Lamentations 4:12

12 Les rois de la terre, ni aucun des habitants du monde, n'auraient cru que l'adversaire, que l'ennemi entrerait dans les portes de Jérusalem.

Lamentations 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:12

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world,
&c.] Not only the neighbouring nations, and the kings of them, but even such in all parts of the world that knew anything of Jerusalem: would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have
entered into the gates of Jerusalem;
when it was besieging, they did not believe it would be taken; and when they heard it was, it was incredible to them; it being so strongly fortified by art and nature, with mountains and hills, with walls and bulwarks, and had such a vast number of people in it; and, especially, was the city of the great God, who had so often and so signally preserved and saved it: the "adversary" and "enemy" are the same, and design the Chaldeans. The Targum distinguishes them, and makes Nebuchadnezzar the ungodly to be the adversary; and Nebuzaradan the enemy, who entered to slay the people of the house of Israel, in the gates of Jerusalem; this was a marvellous thing to the nations round about. Titus, when he took this city, acknowledged it was owing to God F2;

``God (says he) favouring us, we fought; God is he that has drawn the Jews out of these fortresses; for human hands and machines could have done nothing against these towers.''

FOOTNOTES:

F2 Joseph. De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1.

Lamentations 4:12 In-Context

10 De tendres femmes ont, de leurs mains, fait cuire leurs enfants, et ils leur ont servi de nourriture, dans la ruine de la fille de mon peuple.
11 L'Éternel a épuisé sa fureur, il a répandu l'ardeur de sa colère, il a allumé dans Sion un feu qui a dévoré ses fondements.
12 Les rois de la terre, ni aucun des habitants du monde, n'auraient cru que l'adversaire, que l'ennemi entrerait dans les portes de Jérusalem.
13 C'est à cause des péchés de ses prophètes, et des iniquités de ses sacrificateurs, qui ont répandu au milieu d'elle le sang des justes.
14 Ils erraient comme des aveugles par les rues, souillés de sang, au point qu'on ne pouvait toucher leurs vêtements.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.