from others; and it being now a night of affliction with her, which occasioned this sore weeping. Jarchi observes, that it was in the night that the temple was burnt:
and her tears [are] on her cheeks; continue there, being always flowing, and never wholly dried up; which shows how great her grief was, and that her weeping was without intermission; or otherwise tears do not lie long, but are soon dried up, or wiped off:
among all her lovers she hath none to comfort [her]; as the Assyrians formerly were, Eze 23:5; and more lately the Egyptians her allies and confederates, in whom she trusted; but these gave her no assistance; nor yielded her any relief in her distress; nor so much as spoke one word of comfort to her:
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies; those who pretended great friendship to her, and were in strict alliance with her, acted the treacherous part, and withdrew from her, leaving her to the common enemy; and not only so, but behaved towards her in a hostile manner themselves; for “the children of Noph and Tahapanes”, places in Egypt confederate with the Jews, are said to “have broken the crown of their head”, Jer 2:16. The Targum interprets the “lovers” of the “idols” she loved to follow, who now could be of no use unto her by way of comfort.
i “plorando plorat”, Vatablus; “plorando plorabit”, Pagninus, Montanus. k T. Sanhedr. ib. col. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In this sorrow of hers she has not a single comforter, since all her friends from whom she could expect consolation have become faithless to her, and turned enemies. , “weeping she weeps,” i.e., she weeps very much, or bitterly, not continually (Meier); the inf. abs. before the verb does not express the continuation, but the intensity of the action Gesenius, 131, 3, a; Ewald, 312]. , “in the night,” not “on into the night” (Ewald). The weeping by night does not exclude, but includes, weeping by day; cf. Lam 2:18. Night is mentioned as the time when grief and sorrow are wont to give place to sleep. When tears do not cease to flow even during the night, the sorrow must be overwhelming. The following clause, “and her tears are upon her cheek,” serves merely to intensify, and must not be placed (with Thenius) in antithesis to what precedes: “while her sorrow shows itself most violently during the loneliness of the night, her cheeks are yet always wet with tears (even during the day).” But the greatness of this sorrow of heart is due to the fact that she has no comforter, – a thought which is repeated in Lam 1:9, Lam 1:16, Lam 1:17, and Lam 1:21. For her friends are faithless, and have become enemies. “Lovers” and “friends” are the nations with which Jerusalem made alliances, especially Egypt (cf. Jer 2:36.); then the smaller nations round about, – Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Phoenicians, with which Zedekiah had conspired against the king of Babylon, Jer 27:3. Testimony is given in Psa 137:7 to the hostile dealing on the part of the Edomites against Judah at the destruction of Jerusalem; and Ezekiel (Eze 25:3, Eze 25:6) charges the Ammonite and Tyrians with having shown malicious delight over the fall of Jerusalem; but the hostility of the Moabites is evident from the inimical behaviour of their King Baalis towards Judah, mentioned in Jer 40:14.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Jeremiah still pursues the same subject, for he could not have spoken briefly and in a few words of things so bitter and mournful; and he seems to have felt deeply the ruin of his own country. And when we wish to penetrate into the hearts of those whose sorrow we desire to alleviate, it is necessary that they should understand that we sympathize with them. For when any one stronger than another seeks to mitigate another’s grief, he will be disregarded if what he adduces seems to proceed from an unfeeling barbarity. Had, then, Jeremiah spoken as it were in contempt., he could have hardly hoped for any fruit from his teaching, for the Jews would have thought him void of all human feelings. This, then, is the reason why he bewails, as one of the people, the calamity of the city. He did not, however, dissemble in any degree in the history he related; but we know that God’s servants, while they speak in earnest, do not yet forget prudence; for they regard in this respect what is useful; and their doctrine ought in a manner to be so regulated as to produce effect on the hearers.
He then says that the weeping of Jerusalem was continual; for he says first, Weeping she wept, and then, in the night; by which words he means that there was no intermission. For the night is given us for rest, and God intends some relaxation to men by the interchange of nights and days. When, therefore, the Prophet says that Jerusalem, weeping, wept in the night, he intimates that her sorrow, as I have stated, was continual. Then he adds, her tears are on her cheeks. Some render it jaws, but improperly; the word לחי, lachi, indeed means a jaw, but it is to be taken for cheeks, or cheek-bones. Then he means that tears were so profuse as to wet the whole face. It is possible in weeping to restrain tears; but when they flow over the whole face and cover the cheeks, it is an evidence of great mourning. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet says that tears were on her cheeks; for he wished to shew that tears were profusely shed.
He says further, She has no comforter. And this circumstance ought to be noticed, for nothing is more seasonable in grief than to have friends near us to shew us kindness, to be partakers of sorrow, and to apply the consolations which may be had. But when no one feels for us in our evils, our sorrow is much more increased. The Prophet then says that there was no one seeking to soothe the griefs of Jerusalem. He adds, of all thy friends. Had Jerusalem been always forsaken, she could have borne it better when no comforter was present. For we see that miserable men are not thus soft and tender when very grievous calamities happen to them; they do not look here and there for friends to come to them, and why? because they have always been disregarded. It is, then, nothing new to them, even in the greatest adversities, to have no one to shew them any tokens of kindness. But when they who have had many friends, and thought that they would be always ready to bring them aid — when they see themselves forsaken, their sorrow becomes much more grievous. This, then, is what the Prophet means in saying, that of many friends there were none to comfort Jerusalem in her miseries.
There is not yet a doubt but that he indirectly reproved Jerusalem; and by אהבים, aebim, he understood lovers, as we have seen in other places; for as they thought themselves safe by means of ungodly treaties, the prophets say that they were like harlots who everywhere prostitute themselves and make gain by their lasciviousness, and allure lovers on every side. It was, therefore, right of the Prophet to remind the Jews in this place of that wickedness, even that they had conciliated at one time the Egyptians, at another, the Assyrians, like an impudent woman, who is not satisfied with her own husband, but draws lovers from all quarters. However this may be, he no doubt understands by friends those who confederated with them; and who were these? even those with whom the Jews had connected themselves, having disregarded God; for they had been sufficiently warned by the prophets not to form connections with the heathens. But, at. the same time, Jeremiah sets forth the atrocity of the thing by saying that there was none of all her friends a comforter to Jerusalem, because all her friends had acted perfidiously. It follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) She weepeth sore in the night.The intensity of the sorrow is emphasised by the fact that the tears do not cease even in the time which commonly brings rest and repose to mourners. The lovers and the friends are the nations, Egypt (Jer. 2:36), Edomites, Moabites, and others, with which Judah had been in alliance, and which now turned against her. (Comp. Psa. 137:7; Eze. 25:3-6; Jer. 40:14, for instances of their hostility, and specially Lam. 4:21.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Weepeth in the night “Night” is mentioned, not as excluding, but rather including, day. Her grief is so poignant that her tears do not cease to flow even in the night time, which ought to be a season of rest and oblivion of grief.
Lovers The nations friendly to the Jews; and, in general, all human comforts.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lam 1:2. Among all her lovers, &c. “All her allies, whose friendship she courted by sinful compliances, have forsaken her in the night of her afflictions, and even joined with her enemies in insulting over her.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“All her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.” Lam 1:2
Probably this was the keenest pang in all her agony. Men have a right to look for their friends when the clouds darken and the wind rises, but when it is found that even friends have abandoned us we may well begin to feel the misery of loneliness. We do not know our friends until we are in some extremity of suffering. Fair-weather friends are not to be implicitly trusted. You cannot know a man until you have had occasion to test him by some practical sacrifice; until you have opposed a man you do not know what his temper is; until you have disappointed a man you cannot tell the extent of his good nature; until you have seen a man in trial you know nothing whatever of his grace or his virtue. Many persons shine the more brightly because of the surrounding darkness; they have no genius for conversation, they cannot display themselves in public, they are but poorly feathered and coloured, so that they have nothing to attract and gratify the attention of curiosity: but how full of life they are when their friends are in trouble, how constant in watchfulness, how liberal in contribution, how patient under exasperation! These are the men to trust. As we should never see the stars but for the darkness, so we never should see real friendship but for our affliction and sorrow. In the case before us the friends not only abandoned Judah, they dealt treacherously with her; they not only assumed an attitude of indifference, they occupied a position of direct and bitter hostility “They are become her enemies.” How poor a trust is human love if it be not sanctified and inspired from on high; how frail is our best affection, and how empty our truest confidence, if it be a matter of calculation or investment or mere policy: only that friendship is true, and therefore eternal, which is founded upon merit, upon a recognition of moral attributes and qualities, and upon an assurance: of moral worthiness. These are the circumstances which do not change with clime or temperature or circumstances. There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. It is the very glory of Christ that when all others forsake us he appears to our soul in larger stature and in diviner loveliness than before. To him midnight is as midday; he does not walk with us only in the flowery garden or in the summer meadow, he is at our side when the hill is steepest, when the road is roughest, when the wind rises into storm and fury; we need not say to him, Abide with us, for the thought of leaving us never entered into his heart; if he were to leave us it would be in the summer-time, but in winter frost and snow his love is always round about us as a protecting robe. Have no friends but those who are friends of Christ. Let each human friendship express a still larger affection; then it will be without hesitation or reserve or self-regard, a living sacrifice, a beautiful, unselfish, Christianlike service.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Lam 1:2 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.
Ver. 2. She weepeth sore. ] Heb., Weeping she weepeth – i.e., sadly and soakingly, or as we say, savourly, seeking that way to ease her sorrow, which is so deep and downright.
“ Expletur lachrymis, egeriturque dolore. ”
In the night.
“ Iam iacet in viduo squallida facta toro. ”
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
weepeth sore. Note Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6). The Hebrew = a weeping she weepeth. Thus well rendered. See note on Gen 26:28; and note the Figure of speech Prosopopoeia (App-6).
lovers: i.e. allies, whom she had preferred to Jehovah. See Jer 2:17, Jer 2:27, Jer 2:36, Jer 2:37; Jer 4:30; Jer 22:22. Eze 23; and Lam 29:6, Lam 29:7, Lam 29:16.
enemies. Especially the Edomites and Ammonites. Compare Jer 12:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
weepeth: Lam 1:16, Lam 2:11, Lam 2:18, Lam 2:19, Job 7:3, Psa 6:6, Psa 77:2-6, Jer 9:1, Jer 9:17-19, Jer 13:17
among: Lam 1:19, Jer 4:30, Jer 22:20-22, Jer 30:14, Eze 16:37, Eze 23:22-25, Hos 2:7, Rev 17:13, Rev 17:16
none: Lam 1:9, Lam 1:16, Lam 1:17, Lam 1:21, Isa 51:18, Isa 51:19
all her friends: Job 6:15, Job 19:13, Job 19:14, Psa 31:11, Pro 19:7, Mic 7:5
Reciprocal: Ecc 4:1 – they had Isa 5:5 – I will take Isa 24:16 – the treacherous Isa 54:11 – not comforted Isa 60:15 – thou Jer 6:26 – make thee Jer 9:18 – our eyes Jer 10:19 – Woe Jer 23:10 – the land Jer 38:22 – have set Jer 41:3 – General Joh 11:19 – to comfort
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lam 1:2. Israel had doted on many nations but none of them stood by her now.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Lam 1:2. She weepeth sore in the night In the Hebrew, according to the idiom of that language, it is, Weeping she weepeth, which our old English version renders, She weepeth continually. The expression, in the night, is interpreted by some to signify her condition was so unhappy that, though oppressed with calamities, she did not dare to utter her complaints, unless secretly in the night, for fear of irritating her enemies. Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her Those nations that courted her alliance in the time of her prosperity, or those allies, whose friendship she courted by sinful compliances, have forsaken her in her affliction, and joined with her enemies in insulting over her. Several of the neighbouring princes sent their ambassadors to Zedekiah, Jer 27:3, &c., to engage him, as appears from the context, to join them in a confederacy against the power of the king of Babylon. But they not only universally failed, and deserted Judah in the time of need, but most of them turned against her, and took a malignant pleasure in aggravating her misfortunes. See Blaney and the margin.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1:2 She weepeth bitterly in the {c} night, and her tears [are] on her cheeks: among all her {d} lovers she hath none to comfort [her]: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
(c) So that she takes no rest.
(d) Meaning the Egyptians and Assyrians who promised help.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The prophet personified Jerusalem as a young girl abandoned by her lovers and betrayed by her friends (cf. Jer 4:30; Jer 30:14). Normally weeping gives way to sleep at night, but when it does not, sorrow is very great indeed.