TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Lamentations 5:1–16. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Is any afflicted? let him pray; and let him in prayer pour out his complaint to God, and make known before him his trouble. The people of God do so here; being overwhelmed with grief, they give vent to their sorrows at the footstool of the throne of grace, and so give themselves ease. They complain not of evils feared, but of evils felt: "Remember what has come upon us, Lam 5:1. What was of old threatened against us, and was long in the coming, has now at length come upon us, and we are ready to sink under it. Remember what is past, consider and behold what is present, and let not all the trouble we are in seem little to thee, and not worth taking notice of," Neh 9:32. Note, As it is a great comfort to us, so it ought to be a sufficient one, in our troubles, that God sees, and considers, and remembers, all that has come upon us; and in our prayers we need only to recommend our case to his gracious and compassionate consideration. The one word in which all their grievances are summer up is reproach: Consider, and behold our reproach. The troubles they were in compared with their former dignity and plenty, were a greater reproach to them than they would have been to any other people, especially considering their relation to God and dependence upon him, and his former appearances for them; and therefore this they complain of very sensibly, because, as it was a reproach, it reflected upon the name and honour of that God who had owned them for his people. And what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
I.They acknowledge the reproach of sin which they bear, the reproach of their youth (which Ephraim bemoans himself for, Jer 31:19), of the early days of their nation. This comes in in the midst of their complaints (Lam 5:7), but may well be put in the front of them: Our fathers have sinned and are not; they are dead and gone, but we have borne their iniquities. This is not here a peevish complaint, nor an imputation of unrighteousness to God, like that which we have, Jer 31:29, Eze 18:2. The fathers did eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge, and therefore the ways of the Lord are not equal. But it is a penitent confession of the sins of their ancestors, which they themselves also had persisted in, for which they now justly suffered; the judgments God brought upon them were so very great that it appeared that God had in them an eye to the sins of their ancestors (because they had not been remarkably punished in this world) as well as to their own sins; and thus God was justified both in his connivance at their ancestors (he laid up their iniquity for their children) and in his severity with them, on whom he visited that iniquity, Mat 23:35, Mat 23:36. Thus they do here,
1.Submit themselves to the divine justice: "Lord, thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for we are a seed of evil doers, children of wrath, and heirs of the curse; we are sinful, and we have it by kind." Note, The sins which God looks back upon in punishing we must look back upon in repenting, and must take notice of all that which will help to justify God in correcting us.
2.They refer themselves to the divine pity: "Lord, our fathers have sinned, and we justly smart for their sins; but they are not; they were taken away from the evil to come; they lived not to see and share in these miseries that have come upon us, and we are left to bear their iniquities. Now, though herein God is righteous, yet it must be owned that our case is pitiable, and worthy of compassion." Note, If we be penitent and patient under what we suffer for the sins of our fathers, we may expect that he who punishes will pity, and will soon return in mercy to us.
II.They represent the reproach of trouble which they bear, in divers particulars, which tend much to their disgrace.
1.They are disseised of that good land which God gave them, and their enemies have got possession of it, Lam 5:2. Canaan was their inheritance; it was theirs by promise. God gave it to them and their seed, and they held it by grant from his crown, (Psa 136:21, Psa 136:22); but now, "It is turned to strangers; those possess it who have no right to it, who are strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and aliens from the covenants of promise; they dwell in the houses that we built, and this is our reproach." It is the happiness of all God's spiritual Israel that the heavenly Canaan is an inheritance that they cannot be disseised of, that shall never be turned to strangers.
2.Their state and nation are brought into a condition like that of widows and orphans (Lam 5:3): "We are fatherless (that is, helpless); we have none to protect us, to provide for us, to take any care of us. Our king, who is the father of the country, is cut off; nay, God our Father seems to have forsaken us and cast us off; our mothers, our cities, that were as fruitful mothers in Israel, are now as widows, are as wives whose husbands are dead, destitute of comfort, and exposed to wrong and injury, and this is our reproach; for we who made a figure are now looked on with contempt."
3.They are put hard to it to provide necessaries for themselves and their families, whereas once they lived in abundance and had plenty of every thing. Water used to be free and easily come by, but now (Lam 5:4), We have drunk our water for money, and the saying is no longer true, Usus communis aquarum - Water is free to all. So hardly did their oppressors use them that they could not have a draught of fair water but they must purchase it either with money or with work. Formerly they had fuel too for the fetching; but now, "Our wood is sold to us, and we pay dearly for every faggot." Now were they punished for employing their children to gather wood for fire with which to bake cakes for the queen of heaven, Jer 7:18. They were perfectly proscribed by their oppressors, were forbidden the use both of fire and water, according to the ancient form, Interdico tibi aqua et igni - I forbid thee the use of water and fire. But what must they do for bread? Truly that was as hard to come at as any thing, for (1.) Some of them sold their liberty for it (Lam 5:6): "We have given the hand to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians, have made the best bargain we could with them, to serve them, that we might be satisfied with bread. We were glad to submit to the meanest employment, upon the hardest terms, to get a sorry livelihood; we have yielded ourselves to be their vassals, have parted with all to them, as the Egyptians did to Pharaoh in the years of famine, that we might have something for ourselves and families to subsist on." The neighbouring nations used to trade with Judah for wheat (Eze 27:17), for it was a fruitful land; but now it eats up the inhabitants, and they are glad to make court to the Egyptians and Assyrians. (2.) Others of them ventured their lives for it (Lam 5:9): We got our bread with the peril of our lives; when, being straitened by the siege and all provisions cut off, they either sallied or stole out of the city, to fetch in some supply, they were in danger of falling into the hands of the besiegers and being put to the sword, the sword of the wilderness it is called, or of the plain (for so the word signifies), the besiegers lying dispersed every where in the plains that were about the city. Let us take occasion hence to bless God for the plenty that we enjoy, that we get our bread so easily, scarcely with the sweat of our face, much less with the peril of our lives; and for the peace we enjoy, that we can go out, and enjoy not only the necessary productions, but the pleasures of the country, without any fear of the sword of the wilderness.
4.Those are brought into slavery who were a free people, and not only their own masters, but masters of all about them, and this is as much as any thing their reproach (Lam 5:5): Our necks are under the grievous and intolerable yoke of persecution (the iron yoke which Jeremiah foretold should be laid upon them, Jer 28:14); we are used like beasts in the yoke, that wholly serve their owners, and are at the command of their drivers. That which aggravated the servitude was,
(1.)That their labours were incessant, like those of Israel in Egypt, who were daily tasked, nay, overtasked: We labour and have no rest, neither leave nor leisure to rest. The oxen in the yoke are unyoked at night and have rest; so they have, by a particular provision of the law, on the sabbath day; but the poor captives in Babylon, who were compelled to work for their living, laboured and had no rest, no night's rest, no sabbath-rest; they were quite tired out with continual toil.
(2.)That their masters were insufferable (Lam 5:8): Servants have ruled over us; and nothing is more vexatious than a servant when he reigns, Pro 30:22. They were not only the great men of the Chaldeans that commanded them, but even the meanest of their servants abused them at pleasure, and insulted over them; and they must be at their beck too. The curse of Canaan had now become the doom of Judah: A servant of servants shall he be. They would not be ruled by their God, and by his servants the prophets, whose rule was gentle and gracious, and therefore justly are they ruled with rigour by their enemies and their servants.
(3.)That they saw no probable way for the redress of their grievances: "There is none that doth deliver us out of their hand; not only none to rescue us out of our captivity, but none to check and restrain the insolence of the servants that abuse us and trample upon us," which one would think their masters should have done, because it was a usurpation of their authority; but, it should seem, they connived at it and encouraged it, and, as if they were not worthy of the correction of gentlemen, they are turned over to the footmen to be spurned by them. Well might they pray, Lord, consider and behold our reproach.
5.Those who used to be feasted are now famished (Lam 5:10): Our skin was black like an oven, dried and parched too, because of the terrible famine, the storms of famine (so the word is); for, though famine comes gradually upon a people, yet it comes violently, and bears down all before it, and there is no resisting it; and this also is their disgrace; hence we read of the reproach of famine, which in captivity their received among the heathen, Eze 36:30.
6.All sorts of people, even those whose persons and characters were most inviolable, were abused and dishonoured.
(1.)The women were ravished, even the women in Zion, that holy mountain, Lam 5:11. The committing of such abominable wickednesses there is very justly and sadly complained of.
(2.)The great men were not only put to death, but put to ignominious deaths. Princes were hanged, as if they had been slaves, by the hands of the Chaldeans (Lam 5:12), who took a pride in doing this barbarous execution with their own hands. Some think that the dead bodies of the princes, after they were slain with the sword, were hung up, as the bodies of Saul's sons, in disgrace to them, and as it were to expiate the nation's guilt.
(3.)No respect was shown to magistrates and those in authority: The faces of elders, elders in age, elders in office, were not honoured. This will be particularly remembered against the Chaldeans another day. Isa 47:6, Upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
(4.)The tenderness of youth was no more considered than the gravity of old age (Lam 5:13): They took the young men to grind at the hand-mills, nay, perhaps at the horse-mills. The young men have carried the grist (so some), have carried the mill, or mill-stones, so others. They loaded them as if they had been beasts of burden, and so broke their backs while they were young, and made the rest of their lives the more miserable. Nay, they made the little children carry their wood home for fuel, and laid such burdens upon them that they fell down under them, so very inhuman were these cruel taskmasters!
7.An end was put to all their gladness, and their joy was quite extinguished (Lam 5:14): The young men, who used to be disposed to mirth, have ceased from their music, have hung their harps upon the willow-trees. It does indeed well become old men to cease from their music; it is time to lay it by with a gracious contempt when all the daughters of music are brought low; but it speaks some great calamity upon a people when their young men are made to cease from it. It was so with the body of the people (Lam 5:15): The joy of their heart ceased; they never knew what joy was since the enemy came in upon them like a flood, for ever since deep called unto deep, and one wave flowed in upon the neck of another, so that they were quite overwhelmed: Our dance is turned into mourning, instead of leaping for joy, as formerly, we sink and lie down in sorrow. This may refer especially to the joy of their solemn feasts, and the dancing used in them (Jdg 21:21), which was not only modest, but sacred, dancing; this was turned into mourning, which was doubled on their festival days, in remembrance of their former pleasant things.
8.An end was put to all their glory.
(1.)The public administration of justice was their glory, but that was gone: The elders have ceased from the gate (Lam 5:14); the course of justice, which used to run down like a river, is now stopped; the courts of justice, which used to be kept with so much solemnity, are put down; for the judges are slain, or carried captive.
(2.)The royal dignity was their glory, but that also was gone: The crown has fallen from our head, not only the king himself fallen into disgrace, but the crown; he has no successor; the regalia are all lost. Note, Earthly crowns are fading falling things; but, blessed be God, there is a crown of glory that fades not away, that never falls, a kingdom that cannot be moved. Upon this complaint, but with reference to all the foregoing complaints, they make that penitent acknowledgment, "Woe unto us that we have sinned! Alas for us! Our case is very deplorable, and it is all owing to ourselves; we are undone, and, which aggravates the matter, we are undone by our own hands. God is righteous, for we have sinned." Note, All our woes are owing to our own sin and folly. If the crown of our head be fallen (for so the words run), if we lose our excellency and become mean, we may thank ourselves, we have by our own iniquity profaned our crown and laid our honour in the dust.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Verse 2 considers the people's affliction. First, in general, second by going down to particular persons. As expressed in Verse 11: "Women are ravished in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah."
As to the people's affliction in general are two ideas. First is excluded those things by which ~ople are sustained against miseries. Namely, as to their possessions, passed over to enemies control. As Verse 2 states: "Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to aliens." Also, as Chapter 1:10 says: "The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious things." And, Jeremiah 6:12 states: "Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together."
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Summary
Lamentations 5:2 is a poignant and devastating lament, articulating the profound dispossession and reversal of fortune experienced by the people of Judah following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. It vividly portrays the painful reality that their most sacred and foundational possessions—the land divinely promised as their heritage and their personal dwellings, symbols of identity and security—have been violently seized and occupied by foreign invaders, signifying a complete and catastrophic undoing of their national identity and covenantal blessings.
Context
Literary Context
Lamentations 5 stands apart from the preceding four chapters by abandoning the acrostic structure, presenting instead a communal prayer or petition that voices the raw, unadulterated cry of the devastated remnant. This shift in form underscores the depth of their anguish and their direct appeal for divine intervention and remembrance. Verse 2, "Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens," immediately follows a desperate plea for God to remember their plight and disgrace, setting the somber tone for a litany of suffering and loss that defines the chapter. It serves as a foundational statement, providing concrete evidence of their dispossession and forming the basis for their impassioned appeal to God's justice and mercy. The verse encapsulates the tangible and devastating outcome of the judgment described throughout the book, marking a pivotal moment of national humiliation and profound loss.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical backdrop for this verse is the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC to the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, followed by the forced exile of much of Judah's population. For ancient Israel, land was far more than mere property; it was a foundational element of their covenantal identity, a divine inheritance (nachalah) promised by God to Abraham and his descendants, as seen in passages like Genesis 12:7 and Genesis 13:15. This concept of inheritance was deeply intertwined with their theological understanding of God's faithfulness and their unique relationship with Him. Their homes (bayith) were not simply structures but were the very centers of family life, lineage, and religious practice. The seizure of these by "strangers" (zarim) and "aliens" (nokrim) was therefore an act of profound desecration and a direct violation of their sacred covenant, signifying the ultimate consequence of their persistent disobedience and idolatry, as frequently prophesied by figures like Jeremiah.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Lamentations and the broader prophetic literature. The most prominent is Loss and Dispossession, vividly portraying the complete stripping away of property, identity, and security. The land, a cornerstone of Israel's covenant relationship with God, was lost, signifying a profound spiritual and national crisis, a direct consequence of breaking the covenant stipulations outlined in Deuteronomy 28. Closely related is the theme of Foreign Occupation and Humiliation, where the oppressive presence of "strangers" and "aliens" underscores the painful reality of foreign domination and the defilement of sacred space by those who did not worship Yahweh. Finally, while not explicitly stated in this verse, the entire book of Lamentations, and indeed the broader prophetic narrative, frames this devastation as the direct Consequence of Sin and Divine Judgment. The suffering described is understood as God's righteous judgment upon Judah for its persistent rebellion and idolatry, as seen in passages like Lamentations 1:8.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term properly signifies something inherited, an occupancy, an heirloom, or generally an estate or patrimony. In the context of Israel, "inheritance" refers primarily to the land of Canaan, divinely promised and apportioned to the tribes as a perpetual possession. Its "turning to strangers" implies a profound theological crisis, as it challenges the very notion of God's covenant faithfulness and Israel's secure place within that covenant. It represents the loss of their foundational identity, security, and the physical manifestation of God's blessing.
This primitive root means "to turn about or over," by implication, "to change, overturn, return, or pervert." The use of "turned" here is forceful and absolute, indicating a radical and violent reversal of fortune. It's not a gradual shift but a decisive, catastrophic transformation where what was rightfully theirs has been forcibly inverted to belong to others, highlighting the sudden and total nature of their dispossession and the complete upheaval of their world.
This word denotes someone strange, foreign, or non-relative, often carrying connotations of being outlandish or even adulterous in other biblical contexts. Here, paired with "strangers" (H2114, zûwr), it emphatically describes the non-Israelite, non-covenantal nature of the occupiers. Their presence signifies not just economic or material loss but spiritual defilement and a profound breach of the sacred boundaries that defined Israel's unique relationship with God and their land, underscoring the illegitimacy of the foreign presence.
Verse Breakdown
"Our inheritance is turned to strangers"
This clause laments the devastating loss of the land of Israel, which was understood as a divine gift and a perpetual inheritance from God to His covenant people. The verb "turned" (H2015, hâphak) powerfully conveys a violent, complete reversal of ownership and status, indicating that what was rightfully theirs has been forcibly seized and now belongs to those outside the covenant community, the "strangers" (H2114, zûwr). This signifies not merely a material loss but a profound theological crisis, as the land was integral to their identity and their very relationship with Yahweh.
"our houses to aliens"
This second clause functions in synonymous parallelism with the first, intensifying the lament by focusing on the personal and domestic realm. "Our houses" (H1004, bayith) represent not just physical dwellings but the family units, lineage, and the sense of security and belonging they provided. The phrase "to aliens" (H5237, nokrîy) reiterates and reinforces the foreign, illegitimate, and unwelcome nature of the new occupants. The parallelism emphasizes the totality of the loss—from national patrimony to individual homes—and the complete violation of their sacred space and personal security by those who had no rightful claim.
Literary Devices
Lamentations 5:2 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of profound loss and despair. The most evident is Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("our houses to aliens") reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first clause ("Our inheritance is turned to strangers"). This repetition emphasizes the complete and comprehensive nature of their dispossession, affecting both their national identity (the land, their inheritance) and their personal security (their homes). The language also contains elements of Metonymy, where "inheritance" stands for the land itself and all that it represents (covenant, identity, security), and "houses" represent families, lineage, and personal sanctuary. The use of "turned" suggests a forceful, almost violent, Inversion or reversal of their divinely ordained status, highlighting the catastrophic shift in their circumstances. The terms "strangers" and "aliens" are used with strong negative connotations, highlighting the profound sense of Otherness and illegitimacy of the occupiers, deepening the sense of violation and injustice felt by the lamenters.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Lamentations 5:2 speaks powerfully to the theological themes of divine judgment, covenant faithfulness, and the devastating consequences of sin. The loss of the land, the very inheritance God had promised, underscores the seriousness of Israel's covenant violations. While God is faithful to His promises, He is also righteous in His judgment, allowing the very blessings He bestowed to be withdrawn when His people persist in rebellion. This verse reminds us that privilege comes with profound responsibility, and persistent disobedience can lead to profound loss, even of what was once considered an unshakeable inheritance. Yet, even in this profound desolation, the act of lamenting itself is a theological act, a desperate cry to a God who is believed to still hear, even if His face seems hidden. It points to the enduring hope that God's ultimate faithfulness will prevail, and that even a lost earthly inheritance can, in His mercy, be restored or superseded by a greater, eternal one.
Reflection and Application
Lamentations 5:2 serves as a sobering reminder that even what seems most secure—our possessions, our homes, our sense of belonging, and even our spiritual blessings—can be profoundly disrupted or lost due to our own choices or the brokenness of the world. For the people of Judah, their inheritance was not just property but a sacred symbol of their covenant with God. Their devastating loss reminds us of the transient nature of earthly security and the paramount importance of anchoring our hope in something infinitely more enduring: God Himself. This verse calls us to reflect deeply on our own "inheritances"—our spiritual blessings in Christ, our material possessions, our relationships, and our very identity—and to consider how faithfully we are stewarding them. Are we living in a way that honors the Giver of all good things, or are we, through our choices and priorities, allowing spiritual "strangers" (such as idolatry, persistent sin, or worldly pursuits) to claim what is rightfully ours in Christ? The lament also profoundly invites us to cultivate empathy for those who experience displacement, loss, and the profound injustice of having their homes and heritage violently taken from them, prompting us to pray for and act on behalf of the dispossessed, the refugees, and the marginalized in our world today.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the land being called an "inheritance" in this verse?
The land of Canaan was not merely a geographical territory but a central component of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants. It was a divine gift, a perpetual "inheritance" (nachalah) promised by God, symbolizing His faithfulness, their identity as His chosen people, and the place where His presence would dwell. Its loss to "strangers" and "aliens" in Lamentations 5:2 signifies a profound theological crisis, challenging the very foundation of their covenant relationship and raising questions about God's perceived abandonment. It represents the ultimate consequence of their disobedience, a reversal of divine blessing into judgment, and the painful experience of being dispossessed from the very place that defined their national and spiritual identity.
How does this verse relate to the broader themes of judgment and restoration in the Bible?
Lamentations 5:2 serves as a stark illustration of divine judgment for Israel's persistent sin and rebellion against God's covenant. The dispossession of their land and homes was a direct fulfillment of the curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28 for disobedience. However, even within the context of lament, the Bible consistently holds out the hope of restoration. While this verse focuses on the depth of loss, the broader prophetic narrative, including parts of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10-14) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:24-28), promises a future return from exile and a spiritual renewal, pointing towards God's ultimate faithfulness to His covenant promises, even after judgment. This tension between the painful reality of judgment and the enduring hope of restoration is a recurring and vital theme throughout the biblical narrative.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Lamentations 5:2, with its poignant cry over a lost earthly inheritance and homes seized by aliens, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment and transformation in the New Testament. While ancient Israel lost its promised land due to covenant unfaithfulness and sin, Christ came to secure for all believers a far greater, eternal inheritance that can never be lost, corrupted, or seized. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus reconciles us to God, transforming us from spiritual "aliens and strangers" to "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). He is the true heir of all things, and through faith in Him, we become co-heirs with Him, receiving an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4). The earthly houses lost by Judah foreshadow the spiritual homelessness of humanity alienated from God by sin, a profound condition remedied by Christ, who promises to prepare a place for us in His Father's house, where we will dwell with Him forever (John 14:2-3). Thus, the lament for a lost earthly inheritance is transformed into a celebration of a secure, heavenly inheritance found only in Christ, who restores our true home and belonging in God's eternal kingdom.