Lamentations 5:4

We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

We have drunken {H8354} our water {H4325} for money {H3701}; our wood {H6086} is sold {H935}{H4242} unto us.

We have to pay to drink our own water; we have to buy our own wood.

We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price.

We have drunken our water for money; Our wood is sold unto us.

Commentary

Lamentations 5:4 starkly portrays the dire economic and social conditions faced by the people of Judah after the devastating Babylonian conquest and the destruction of Jerusalem.

Context

This verse is part of the final chapter of Lamentations, a communal prayer lamenting the profound suffering and humiliation of the Jewish people. It vividly describes the immediate consequences of their defeat and the severe judgment brought upon them by God through the Babylonians. The once-free inhabitants of Judah were now subjugated, stripped of their land and resources, reduced to a state of extreme destitution where even basic necessities were no longer accessible without cost.

Key Themes

  • Extreme Destitution and Oppression: The most fundamental necessities for survival—water and wood—which were typically free or readily available, now had to be purchased. This highlights the complete subjugation and economic ruin of the people.
  • Loss of Sovereignty and Dignity: Being forced to pay for essentials on what was once their own land was a profound symbol of their lost independence and the deep humiliation they endured under foreign rule. It signifies a total loss of control over their lives and resources.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the entire book of Lamentations attributes these sufferings to the nation's persistent sin and rebellion against God, fulfilling prophecies found in books like Deuteronomy 28:48, which warned of serving enemies in hunger, thirst, and nakedness.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrases "drunken our water for money" (מַיִם בְּכֶסֶף שָׁתִינוּ - mayim b'kesef shatinu) and "our wood is sold unto us" (עֵצֵנוּ בִּמְחִיר יָבוֹא - 'etzenu b'mekhir yavo') emphasize the forced commercialization of what should have been fundamental rights. The term kesef (silver/money) highlights the transactional nature, while mekhir (price/cost) reinforces the heavy burden placed upon them. This was not merely about scarcity, but about being compelled to pay exorbitant prices for resources that were once freely their own, underscoring their utter powerlessness.

Significance and Application

Lamentations 5:4 offers a poignant glimpse into the brutal realities of conquest and occupation, reminding us of the immense value of freedom, self-sufficiency, and basic provisions. It serves as a powerful reminder of the potential consequences of societal and national turning away from God. This verse also cultivates empathy for those in our world today who suffer from extreme poverty, oppression, or lack of access to fundamental necessities due to conflict, disaster, or injustice. Ultimately, it prompts gratitude for God's abundant provision and grace in our lives.

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Cross-References

  • Isaiah 3:1 (5 votes)

    ¶ For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

  • Ezekiel 4:9 (2 votes)

    ¶ Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.

  • Ezekiel 4:17 (2 votes)

    That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

  • Deuteronomy 28:48 (1 votes)

    Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all [things]: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.