Lamentations 4:17

17 PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not save.

Lamentations 4:17 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:17

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help
Or, "while we were yet" ^F8; a nation, a people, a body politic, in our own land, before the city of Jerusalem was taken, we were looking for help, as was promised us; but it proved a vain help, none was given us; for which we kept looking to the last, till our eyes failed, and we could look no longer; no help appeared, nor was there any prospect or probability of it, and therefore gave all up: in our watching we watched for a nation [that] could not save [us];
not the Romans, as the Targum, but the Egyptians; these promised them help and relief, and therefore in their watching they watched, or vehemently watched, and wistfully looked out for it, but all in vain; for though these made an attempt to help them, they durst not proceed; were obliged to retire, not being a match for the Chaldean army, and so could not save them, or break up the siege, and relieve them.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 (hnydwe) "quum adhuc essemus", Munster: Piscator.

Lamentations 4:17 In-Context

15 SAMECH. Depart ye from the unclean ones: call ye them: depart, depart, touch not: for they are on fire, yea, they stagger: say ye among the nations, They shall no more sojourn .

16 AIN. The presence of the Lord their portion; he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitied not the prophets.

17 PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE. We looked to a nation that could not save.

18 We have hunted our little ones, that they should not walk in our streets. KOPH. Our time has drawn nigh, our days are fulfilled, our time is come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, in the wilderness they laid wait for us.