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Selected Verse: Lamentations 4:17 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| La 4:17 |
Strong Concordance |
As for us, our eyes [05869] as yet failed [03615] for our vain [01892] help [05833]: in our watching [06836] we have watched [06822] for a nation [01471] that could not save [03467] us. |
| |
King James |
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
As for us--This translation forms the best antithesis to the language of the heathen (Lam 4:15-16). CALVIN translates, "While as yet we stood as a state, our eyes failed," &c.
watched for a nation that could not save us--Egypt (Kg2 24:7; Isa 30:7; Jer 37:5-11). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
A rapid sketch of the last days of the siege and the capture of the king.
Lam 4:17
Rather, "Still do our eyes waste away looking for our vain help."
In our watching - Or, "on our watchtower."
Lam 4:18
Or, They hunted "our steps that we could not go out into the streets. To hunt" means here to lie in ambush, and catch by snares; and the streets are literally "the wide places," especially at the gates. Toward the end of the siege the towers erected by the enemy would command these places.
Lam 4:19
Our persecutors are ... - Our pursuers (Lam 1:3 note) "were swifter thorn the eagles of heaven."
They pursued us - Or, they chased us.
Mountains ... wilderness - The route in going from Jerusalem to Jericho leads first over heights, beginning with the Mount of Olives, and then descends into the plain of the Ghor.
Lam 4:20
The breath of our nostrils - Zedekiah is not set before us as a vicious king, but rather as a man who had not strength enough of character to stem the evil current of his times. And now that the state was fallen he was as the very breath of life to the fugitives, who would have no rallying point without him.
In their pits - The words are metaphorical, suggesting that Zedekiah was hunted like a wild animal, and driven into the pitfall. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| A nation - The Egyptians. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| We have watched for a nation - Viz., the Egyptians, who were their pretended allies, but were neither able nor wilting to help them against the Chaldeans. |
5 Then Pharaoh's [06547] army [02428] was come forth [03318] out of Egypt [04714]: and when the Chaldeans [03778] that besieged [06696] Jerusalem [03389] heard [08085] tidings [08088] of them, they departed [05927] from Jerusalem [03389].
6 Then came the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] unto the prophet [05030] Jeremiah [03414], saying [0559],
7 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], the God [0430] of Israel [03478]; Thus shall ye say [0559] to the king [04428] of Judah [03063], that sent [07971] you unto me to enquire [01875] of me; Behold, Pharaoh's [06547] army [02428], which is come forth [03318] to help [05833] you, shall return [07725] to Egypt [04714] into their own land [0776].
8 And the Chaldeans [03778] shall come again [07725], and fight [03898] against this city [05892], and take [03920] it, and burn [08313] it with fire [0784].
9 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; Deceive [05377] not yourselves [05315], saying [0559], The Chaldeans [03778] shall surely [01980] depart [03212] from us: for they shall not depart [03212].
10 For though ye had smitten [05221] the whole army [02428] of the Chaldeans [03778] that fight [03898] against you, and there remained [07604] but wounded [01856] men [0582] among them, yet should they rise up [06965] every man [0376] in his tent [0168], and burn [08313] this city [05892] with fire [0784].
11 And it came to pass, that when the army [02428] of the Chaldeans [03778] was broken up [05927] from Jerusalem [03389] for fear [06440] of Pharaoh's [06547] army [02428],
7 For the Egyptians [04714] shall help [05826] in vain [01892], and to no purpose [07385]: therefore have I cried [07121] concerning this [02063], Their [01992] strength [07293] is to sit still [07674].
7 And the king [04428] of Egypt [04714] came [03318] not again [03254] any more out of his land [0776]: for the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] had taken [03947] from the river [05158] of Egypt [04714] unto the river [05104] Euphrates [06578] all that pertained to the king [04428] of Egypt [04714].
15 They cried [07121] unto them, Depart [05493] ye; it is unclean [02931]; depart [05493], depart [05493], touch [05060] not: when they fled away [05132] and wandered [05128], they said [0559] among the heathen [01471], They shall no more [03254] sojourn [01481] there.
16 The anger [06440] of the LORD [03068] hath divided [02505] them; he will no more [03254] regard [05027] them: they respected [05375] not the persons [06440] of the priests [03548], they favoured [02603] not the elders [02205].
20 The breath [07307] of our nostrils [0639], the anointed [04899] of the LORD [03068], was taken [03920] in their pits [07825], of whom we said [0559], Under his shadow [06738] we shall live [02421] among the heathen [01471].
3 Judah [03063] is gone into captivity [01540] because of affliction [06040], and because of great [07230] servitude [05656]: she dwelleth [03427] among the heathen [01471], she findeth [04672] no rest [04494]: all her persecutors [07291] overtook [05381] her between the straits [04712].
19 Our persecutors [07291] are swifter [07031] than the eagles [05404] of the heaven [08064]: they pursued [01814] us upon the mountains [02022], they laid wait [0693] for us in the wilderness [04057].
18 They hunt [06679] our steps [06806], that we cannot go [03212] in our streets [07339]: our end [07093] is near [07126], our days [03117] are fulfilled [04390]; for our end [07093] is come [0935].
17 As for us, our eyes [05869] as yet failed [03615] for our vain [01892] help [05833]: in our watching [06836] we have watched [06822] for a nation [01471] that could not save [03467] us.