Lamentations 4:17

17 Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was ¹useless; In our watching we have watched For a ²nation 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Lamentations 4:17 In-Context

15 "Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us."

16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.

17 Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

18 They hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 37:7; Lamentations 1:7
• 2. Ezek 29:6, 7, 16

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "our help"