Lamentations 4:16

16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not 1honor * the priests, They did not favor the elders.

Lamentations 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:16

The anger of the Lord hath divided them
Or, "the face of the Lord" F6; the anger that appeared in his face, in the dispensation of his providence, removed them out of their own land, and dispersed them among several countries and nations of the world, and as they now are: these are not the words of the Heathens continued, but of the prophet: he will no more regard them;
or, "he will not add to look on them" F7, with a look of love, but continue his anger and resentment: they respect not the persons of the priests, they favour not the
elders;
which is to be considered either as the sin of the false prophets and priests before described, which was the cause of their punishment; that they east great contempt on the true prophets of the Lord, as Jeremiah and others, and showed no regard to the elders of the people, or those godly magistrates; who would have corrected and restrained them: or else this is said of the nations among whom they were dispersed, as the Targum; who would pay no respect to their characters as priests, or show any pity to them on account of their age.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hwhy ynp) "facies Domini", V. L. Montanus, Piscator.
F7 (Mjybhl Pyowy) "non addet aspicere eos", Montanus.

Lamentations 4:16 In-Context

14 They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.
15 "Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us."
16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.
17 Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.
18 They hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Isaiah 9:14-16; Jeremiah 52:24-27

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "lift up the faces of"
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