Lamentations 4:16

16 The Lord himself scattered them and did not look after them anymore. No one respects the priests or honors the older leaders.

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 in the streets as if they were blind. They were dirty with blood, so no one would touch their clothes.
15 "Go away! You are unclean," people shouted at them. "Get away! Get away! Don't touch us!" So they ran away and wandered. Even the other nations said, "Don't stay here."
16 The Lord himself scattered them and did not look after them anymore. No one respects the priests or honors the older leaders.
17 Also, our eyes grew tired, looking for help that never came. We kept watch from our towers for a nation to save us.
18 Our enemies hunted us, so we could not even walk in the streets. Our end is near. Our time is up. Our end has come.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.