Lamentations 1:9

9 Her filthiness was in her skirts; she gave no thought to how it would end. Hence her astounding downfall, with no one to console her. "Look, ADONAI, how I suffer; for the foe has triumphed!"

Lamentations 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 1:9

Her filthiness [is] in her skirts
Her sin is manifest to all, being to be seen in her punishment. The allusion is to a menstruous woman, to whom she is compared, both before and after; whose blood flows down to the skirts of her garments, and there seen; by which it is known that she is in her separation. So the Targum,

``the filthiness of the blood of her separation is in her skirts; she is not cleansed from it, nor does she repent of her sins:''

she remembereth not her last end;
she did not consider in the time of her prosperity what her sins would bring her to; what would be the issue of them; nay, though she was warned by the prophet, and was told what things would come to at last, yet she laid it not to heart; nor did she lay it up in her mind, or reflect upon it; but went on in her sinful courses: therefore she came down wonderfully;
or, "with wonders" ^F21; from a very exalted estate to a very low one; from the height of honour and prosperity to the depth of distress and misery; to the astonishment and wonder of all about her, that so flourishing a city and kingdom should be brought to ruin at once, in so strange a manner; see ( Daniel 8:24 ) ; she had no comforter;
as none to help her against her enemies, ( Lamentations 1:7 ) ; and to prevent her ruin; so none to pity her, and have compassion upon her, and speak a comfortable word to her now she was in it: O Lord, behold my affliction:
not with his eye of omniscience only, which he did, and, of which she had no doubt; but with an eye of pity and compassion: thus Zion is at once and suddenly introduced, breaking out in this pathetic manner, being in great affliction and distress, having none else to apply to; and the enemy bearing hard upon her, and behaving in a very insolent and audacious manner, transgressing all bounds of humanity and decency; and therefore hoped the Lord would have compassion on her, though she had sinned against him: for the enemy hath magnified [himself];
behaved haughtily both against God and his people; attributing great things to himself; magnifying his own power and wisdom.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Myalp) "mirabiliter", Montanus, Vatablus.

Lamentations 1:9 In-Context

7 In the days of her affliction and anguish, Yerushalayim remembers all the treasures that were hers, ever since ancient times. Now her people fall into the power of the foe, and she has no one to help her; her enemies are gloating over her, mocking her desolation.

8 Yerushalayim sinned grievously; therefore she has become unclean. All who honored her now despise her, because they have seen her naked. She herself also moans and turns her face away.

9 Her filthiness was in her skirts; she gave no thought to how it would end. Hence her astounding downfall, with no one to console her. "Look, ADONAI, how I suffer; for the foe has triumphed!"

10 Enemies have reached out their hands to seize all her treasures. She has seen Goyim approach and go inside her sanctuary, those whom you forbade even to enter your assembly.

11 All her people are groaning, as they search for something to eat. They barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. "Look, ADONAI! See how despised I am.