Lamentations 4

In this chapter, Jeremiah brought together a number of vivid images to describe what the people endured in the siege and fall of Jerusalem. These calamities had been announced in the terms of the covenant (Deut. 28—30), so the Jews shouldn’t have been surprised when they occurred.

Gold and jewels (vv. 1–2, 7–8). These stand for the people of Israel, precious in the sight of the Lord. The tribes of Israel were represented as jewels set in gold on the breastplate of the high priest and also on his shoulders (Ex. 28:6–30; 39:1–21; see also Zech. 9:16–17; Mal. 3:6). But their sins had cheapened them and they had lost their beauty. The enemy treated God’s precious sons and daughters like pieces of cheap, broken pottery that you would throw on the neighborhood trash heap. Nobody was ever made better, more attractive, or more valuable because they sinned.

Animals and birds (vv. 3–5, 10). “Sea monsters” can be translated “whales” or “jackals,” and the meaning will not be lost. The mammals feed their young until they’re able to care for themselves, but Jerusalem’s mothers were heartless toward their young because they had nothing to feed them. In fact, the reverse became true: the babies fed the parents (v. 10; 2:20; and see Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:53–57; Jer. 19:9). Ostriches were notorious for laying their eggs in the wilderness and then abandoning them (Job 39:13–18), and the Jewish mothers were abandoning their babies. The wealthy people, who were accustomed to eating delicacies, had to rummage in the garbage to find something to eat. God’s special people were living like animals because they had turned their backs on their Maker and their God (Rom. 1:18ff.).

Enemies (vv. 6, 9). For centuries, the Jewish nation had been the object of God’s love and grace. He had delivered them from Egypt, brought them into the Promised Land, given them victory over their enemies, and graciously provided their every need; but now, He was pouring out His wrath upon them and their land. The siege was long and painful, and it would have been better if God had destroyed the city suddenly, as He did Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). Israel’s sins were greater than those of the cities of the plain, because Israel had seen the glory of God, been given His holy law and had entered into covenant with Him. Privileges always bring responsibilities, but the nation refused to obey the Lord and was punished for their rebellion. It would have been better for the people to be slain in battle than to starve to death slowly.

Fire (vv. 11–12). Fire is frequently used in Scripture as a picture of God’s wrath, and “the Lord’s anger burned” is a familiar image (Ex. 4:14; 15:7; 32:10–12; etc.). The Lord made it clear at Mount Sinai that He was “a consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24; 5:1–5, 23–27; Heb. 12:29) and would not tolerate deliberate sins. The Babylonians looted the city and then burned its walls, gates, and buildings, including the palaces and the temple (2 Chron. 36:19). Jeremiah had warned Israel that God’s wrath would “break out like fire” and their city burned down by the Babylonian army, but they refused to listen (Jer. 4:4; 7:20; 21:12; 32:26–29; 34:1–3). God “blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire devouring all around” (2: nkjv). The other nations and their rulers were aghast at the destruction of “the impregnable city.”

Blood (vv. 13–16). The blood of men and of animals was held in great respect in Israel. The Jews were not allowed to eat the blood with the meat (Lev. 17), and the shedding of innocent blood polluted the land and had to be vindicated (Num. 35:30–34). The Jews were very careful not to be defiled by the dead, but the sins of the false prophets and disobedient priests had defiled the land and its people, and Jeremiah had often cried out against their sins (Jer. 5:31; 6:13–15; 14:14–18; 23:9ff.). He was especially grieved because the leaders were ignoring God’s law, conducting “fixed” trials, and shedding innocent blood (Jer. 2:34–35; 7:6; 19:4; 22:1–5, 17). Some of the wicked rulers were even prepared to shed the innocent blood of the prophet Jeremiah (chap. 26)!

Because they rejected the light of God’s law, the people were defiled and unable to see the truth, groping about like blind men in the streets, and crying out like lepers, “Unclean, unclean!” (See Lev. 13:45–46.) Not only would they wander in the city streets but they would become wanderers in the world at large, with no place to call home (Deut. 28:65–66). The sinful people became a scattered people, but the Lord promised that He would bring them back to their land (Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 11:11–12; Jer. 23:3–8).

Watchmen (vv. 17–19). Unwilling to trust the Lord for help, the leaders made agreements with other nations to secure their aid in fighting against the Babylonians, but their allies failed them. Israel’s “lovers and friends” proved unfaithful (1:2; Jer. 2:15–17, 36–37; 37:7; Isa. 30:1–7). The false prophets assured the people that help was coming, but the watchmen on the walls looked in vain. Pharaoh Hophra’s army did come to help King Zedekiah, and the siege was interrupted temporarily, but Nebuchadnezzar sent Hophra back to Egypt defeated. (See Jer. 37; Ezek. 30:20–26.) The brief cessation of the siege brought welcomed relief, but when the Babylonians returned to Jerusalem, things became even worse than before. It was impossible to escape the invaders, whether you walked on the streets or fled to the desert or the mountains. “Swifter than eagles” is a phrase quoted from the covenant (Deut. 28:49–52; see Jer. 4:13; 48:40). “Our end is near! Our end is come!” was the cry of the people. The prophet Ezekiel in Babylon delivered a message on the same theme (Ezek. 7).

Breath and shadows (v. 20). The false prophets assured the people that the Lord would never break His covenant with David, so there would always be one of his descendants on the throne (2 Sam. 7). They interpreted this to mean that the throne and the nation would always endure, but they were wrong. King Zedekiah, son of godly Josiah, was the last king of the Davidic line until the coming of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:30–33, 68–79). Zedekiah foolishly rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and then tried to escape, but he was caught, judged, and taken to Babylon, where he died (2 Kings 24—25; Jer. 34, 37—39). The Jews saw their king as the very breath of their lips, the rock in whose shadow they could hide; but he failed on both counts. Because of his unbelief and rebellion, Zedekiah brought death, not life, and proved to be no protection at all.

The cup (vv. 21–22). The Edomites were Judah’s neighbors, the descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob who fathered the “fathers” of the twelve tribes of Israel. From before birth, Jacob and Esau fought against each other (Gen. 25:19–34; 27), and the Edomites perpetuated this feud. They rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem and encouraged the Babylonians and may even have assisted them in their work (Ps. 83:1–8; 137:7; Ezek. 25:12–14; Obad.). Israel had drunk the bitter cup of God’s wrath, but one day the cup would be handed to Edom and her time of judgment would come (Jer. 25:15ff.; 49:7–22; Ezek. 35).