Ekhah 5:8

8 Avadim have ruled over us; there is none that doth deliver us out of their yad.

Ekhah 5:8 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:8

Servants have ruled over us
The Targum is,

``the sons of Ham, who were given to be servants to the sons of Shem, they have ruled over us;''

referring to the prophecy of Noah, ( Genesis 9:26 Genesis 9:27 ) ; or such as had been tributary to the Jews, as the Edomites; so Aben Ezra; the Babylon, an, are meant; and not the nobles and principal inhabitants only, but even their servants, had power and authority over the Jews and they were at their beck and command; which made their servitude the more disagreeable and intolerable: [there is] none that doth deliver [us] out of their hand;
out of the hand of these servants.

Ekhah 5:8 In-Context

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

7 Avoteinu have sinned, and are no more; and we have borne their iniquities.

8 Avadim have ruled over us; there is none that doth deliver us out of their yad.

9 We get our lechem with the peril of our lives because of the cherev of the midbar.

10 Our skin was hot like an oven because we burn with ra’av (hunger, famine).