Ekhah 5:4

4 We must pay kesef for our own mayim; our wood is sold unto us.

Ekhah 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:4

We have drunken our water for money
They who in their own land, which was a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, had wells of water of their own, and water freely and in abundance, now were obliged to pay for it, for drink, and other uses: our wood is sold unto us;
or, "comes to us by a price" ^F18; and a dear one; in their own land they could have wood out of the forest, for cutting down and bringing home; but now they were forced to give a large price for it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (waby ryxmb) "in pretio venerunt", Pagninus, Montanus; "caro nobis pretio veniunt", Michaelis.

Ekhah 5:4 In-Context

2 Our nachalah is turned over to zarim, our batim (houses) to foreigners.

3 We are yetomim and fatherless, immoteinu are like almanot.

4 We must pay kesef for our own mayim; our wood is sold unto us.

5 Our necks are under persecution; we are weary, and have no rest.

6 We have submitted to the Mitzrayim, and to the Assyrians, to get enough lechem.