Lamentations 5:4

4 We have to buy the water we drink; we must pay for the firewood.

Lamentations 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:4

We have drunken our water for money
They who in their own land, which was a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, had wells of water of their own, and water freely and in abundance, now were obliged to pay for it, for drink, and other uses: our wood is sold unto us;
or, "comes to us by a price" ^F18; and a dear one; in their own land they could have wood out of the forest, for cutting down and bringing home; but now they were forced to give a large price for it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (waby ryxmb) "in pretio venerunt", Pagninus, Montanus; "caro nobis pretio veniunt", Michaelis.

Lamentations 5:4 In-Context

2 Our land has been turned over to strangers; our houses have been given to foreigners.

3 We are like orphans with no father; our mothers are like widows.

4 We have to buy the water we drink; we must pay for the firewood.

5 Those who chase after us want to catch us by the neck. We are tired and find no rest.

6 We made an agreement with Egypt and with Assyria to get enough food.