Lamentations 1:2

2 Beth She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they are become her enemies.

Lamentations 1:2 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 1:2

She weepeth sore in the night
Or, "weeping weeps" F9; two weepings, one for the first, the other for the second temples F11; 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, ( Ezekiel 23:5 Ezekiel 23:9 Ezekiel 23:12 ) ; 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", ( Jeremiah 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hkbt hkb) "plorando plorat", Vatablus; "plorando plorabit", Pagninus, Montanus.
F11 T. Sanhedr. ib. col. 2.

Lamentations 1:2 In-Context

1 Aleph How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people! The great one among the nations is become as a widow; the princess of provinces is become tributary.
2 Beth She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they are become her enemies.
3 Gimel Judah is gone into captivity because of the affliction and because of the greatness of the servitude; she dwells among the Gentiles; she finds no rest; all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4 Daleth The streets of Zion mourn because there are none to come to the solemnities; all her gates are destroyed; her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
5 He Her enemies have been made the head; those who hated her have been prospered; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her rebellions; her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010