Lamentaciones 3:16

16 Me hizo masticar piedras;
me revolcó en el polvo.

Lamentaciones 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.

Lamentaciones 3:16 In-Context

14 Mi propio pueblo se ríe de mí;
todo el día repiten sus canciones burlonas.

15 Él me llenó de amargura
y me dio a beber una copa amarga de dolor.

16 Me hizo masticar piedras;
me revolcó en el polvo.

17 Me arrebató la paz
y ya no recuerdo qué es la prosperidad.

18 Yo exclamo: «¡Mi esplendor ha desaparecido!
¡Se perdió todo lo que yo esperaba del Señor
!».