Lamentations 3:16

16 He has ground my teeth with gravel. He has trampled me into the dust.

Lamentations 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 3:16

He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones
With gritty bread, such as is made of corn ground with new millstones, the grit of which mixes with the flour; or with stony bread, as Seneca ^F14 calls a benefit troublesome to others; with bread that has little stones mixed with it, by eating of which the teeth are broken, as Jarchi observes: the phrase signifies afflictions and troubles, which are very grievous and disagreeable, like gravel in the mouth, as sin in its effects often proves, ( Proverbs 20:17 ) ; he hath covered me with ashes;
as mourners used to be; the word rendered "covered" is only used in this place. Aben Ezra renders it, "he hath defiled me"; and Jarchi and Ben Melech, from the Misnah, "he hath pressed me", without measure; see ( Luke 6:38 ) ; and so the Targum,

``he hath humbled me:''

but the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it, "he hath fed me with ashes"; which version is defended by Castel ^F15 and Noldius ^F16, and best agrees with the preceding clause; the sense is the same with ( Psalms 102:9 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 "Pane lapidoso", Seneca De Beneficiis, l. 7.
F15 Lexic. Polyglott, col. 1791.
F16 Concordant. Ebr. Part. p. 168. No. 763.

Lamentations 3:16 In-Context

14 I have become a laughingstock to all my people. All day long [they make fun of me] with their songs.

15 He has filled me with bitterness. He has made me drink wormwood.

16 He has ground my teeth with gravel. He has trampled me into the dust.

17 "My soul has been kept from enjoying peace. I have forgotten what happiness is.

18 I said, 'I've lost my strength [to live] and my hope in the LORD.'