Lamentations 1 · The Lantern

ALEPH. O how a city once filled with people now sits alone! The Governess of the Gentiles has become like a widow. The Prince of the provinces has been placed under tribute.

Bringing someone to his senses is censure, which makes one think. And he does not abstain from this form of instruction either, but says by Jeremiah, "How long shall I cry, and you not hear? So your ears are uncircumcised." O blessed forbearance!

Josiah also represents Christ: he is the king whose death inspired the "Lamentations": "How lonely she is now, the once crowded city! Widowed is she who was mistress over nations; the princess among the provinces has been made a toiling slave."

As this opening verse states: "She that was great among the nations," that is, once subject to her. As Ezekiel 5:5 declares: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations." Then is displayed that the people's glory was once distinguished by their tributes.

BETH. Weeping, she has wept through the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. There is no one to be a comfort to her and to all her beloved. All her friends have spurned her, and they have become her enemies.

GHIMEL. Judah has migrated because of affliction and great servitude. She has lived among the nations and not found rest. All of her persecutors have apprehended her, amid torments.

DALETH. The pathways of Zion mourn, because there are none who approach for the solemnity. All her gates are destroyed. Her priests groan. Her virgins are filthy. And she is overwhelmed with bitterness.

In the early days of the church, all was well. The present elaborate, far-fetched and artificial treatment of theology had not made its way into the schools of divinity, but playing with pebbles that deceive the eye by the quickness of their changes or dancing before an audience with varied and effeminate contortions were looked on as all one with speaking or hearing of God in…

DELETH: a fourfold species of planks is introduced according to anagogy. Through the service of which the house of the Lord rises, joined together in a fourfold cupola, namely by the ways, gates, priests and virgins.

Here in Verse 4 is loudly lamented the misery of persons remaining. First, regarding such persons who frequent pilgrimages. As expressed: "The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to the appointed feasts". That is, while they arouse contentions during three feasts: (Pesach, Pentecost, and Scenopegia).

HE. Her enemies have been made her leaders; her adversaries have been enriched. For the Lord has spoken against her, because of the multitude of her iniquities. Her little ones have been led into captivity before the face of the tribulator.

VAU. And all her elegance has departed, from the daughter of Zion. Her leaders have become like rams that cannot find pasture, and they have gone away without strength before the face of the pursuer.

Everyone who receives the care of souls becomes a prince of the army; and when the prince is not good, then the army is in great danger. Whence Jeremiah laments: "All beauty," he says, "has departed from the daughter of Zion; her princes have become like rams not finding pasture, and they went away without strength before the face of the pursuer."

AND IS DEPARTED: the fifth topic of complaint, by which all disadvantages are brought separately before the eyes, which is to be noted almost everywhere. Historical interpretation. AND FROM THE DAUGHTER OF ZION IS DEPARTED: before this sentence is put VAU, that is interpreted 'and', as if those set before above are connected as a punishment by God's just judgement.

Here is loudly lamented the captivity of major persons. Around this idea three notations are made. First is set forth an omission of ornamentations. As stated: "From the daughter of Zion has departed all her majesty." For instance, like vases taken away, and treasures from both leaders and priests around Jehoiachin, nephew of Josiah. (cf.

ZAIN. Jerusalem has remembered the days of her affliction and the betrayal of all her desirable ones, whom she held from the days of antiquity, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and there was no one to be a helper. The enemies have looked upon her and mocked her Sabbaths.

HETH. Jerusalem has sinned a grievous sinz. Because of this, she has become unstable. All who glorified her have spurned her, because they have looked upon her disgrace. Then she groaned and turned away again.

As the body loses its strength, beauty and health in the absence of food, so the soul without the understanding of truth becomes dark and weak, distorted and unstable in all things; and so it needs to be fed. Hence, the unsettled mind, lacking food, wanders about and is unstable.

ALL WHO HONORED: the thirteenth topic of complaint. Historical interpretation. JERUSALEM HAS GRIEVOUSLY SINNED: one sin, alone of its kind, designates the reason for such misery, a sin through which everything is fettered and without which everything is released, that is incredulity, whence it is said: Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous.

Here in Verse 8 is shown the cause of the misery: Jerusalem. First is indicated its very sinning, secondly, its progress. As said: "she became filthy." There are two further notions. First sin is referred to as "filthy". Namely, as expressed, "antonomastically", within infidelity and idolatry.

TETH. Her filth is on her feet, and her end has not been remembered. She has been vehemently put down, having no consolation. O Lord, look upon my affliction, for the adversary has been lifted up.

JOD. The enemy has sent his hand against all her desirable ones. For she has watched the Gentiles enter her sanctuary, even though you instructed that they should not enter into your church.

CAPH. All her people are groaning and seeking bread. They have given up whatever was precious in exchange for food, so as to remain alive. See, O Lord, and consider, for I have become vile.

ALL HER PEOPLE: the fourth topic of complaint. SEE O LORD: the fourteenth topic of complaint. Historical interpretation. ALL HER PEOPLE SIGH &c: how great the hunger and pestilence the Jews suffered, the histories do not pass over in silence, and Josephus manifests it in particular. Hence: ALL HER PEOPLE SIGH AND SEEK BREAD &c; TO RELIEVE THE SOUL, that is corporeal life.

Here is noticed the spoiling of possessions taken away from the people. First is observed the need for withdrawing, as to a deficiency of things needed. As expressed: "All her people groan as they search for bread".

LAMED. O all you who pass by the way, attend, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow. For he has made me a vintage, just as the Lord has spoken in the day of his furious anger.

In other women there is pain of the body, in her there is pain of the heart; in others there is pain of corruption, in her there is pain of compassion and charity. Whence she invites us to consider her sorrow, in Jeremiah: "All you," she says, "who pass by the way, attend and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow." This sorrow ought to pierce through the minds of all.

O ALL YOU : the twelfth topic of indignation; for he seems to be displeased, because it has happened to him first. Historical interpretation.

Here is exposed the captivity of the city Jerusalem, and the tribe of Judah. First is interpreted these people enduring a severity of judgment, second, the judgment of the enemy's cruelty. As said in Verse 11: "Look, O Lord, and behold, for I am despised." Regarding a severity of judgment, two further ideas are advanced.

MEM. From on high, he has sent fire into my bones, and he has educated me. He has spread a net for my feet; he has turned me back. He has placed me in desolation, consumed by grief, all day long.

NUN. Vigilant is the yoke of my iniquities. They have been folded together in his hand and imposed on my neck. My virtue has been weakened. The Lord has given me into a hand, out of which I am not able to rise.

SAMECH. The Lord has taken away all of my great ones from my midst. He has called forth time against me, so as to crush my elect ones. The Lord has trampled the winepress, which was for the virgin daughter of Judah.

AIN. For this I weep, and my eyes bring forth water. For the consoler has been far away from me, changing my soul. My sons have become lost, because the enemy has prevailed.

PHE. Zion has reached out her hands; there is no one to console her. The Lord has given orders against Jacob; his enemies are all around him. Jerusalem among them is like a woman made unclean by menstruation.

SADE. The Lord is just, for it is I who has provoked his mouth to wrath. I beg all people to listen and to see my sorrow. My virgins and my youths have gone into captivity.

COPH. I called for my friends, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders have been consumed in the city. For they were seeking their food, so as to revive their life.

RES. See, O Lord, that I am in tribulation. My bowels have been disturbed, my heart has been subverted within me, for I am filled with bitterness. Outside, the sword puts to death, and at home there is a similar death.

SIN. They have heard that I groan and that there is no one to console me. All my enemies have heard of my misfortune; they have rejoiced that you caused it. You have brought in a day of consolation, and so they shall become like me.

THAU. Let all their evil enter before you. And make vintage of them, just as you made vintage of me, because of all my iniquities. For my sighs are many, and my heart is grieving.

Lamentations1