Chapter 4

1 Zion bewaileth her pitiful estate. 13 She confesseth her sins. 21 Edom is threatened. 22 Zion is comforted.

How. Heb. Хekah (for comment see on ch. 1:1).

Like chs. 1; 2; 3, ch. 4 is an acrostic. Its metrical structure differs from the first three poems, however, in that each verse is composed of two major accents instead of three. For a detailed consideration of the structure of Hebrew poetry see. Vol. III, pp. 17–28.

Gold. The figures of gold, fine gold, stones, seem to apply both to the Temple, which had been adorned with gold, and to the people themselves, as appears to be suggested in v. 2.

Top of every street. For comment see on ch. 2:19.

2. Comparable. Literally, “weighed,” or “paid.” The reference is to the weighing out of precious metal as payment for a purchase (Gen. 23:16), a practice common before the use of coined money. The weighing of gold, rather than silver, in a transaction was an indication of the great value of the purchase. For examples of this practice see Ezra. 8:25, 26, 33; Job 28:15; Jer. 32:9; Zech. 11:12.

Esteemed. Heb. chashab, “to account,” “to regard,” or “to value.” This word, like the translated “comparable,” is also a commercial term used of recording a transaction (see 2 Kings 22:7).

Earthen pitchers. Pottery vessels were the commonest and cheapest utensils of ancient times. Many thousands of pottery fragments found by archeologists in ancient ruins testify to the commonness of earthenware. The thought of this verse is that the sons of Zion, whose value could only be measured in gold, have been set down in the account books of their enemies as almost worthless. A sad comment indeed on the low state to which Judah had fallen in the days of the prophet Jeremiah.

3. Sea monsters. Heb. tannin, “a sea monster,” “a serpent,” etc. (see on Deut. 32:33; Job 7:12). However, two manuscripts have Heb. tannim, “jackals” (see on Ps. 44:19). The fact that the verbs translated “draw out” and “give suck,” as well as the pronoun “their,” are plural in Hebrew, indicates that the subject is “jackals.” The reading “jackals” fits the context better than does “a sea monster.”

Ostriches. For comment see on Job 39:13–17.

Dunghills. Literally, “ashpits.” This word seems to signify a dumping ground for rubbish in general. To sit or lie there was a sign of utter degradation (see 1 Sam. 2:8). The city of Jerusalem was now one vast heap of ashes.

6. Stayed. The exact meaning of the Hebrew word thus translated is not certain. The sense, however, seems to be that no human hands were laid on Sodom; her destruction was entirely from above. Since the sin of Jerusalem is greater than that of Sodom, how awful her punishment must be!

7. Nazarites. Heb. nezirim, “those consecrated,” “those singled out,” or “those of high rank” (see on Num. 6:2). This noun is derived from the Hebrew verb nazar, “to vow,” or “to separate,” and thus refers to one who is separated, or set apart. As a technical term, it was used for a Nazirite (see Num. 6; Amos 2:11, 12; cf. Judges 13:5, 7; 16:17). It is also used in a more general sense of Joseph as “separate” from his brethren (Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:16). The latter sense seems to fit better here.

Snow. Although such figures usually imply moral cleanness in the OT (see Isa. 1:18), here they can refer only to the imposing outward appearance that the leaders of Judah had once presented.

Rubies. Heb. peninim, meaning “gems of coral.”

Polishing. Their appearance was as if they were beautifully wrought images of brilliant stone.

8. Known. That is, they are not recognized, because of the fact that their appearance has been so hideously changed.

Like a stick. Figurative of dryness and hardness.

10. Pitiful. The older meaning of this English word was rather “compassionate,” rather than “pitiable,” as now. Women who were once compassionate and loving mothers have, in their the extreme distress of the siege, eaten their own children (see on ch. 2:20).

Sodden. That is, boiled.

12. Would not have believed. Because of both its strategic position and its fortifications, Jerusalem was considered impregnable. The idea of its inviolability must have been even more enhanced in heathen minds by the supernatural destruction of the Assyrian army when Sennacherib besieged the city (2 Kings 19:35). All this bred a false sense of security among the wicked dwellers in Jerusalem.

13. Iniquities. Judah’s religious leaders were wicked both in heart and in action (see on Isa. 3:12).

Shed the blood. The fact that the priests and the false prophets especially had had clamored for the life of Jeremiah (Jer. 26:7–24) would indicate that they bore a large share of responsibility for the death of other righteous men (see Jer. 6:13–15; 23:11–15).

14. Wandered. Or, “staggered.” Perhaps this refers to the confused state of state of these leaders when they, once highly honored, find themselves shunned and outcast by all (see Deut. 28:29).

15. They cried. The antecedent of “they” must be understood here as the people. “Them” refers to the murderous prophets and priests.

Unclean. This was the cry of the (Lev. 13:45).

They said. That is, some of the heathen said among themselves.

16. Anger. Literally, “face.” See Lev. 17:10; Ps. 34:16; Jer. 16:17, 18. Again the Hebrew letters pe’ and ‘ayin are in an inverted order (see on chs. 2:16; 3:46).

Divided. Or, scattered.

Persons. Literally, “faces,” This verse contains an interesting play on words in Hebrew. The wicked were scattered by the face of the Lord, because they, in turn, had shown no respect whatsoever for the faces of the priests.

18. Streets. That is, the open squares of the city (see on ch. 2:19). During the siege, it was dangerous to enter these open places, as a man was exposed to missiles from the siege towers erected just outside the city walls (see on Jer. 32:24).

19. Mountains. The reduced territory of the kingdom of Judah in the last years of its history consisted of little else than mountains and wilderness.

20. Breath of our nostrils. Some find here a reference to King Zedekiah. Others have been disturbed that Jeremiah could seem to attach such high honor to the memory of a king whom he elsewhere so bitterly castigates. However, the prophet is not here speaking of Zedekiah as a man, but of the king as the “anointed of the Lord,” the divinely appointed head of the nation (see 1 Sam. 24:5, 6; 26:9, 11; 2 Sam. 1:14, 16.

We shall live. Possibly, the followers of Zedekiah had entertained the vain hope that by escaping from the doomed city, they might maintain some kind of independence in the Wilderness of Judah, or in Transjordan (see on Jer. 39:4, 5).

21. Daughter of Edom. The Edomites were descended from Esau (Gen. 36:8, 19). The animosity that once existed between Jacob and Esau was perpetuated by their descendants (Num. 20:14–21; Deut. 2:4, 5). When the Babylonian armies invaded Judah, the Edomites joined them against Judah, and profited from looting the country (see Eze. 25:12–14; 35:5; Obadiah 11–14). The thought of this verse is ironical: “Rejoice over your ill-gotten gain now, for it will not last long!”

Land of Uz. This country was the home of Job (see on Job 1:1), and is also mentioned in connection with various other neighbors of Judah in Jer. 25:20.

22. Punishment. See on v. 6.

Visit. That is, for the purpose of punishment (see on Ps. 8:4; 59:5).

Discover. Literally, “uncovered,” or “revealed” (see ch. 2:14).

Ellen G. White comments

1    EW 227; PP 720; TM 86; 5T 240, 534

10        GC 32