Lamentations 3:53

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me.

They have cut off {H6789} my life {H2416} in the dungeon {H953}, and cast {H3034} a stone {H68} upon me.

They forced me alive into a pit and threw stones on me.

They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me.

They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.

Commentary

Commentary on Lamentations 3:53 (KJV)

Lamentations 3:53 captures a vivid and agonizing image of extreme suffering and despair. The speaker, traditionally identified with the prophet Jeremiah, laments his dire circumstances, feeling utterly abandoned and condemned to a final, inescapable end.

Context

The Book of Lamentations is a profound expression of grief following the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC. While much of the book laments the collective suffering of the nation, chapter 3 shifts to a more personal lament, often interpreted as the voice of Jeremiah himself, enduring immense personal persecution while also bearing the nation's sorrow. This verse reflects the depths of his isolation and despair, likely stemming from his imprisonment and mistreatment during the siege or subsequent exile. It resonates with Jeremiah's own experience of being cast into a miry pit, a common form of dungeon.

Key Themes

  • Profound Suffering and Despair: The imagery of being "cut off my life" and "cast a stone upon me" powerfully conveys a sense of utter finality, as if one's existence has been terminated and sealed away. It speaks to the feeling of being beyond hope or rescue.
  • Imprisonment and Isolation: The "dungeon" (or pit/cistern) symbolizes total confinement, separation from the living, and a place of slow, agonizing death. It highlights the speaker's complete helplessness.
  • Human Cruelty: The phrase "They have..." points to the actions of adversaries – likely the Babylonians or those within Jerusalem who persecuted Jeremiah – underscoring the brutality and injustice inflicted upon the innocent.
  • Symbolic Death: The act of casting a stone upon the speaker is reminiscent of sealing a tomb or a well, signifying a definitive and irreversible end, emphasizing the feeling of being buried alive or condemned to an unceremonious death.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "dungeon" (בּוֹר, bor) commonly refers to a pit, cistern, or well, often dry or muddy, used as a prison. Such places were dark, damp, and notoriously difficult to escape from. "Cut off my life" (צָמְתוּ חַיַּי, tzamtu chayyai) signifies the termination or extinction of life, implying an intent not just to imprison but to destroy existence. The phrase "cast a stone upon me" (וַיַּשְׂמוּ אֶבֶן עָלַי, vayyasimu even alai) vividly depicts the sealing of a pit or grave, reinforcing the sense of being enclosed and abandoned to die, with no possibility of escape or recovery.

Practical Application and Reflection

Lamentations 3:53 speaks to the deepest human experiences of despair, feeling trapped, and facing overwhelming odds. It acknowledges the reality of suffering so profound that it feels like the end of life itself. While this verse paints a bleak picture, it is crucial to remember that it is part of a larger chapter that remarkably pivots from lament to hope. Just a few verses earlier, the same speaker declares, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope" (Lamentations 3:21). This progression reminds us that even when circumstances seem utterly hopeless, and we feel sealed away in our own "dungeon," faith in God's unfailing love and mercy can provide a way out. This verse, therefore, not only validates the depths of human sorrow but also serves as a poignant setup for the glorious hope that follows, highlighting God's power to bring life and deliverance even from the brink of death, much like the psalmist's cry of being lifted out of the miry pit.

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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 38:9 (4 votes)

    My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for [there is] no more bread in the city.

  • Daniel 6:17 (4 votes)

    And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

  • Jeremiah 38:6 (4 votes)

    Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that [was] in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon [there was] no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

  • Jeremiah 37:16 (3 votes)

    When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;

  • Jeremiah 37:20 (2 votes)

    Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

  • Matthew 27:60 (2 votes)

    And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

  • Matthew 27:66 (2 votes)

    So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.