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Selected Verse: Lamentations 5:22 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
La 5:22	Strong Concordance	But thou hast utterly [03988] rejected [03988] us; thou art very [03966] wroth [07107] against us.
	King James	But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Rather, "Unless haply Thou hast utterly rejected us, and art beyond measure wroth against us," that is, Unless Thou art implacable, which is impossible, hear our prayer [CALVIN]. Or, as Margin, "For wouldest Thou utterly reject us?" &c.--No; that cannot be. The Jews, in this book, and in Isaiah and Malachi, to avoid the ill-omen of a mournful closing sentence, repeat the verse immediately preceding the last [CALVIN].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Rather, "Unless haply Thou hast utterly rejected us, and art beyond measure wroth against us," that is, Unless Thou art implacable, which is impossible, hear our prayer [CALVIN]. Or, as Margin, "For wouldest Thou utterly reject us?" &c.--No; that cannot be. The Jews, in this book, and in Isaiah and Malachi, to avoid the ill-omen of a mournful closing sentence, repeat the verse immediately preceding the last [CALVIN].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Literally, "Unless thou hast utterly rejected us," unless "thou art very wroth against us." This is stated as a virtual impossibility. God's anger can be but temporary Psa 30:5, and therefore the very supposition is an indirect expression of hope. This verse speaks of the possibility of an utter rejection through God's wrath. Therefore, to remove so painful a thought, and to make the book more suited for public reading, Lam 5:21 is repeated in many manuscripts intended for use in the synagogue. The same rule is observed in the synagogue with the two last verses of Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, and Malachi.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
But thou hast utterly rejected us - It appears as if thou hadst sealed our final reprobation, because thou showest against us exceeding great wrath. But convert us, O Lord, onto thee, and we shall be converted. We are now greatly humbled, feel our sin, and see our folly: once more restore us, and we shall never again forsake thee! He heard the prayer; and at the end of seventy years they were restored to their own land. This last verse is well rendered in the first printed edition of our Bible, 1535: - Renue our daies as in olde tyme, for thou hast now banished us longe ynough, and bene sore displeased at us. My old MS. Bible is not less nervous: Newe thou our dais as fro the begynnyng: bot castand aweie thou put us out: thou wrathedist ugein us hugely. Dr. Blayney translates, "For surely thou hast cast us off altogether:" and adds, "כי ki ought certainly to be rendered as causal; God's having rejected his people, and expressed great indignation against them, being the cause and ground of the preceding application, in which they pray to be restored to his favor, and the enjoyment of their ancient privileges." Pareau thinks no good sense can be made of this place unless we translate interrogatively, as in Jer 14:19 : - "Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Sion?" On this ground he translates here, An enim prorsus nos rejecisses? Nobis iratus esses usque adeo? "Hast thou indeed utterly cast us off? Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?" Wilt thou extend thy wrath against us so as to show us no more mercy? This agrees well with the state and feelings of the complainants. Masoretic Notes Number of verses in this Book, 154. Middle verse, Lam 3:34. In one of my oldest MSS., the twenty-first verse is repeated at the conclusion of the twenty-second verse. In another, yet older, there is only the first word of it, השיבנו hashibenu, Convert us! Having given in the preceding preface and notes what I judge necessary to explain the principal difficulties in this very fine and affecting poem, very fitly termed The Lamentations, as it justly stands at the head of every composition of the kind, I shall add but a few words, and these shall be by way of recapitulation chiefly. The Hebrews were accustomed to make lamentations or mourning songs upon the death of great men, princes, and heroes, who had distinguished themselves in arms; and upon any occasion or public miseries and calamities. Calmet thinks they had collections of these sorts of Lamentations: and refers in proof to Ch2 35:25 : "And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations, to this day; and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the Lamentations." From this verse it is evident, that Jeremiah had composed a funeral elegy on Josiah: but, from the complexion of this Book, it is most evident that it was not composed on the death of Josiah, but upon the desolations of Jerusalem, etc., as has already been noted. His lamentation for Josiah is therefore lost. It appears also, that on particular occasions, perhaps anniversaries, these lamentations were sung by men and women singers, who performed their several parts; for these were all alternate or responsive songs. And it is very likely, that this book was sung in the same way; the men commencing with א aleph, the women responding with ב beth and so on. Several of this sort of songs are still extant. We have those which David composed on the death of his son Absalom, and on the death of his friend Jonathan. And we have those made by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, on the desolation of Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and Babylon. See Isa 14:4, Isa 14:5; Isa 15:1-9; Isa 16:1-14; Jer 7:29; Jer 9:10; Jer 48:32; Eze 19:1; Eze 28:11; Eze 32:2; Jer 9:17. Besides these, we have fragments of others in different places; and references to some, which are now finally lost. In the two first chapters of this book, the prophet describes, principally, the calamities of the siege of Jerusalem. In the third, he deplores the persecutions which he himself had suffered; though he may in this be personifying the city and state; many of his own sufferings being illustrative of the calamities that fell generally upon the city and people at large. The fourth chapter is employed chiefly on the ruin and desolation of the city and temple; and upon the misfortunes of Zedekiah, of whom he speaks in a most respectful, tender, and affecting manner: - "The anointed of Jehovah, the breadth of our nostrils, was taken in their toils, Under whose shadow we said, We shall live among the nations." At the end he speaks of the cruelty of the Edomites, who had insulted Jerusalem in her miseries, and contributed to its demolition. These he threatens with the wrath of God. The fifth chapter is a kind of form of prayer for the Jews, in their dispersions and captivity. In the conclusion of it, he speaks of their fallen royalty; attributes all their calamities to their rebellion and wickedness; and acknowledges that there can be no end to their misery, but in their restoration to the Divine favor. This last chapter was probably written some considerable time after the rest: for it supposes the temple to be so deserted, that the foxes walked undisturbed among its ruins, and that the people were already in captivity. The poem is a monument of the people's iniquity and rebellion; of the displeasure and judgment of God against them; and of the piety, eloquence, and incomparable ability of the poet.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

But thou hast utterly rejected us - It appears as if thou hadst sealed our final reprobation, because thou showest against us exceeding great wrath. But convert us, O Lord, onto thee, and we shall be converted. We are now greatly humbled, feel our sin, and see our folly: once more restore us, and we shall never again forsake thee! He heard the prayer; and at the end of seventy years they were restored to their own land.

This last verse is well rendered in the first printed edition of our Bible, 1535: - Renue our daies as in olde tyme, for thou hast now banished us longe ynough, and bene sore displeased at us.

My old MS. Bible is not less nervous: Newe thou our dais as fro the begynnyng: bot castand aweie thou put us out: thou wrathedist ugein us hugely.

Dr. Blayney translates, "For surely thou hast cast us off altogether:" and adds, "כי ki ought certainly to be rendered as causal; God's having rejected his people, and expressed great indignation against them, being the cause and ground of the preceding application, in which they pray to be restored to his favor, and the enjoyment of their ancient privileges."

Pareau thinks no good sense can be made of this place unless we translate interrogatively, as in Jer 14:19 : -

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah?

Hath thy soul loathed Sion?"

On this ground he translates here,

An enim prorsus nos rejecisses?

Nobis iratus esses usque adeo?

"Hast thou indeed utterly cast us off?

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever?"

Wilt thou extend thy wrath against us so as to show us no more mercy? This agrees well with the state and feelings of the complainants.

Masoretic Notes

Number of verses in this Book, 154.

Middle verse, Lam 3:34.

In one of my oldest MSS., the twenty-first verse is repeated at the conclusion of the twenty-second verse. In another, yet older, there is only the first word of it, השיבנו hashibenu, Convert us!

Having given in the preceding preface and notes what I judge necessary to explain the principal difficulties in this very fine and affecting poem, very fitly termed The Lamentations, as it justly stands at the head of every composition of the kind, I shall add but a few words, and these shall be by way of recapitulation chiefly.

The Hebrews were accustomed to make lamentations or mourning songs upon the death of great men, princes, and heroes, who had distinguished themselves in arms; and upon any occasion or public miseries and calamities. Calmet thinks they had collections of these sorts of Lamentations: and refers in proof to Ch2 35:25 : "And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah; and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations, to this day; and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the Lamentations."

From this verse it is evident, that Jeremiah had composed a funeral elegy on Josiah: but, from the complexion of this Book, it is most evident that it was not composed on the death of Josiah, but upon the desolations of Jerusalem, etc., as has already been noted. His lamentation for Josiah is therefore lost. It appears also, that on particular occasions, perhaps anniversaries, these lamentations were sung by men and women singers, who performed their several parts; for these were all alternate or responsive songs. And it is very likely, that this book was sung in the same way; the men commencing with א aleph, the women responding with ב beth and so on. Several of this sort of songs are still extant. We have those which David composed on the death of his son Absalom, and on the death of his friend Jonathan. And we have those made by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, on the desolation of Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and Babylon. See Isa 14:4, Isa 14:5; Isa 15:1-9; Isa 16:1-14; Jer 7:29; Jer 9:10; Jer 48:32; Eze 19:1; Eze 28:11; Eze 32:2; Jer 9:17. Besides these, we have fragments of others in different places; and references to some, which are now finally lost.

In the two first chapters of this book, the prophet describes, principally, the calamities of the siege of Jerusalem.

In the third, he deplores the persecutions which he himself had suffered; though he may in this be personifying the city and state; many of his own sufferings being illustrative of the calamities that fell generally upon the city and people at large.

The fourth chapter is employed chiefly on the ruin and desolation of the city and temple; and upon the misfortunes of Zedekiah, of whom he speaks in a most respectful, tender, and affecting manner: -

"The anointed of Jehovah,

the breadth of our nostrils,

was taken in their toils,

Under whose shadow we said,

We shall live among the nations."

At the end he speaks of the cruelty of the Edomites, who had insulted Jerusalem in her miseries, and contributed to its demolition. These he threatens with the wrath of God.

The fifth chapter is a kind of form of prayer for the Jews, in their dispersions and captivity. In the conclusion of it, he speaks of their fallen royalty; attributes all their calamities to their rebellion and wickedness; and acknowledges that there can be no end to their misery, but in their restoration to the Divine favor.

This last chapter was probably written some considerable time after the rest: for it supposes the temple to be so deserted, that the foxes walked undisturbed among its ruins, and that the people were already in captivity.

The poem is a monument of the people's iniquity and rebellion; of the displeasure and judgment of God against them; and of the piety, eloquence, and incomparable ability of the poet.

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²¹ Turn [07725] thou us unto thee, O LORD [03068], and we shall be turned [07725]; renew [02318] our days [03117] as of old [06924].

⁵ For his anger [0639] endureth but a moment [07281]; in his favour [07522] is life [02416]: weeping [01065] may endure [03885] for a night [06153], but joy [07440] cometh in the morning [01242].

¹⁷ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], Consider [0995] ye, and call [07121] for the mourning women [06969], that they may come [0935]; and send [07971] for cunning [02450] women, that they may come [0935]:

² Son [01121] of man [0120], take up [05375] a lamentation [07015] for Pharaoh [06547] king [04428] of Egypt [04714], and say [0559] unto him, Thou art like [01819] a young lion [03715] of the nations [01471], and thou art as a whale [08577] [08565] in the seas [03220]: and thou camest forth [01518] with thy rivers [05104], and troubledst [01804] the waters [04325] with thy feet [07272], and fouledst [07515] their rivers [05104].

¹¹ Moreover the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me, saying [0559],

¹ Moreover take thou up [05375] a lamentation [07015] for the princes [05387] of Israel [03478],

³² O vine [01612] of Sibmah [07643], I will weep [01058] for thee with the weeping [01065] of Jazer [03270]: thy plants [05189] are gone over [05674] the sea [03220], they reach [05060] even to the sea [03220] of Jazer [03270]: the spoiler [07703] is fallen [05307] upon thy summer fruits [07019] and upon thy vintage [01210].

¹⁰ For the mountains [02022] will I take up [05375] a weeping [01065] and wailing [05092], and for the habitations [04999] of the wilderness [04057] a lamentation [07015], because they are burned up [03341], so that none [0376] can pass [05674] through them; neither can men hear [08085] the voice [06963] of the cattle [04735]; both the fowl [05775] of the heavens [08064] and the beast [0929] are fled [05074]; they are gone [01980].

²⁹ Cut off [01494] thine hair [05145], O Jerusalem, and cast it away [07993], and take up [05375] a lamentation [07015] on high places [08205]; for the LORD [03068] hath rejected [03988] and forsaken [05203] the generation [01755] of his wrath [05678].

¹ Send [07971] ye the lamb [03733] to the ruler [04910] of the land [0776] from Sela [05554] to the wilderness [04057], unto the mount [02022] of the daughter [01323] of Zion [06726].
² For it shall be, that, as a wandering [05074] bird [05775] cast out [07971] of the nest [07064], so the daughters [01323] of Moab [04124] shall be at the fords [04569] of Arnon [0769].
³ Take [0935] counsel [06098], execute [06213] judgment [06415]; make [07896] thy shadow [06738] as the night [03915] in the midst [08432] of the noonday [06672]; hide [05641] the outcasts [05080]; bewray [01540] not him that wandereth [05074].
⁴ Let mine outcasts [05080] dwell [01481] with thee, Moab [04124]; be [01933] thou a covert [05643] to them from the face [06440] of the spoiler [07703]: for the extortioner [04160] is at an end [0656], the spoiler [07701] ceaseth [03615], the oppressors [07429] are consumed [08552] out of the land [0776].
⁵ And in mercy [02617] shall the throne [03678] be established [03559]: and he shall sit [03427] upon it in truth [0571] in the tabernacle [0168] of David [01732], judging [08199], and seeking [01875] judgment [04941], and hasting [04106] righteousness [06664].
⁶ We have heard [08085] of the pride [01347] of Moab [04124]; he is very [03966] proud [01341]: even of his haughtiness [01346], and his pride [01347], and his wrath [05678]: but his lies [0907] shall not be so.
⁷ Therefore shall Moab [04124] howl [03213] for Moab [04124], every one shall howl [03213]: for the foundations [0808] of Kirhareseth [07025] shall ye mourn [01897]; surely they are stricken [05218].
⁸ For the fields [07709] of Heshbon [02809] languish [0535], and the vine [01612] of Sibmah [07643]: the lords [01167] of the heathen [01471] have broken down [01986] the principal plants [08291] thereof, they are come [05060] even unto Jazer [03270], they wandered [08582] through the wilderness [04057]: her branches [07976] are stretched out [05203], they are gone over [05674] the sea [03220].
⁹ Therefore I will bewail [01058] with the weeping [01065] of Jazer [03270] the vine [01612] of Sibmah [07643]: I will water [07301] thee with my tears [01832], O Heshbon [02809], and Elealeh [0500]: for the shouting [01959] for thy summer fruits [07019] and for thy harvest [07105] is fallen [05307].
¹⁰ And gladness [08057] is taken away [0622], and joy [01524] out of the plentiful field [03759]; and in the vineyards [03754] there shall be no singing [07442], neither shall there be shouting [07321]: the treaders [01869] shall tread out [01869] no wine [03196] in their presses [03342]; I have made their vintage shouting [01959] to cease [07673].
¹¹ Wherefore my bowels [04578] shall sound [01993] like an harp [03658] for Moab [04124], and mine inward parts [07130] for Kirharesh [07025].
¹² And it shall come to pass, when it is seen [07200] that Moab [04124] is weary [03811] on the high place [01116], that he shall come [0935] to his sanctuary [04720] to pray [06419]; but he shall not prevail [03201].
¹³ This is the word [01697] that the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696] concerning Moab [04124] since that time [0227].
¹⁴ But now the LORD [03068] hath spoken [01696], saying [0559], Within three [07969] years [08141], as the years [08141] of an hireling [07916], and the glory [03519] of Moab [04124] shall be contemned [07034], with all that great [07227] multitude [01995]; and the remnant [07605] shall be very [04592] small [04213] and feeble [03808] [03524].

¹ The burden [04853] of Moab [04124]. Because in the night [03915] Ar [06144] of Moab [04124] is laid waste [07703], and brought to silence [01820]; because in the night [03915] Kir [07024] of Moab [04124] is laid waste [07703], and brought to silence [01820];
² He is gone up [05927] to Bajith [01006], and to Dibon [01769], the high places [01116], to weep [01065]: Moab [04124] shall howl [03213] over Nebo [05015], and over Medeba [04311]: on all their heads [07218] shall be baldness [07144], and every beard [02206] cut off [01438].
³ In their streets [02351] they shall gird [02296] themselves with sackcloth [08242]: on the tops [01406] of their houses, and in their streets [07339], every one shall howl [03213], weeping [01065] abundantly [03381].
⁴ And Heshbon [02809] shall cry [02199], and Elealeh [0500]: their voice [06963] shall be heard [08085] even unto Jahaz [03096]: therefore the armed soldiers [02502] of Moab [04124] shall cry out [07321]; his life [05315] shall be grievous [03415] unto him.
⁵ My heart [03820] shall cry out [02199] for Moab [04124]; his fugitives [01280] shall flee unto Zoar [06820], an heifer [05697] of three years old [07992]: for by the mounting up [04608] of Luhith [03872] with weeping [01065] shall they go it up [05927]; for in the way [01870] of Horonaim [02773] they shall raise up [05782] a cry [02201] of destruction [07667].
⁶ For the waters [04325] of Nimrim [05249] shall be desolate [04923]: for the hay [02682] is withered away [03001], the grass [01877] faileth [03615], there is no green thing [03418].
⁷ Therefore the abundance [03502] they have gotten [06213], and that which they have laid up [06486], shall they carry away [05375] to the brook [05158] of the willows [06155].
⁸ For the cry [02201] is gone round about [05362] the borders [01366] of Moab [04124]; the howling [03215] thereof unto Eglaim [097], and the howling [03215] thereof unto Beerelim [0879].
⁹ For the waters [04325] of Dimon [01775] shall be full [04390] of blood [01818]: for I will bring [07896] more [03254] upon Dimon [01775], lions [0738] upon him that escapeth [06413] of Moab [04124], and upon the remnant [07611] of the land [0127].

⁵ The LORD [03068] hath broken [07665] the staff [04294] of the wicked [07563], and the sceptre [07626] of the rulers [04910].

⁴ That thou shalt take up [05375] this proverb [04912] against the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], and say [0559], How hath the oppressor [05065] ceased [07673] ! the golden city [04062] ceased [07673] !

²⁵ And Jeremiah [03414] lamented [06969] for Josiah [02977]: and all the singing men [07891] and the singing women [07891] spake [0559] of Josiah [02977] in their lamentations [07015] to this day [03117], and made [05414] them an ordinance [02706] in Israel [03478]: and, behold, they are written [03789] in the lamentations [07015].

³⁴ To crush [01792] under his feet [07272] all the prisoners [0615] of the earth [0776],

¹⁹ Hast thou utterly [03988] rejected [03988] Judah [03063]? hath thy soul [05315] lothed [01602] Zion [06726]? why hast thou smitten [05221] us, and there is no healing [04832] for us? we looked [06960] for peace [07965], and there is no good [02896]; and for the time [06256] of healing [04832], and behold trouble [01205]!