Lamentations 1:19

19 "I called to my allies, but they refused to help me. The priests and the leaders died in the city streets, Looking for food to keep themselves alive.

Lamentations 1:19 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 1:19

I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me
Either her idols, with whom she had committed spiritual adultery, that is, idolatry; but these could not answer her expectations, and help her: or the Egyptians, that courted her friendship, and with whom she was in alliance, and in whom she trusted; and these, in the times of her distress, she called upon to make good their engagements, but they disappointed her, and stood not to their covenant and promises, but left her to stand and fall by herself; this Jerusalem said, according to the Targum, when she was delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar; but these words, "they deceived me", it makes to be the Romans, that came with Titus and Vespasian, and built bulwarks against Jerusalem: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city;
or died in the city of Jerusalem; not by the sword of the enemy, but through famine; and so, in the Arabic language, the word <arabic> F9 signifies to labour under famine, and want of food, and perish through it; and if this was the case of their priests that officiated in holy things, and of their elders or civil magistrates, what must be the case of the common people? while they sought their meat to relieve their souls;
or "fetch F11 [them] back"; which were just fainting and dying away through hunger; and who did expire while they were begging their bread, or inquiring in one place after another where they could get any, either freely or for money.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 <arabic> "esurivit et fame ac inedia laboravit", Golius, col. 556.
F11 (Mvpn ta wbyvyw) "et reducerent animam suam", Montanus.

Lamentations 1:19 In-Context

17 "I stretch out my hands, but no one will help me. The Lord has called enemies against me from every side; They treat me like some filthy thing.
18 "But the Lord is just, for I have disobeyed him. Listen to me, people everywhere; look at me in my pain. My young men and women have been taken away captive.
19 "I called to my allies, but they refused to help me. The priests and the leaders died in the city streets, Looking for food to keep themselves alive.
20 "Look, O Lord, at my agony, at the anguish of my soul! My heart is broken in sorrow for my sins. There is murder in the streets; even indoors there is death.
21 "Listen to my groans; there is no one to comfort me. My enemies are glad that you brought disaster on me. Bring the day you promised; make my enemies suffer as I do.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.