By James M. Rochford

Title

The name of the book (“Lamentations”) comes from the Greek (thrēnoi) and Latin (threni) translations of the Hebrew (qînôt), which means “laments” (b. Baba Bathra 14b). The original name of the book comes from the first word (êkâ), which means “how” or “alas.”^[1]

Authorship

The book is anonymous. But there are several lines of evidence which support Jeremianic authorship of Lamentations:

The Chronicler seems to affirm that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. Chronicles states, “Jeremiah chanted a lament [Hebrew qînôt] for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations [Hebrew qînôt]” (2 Chron. 35:25).

The Septuagint (LXX) affirms that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. The Septuagint places the book after Jeremiah and before Ezekiel, which would seem to group this book with Jeremiah. Moreover, it also “includes an opening introduction to the book in the first verse, attributing the composition of the book to Jeremiah.”^[2] The Septuagint opens with these words: “And it came to pass after Israel had been taken away into captivity and Jerusalem had been laid waste that Jeremiah sat weeping and lamented this lamentation over Jerusalem and said.”^[3]

Various other ancient sources affirms that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. Mark Rooker writes, “The Aramaic Targum, the Peshitta, the Vulgate, and the Babylonian Talmud, as well as early church fathers such as Origen and Jerome, all attest that Jeremiah was the author.”^[4] Josephus wrote, “All the people mourned greatly for him [Josiah], lamenting and grieving on his account many days; and Jeremiah the prophet composed an elegy to lament him, which is extant till this time also” (Antiquities of the Jews, 10.78).

The date of the book supports the thesis that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. The writer completed the book before 538 BC, because the content of the book laments the Exile. Moreover, the author had no idea that King Jehoiachin was released from prison in ~562 BC (2 Kin. 25:27-30).

Literary similarities affirm that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. Consider a few below:

Date

Since the author is ignorant of King Jehoiachin’s release from prison in ~562 BC (2 Kin. 25:27-30) and because the book takes place during the Exile (at least after 586 BC), we can date the book confidently in between these two dates (586 BC to 562 BC). Ellison states that virtually all commentators date the book between 587 BC and 538 BC).^[5]

Canonicity

Ellison writes, “There is no evidence that the canonicity of Lamentations was ever challenged.”^[6]

Summary of Lamentations

This book was written after the Exile (Lam. 1:5), and it focuses on the plight and suffering of Israel after Babylon took over the city of Jerusalem (586 BC). Israel is personified as a weeping woman, and the purpose of the book is to show the fallout in Israel during the Babylonian captivity. God judged Israel for her sins (Lam. 1:5), and he compares her to a filthy prostitute (Lam. 1:9). Women were cannibalizing their own children, because they were so starving (Lam. 2:20; 4:10). Yet, God promises to continue to still love Israel (Lam. 3:22).

Jeremiah (the author) calls on God to judge the nations for their sins (Lam. 3:64), and he compares their judgment to Sodom and Gomorrah. Eventually, God promises to bring the Jewish people back to their land (Lam. 4:22). Jeremiah prays that God will bring them back and forgive them (Lam. 5:21-22).

While Jeremiah had predicted a definite end to the Exile (Jer. 25:11-12), this book deals with the grief and suffering of individuals who lived through it.

Structure of Lamentations

Lamentations is a literary chiasm. Chapters 1 and 5 go together, chapters 2 and 4 go together, and chapter 3 is the theological center of the book. Furthermore, chapters 1, 2, and 4 are acrostic poems (22 verses in length corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet). This means that each verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet.^[7] Chapter 3 is a triple acrostic (66 verses in length). For whatever reason, chapter 5 is not an acrostic.

Commentary on Lamentations

Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

Lamentations 1

Ellison dates this lament after chapters 2, 4, and 5.^[8] He does so because the author realizes the reason behind the destruction of Jerusalem—even if he is still emotionally grieving over it. This is possible. Perhaps it was placed at the beginning to set the perspective of God’s judgment, as the author grieves through the rest of the book.

Throughout this chapter, Jeremiah personifies Israel as speaking to God.

(1:1) Jerusalem had so much promise and potential, but the city had fallen from such great heights.

(1:2) Jeremiah personifies Jerusalem as a weeping woman. Her “lovers” refer to the allies of Judah (e.g. Egypt) who failed her. Instead of trusting in God, the nation trusted in human allies who failed.

(1:3) As a result of her unfaithfulness, the nation was sent into Exile.

(1:4) The religious festivals ended with the Exile.

(1:5) God had predicted that the Exile would happen (Deut. 28:36, 63-68). Jeremiah knows that the reason for the Exile was due to their many “transgressions.”

(1:6) The leaders of Judah had fled the city, but they had nowhere to run (2 Kin. 25:4).

(1:7) The grief would have been particularly bad when the people remembered what they used to have (“precious things”). The nations “mocked” Judah for her misfortune—perhaps out of anti-Semitism and the claim that Judah was God’s elect people.^[9]

(1:8) The “nakedness” of the city could refer to being raped and plundered (see NET note).

(1:9) The “uncleanness” refers to the “menstrual blood” on the clothing of the personified Jerusalem.^[10]

(1:10) The enemy people were allowed by God to enter the Temple and sack the city.

(1:11) The “precious things” likely doesn’t refer to treasure, because all of this was looted. The “precious things” could refer to their children (cf. Hos. 9:16). This could refer to cannibalism (Lam. 2:20; 4:10; Deut 28:53-57) or perhaps selling their children into slavery for money.

The personified city prays this prayer: “See, O LORD, and look, for I am despised.” The people hope that God will see them being despised and have mercy on them.

(1:12) Verse 11 was a plea to God. This is a “plea for pity to the nations.”^[11]

(1:13-14) God used the nations to judge Jerusalem. The imagery is that the sins or “transgressions” of the people are like a yoke around their neck, weighing them down (see NET).

(1:15-16) Ellison understands this language to refer to God throwing a festival, inviting the enemies of Jerusalem.^[12] Instead of crushing the enemies, God lets the enemies crush Jerusalem.

(1:17) The stretching out of the hands refers to the prayers of the people in Jerusalem. However, God does not answer her prayers. Instead, he “commanded” the enemies to defeat Jerusalem. The “unclean thing” is the language of being ceremonially unclean—like menstrual blood.^[13]

(1:18) Jerusalem admits her fault. The reason for God’s judgment was her sin.

(1:19) The “lovers” refer to the political alliances with the nations, leading up to the Exile (e.g. Egypt).

(1:20-22) Ellison argues that this cannot come from Jeremianic authorship, because Jeremiah predicted the doom of the nations and the restoration of Judah (Jer. 25:12).^[14] Why would Jeremiah speak so uncertainly about Jerusalem’s future?

In our estimation, this argument is not persuasive. For one, the text says, “Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed” (v.21). This refers to God’s promise to bring judgment on Judah’s enemies. This statement refers to an emotional struggle of a nation during suffering—not intellectual ignorance of God’s predictions.

Lamentations 2

Ellison dates this lament shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem, because the dead are still in the streets (Lam. 2:21).^[15]

(2:1) The symbol of a “cloud” had been used as symbolic of his presence in the Exodus. Here, it is depicted as a cloud of “His anger.”

(2:2) Even though the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, the act of judgment is attributed to God himself. He “profaned” the kingdom and the princes, which is strong language. Presumably, God profaned the leaders, because they had profaned him.

(2:3) This is the language of active wrath (“He has cut off”) and passive wrath (“He has drawn back His right hand”).

(2:4-5) God had become an enemy warrior against Israel.

(2:6-7) The NET renders “garden booth” as a “vineyard,” because the textual evidence is confusing and the metaphor of destroying a vineyard is common in the OT (Job 15:33; Isa 34:4; Ezek 15:2, 6). The holy “tabernacle” (Temple) has been turned into a burned vineyard. The “kings” and “priests” had led the nation into apostasy, and this is why God was giving out his judgment.

(2:8) When God is “determined” to destroy the city, it is going to happen. Jeremiah personifies the walls “lamenting.”

(2:9) “The law is no more. Also, her prophets find no vision from the LORD.” Ellison contends that “it is hard to see” how Jeremiah could write this verse—presumably because Jeremiah was receiving prophecies.^[16] However, we see no objection to Jeremianic authorship. First, if the author intended to mean that absolutely no prophetic visions were occurring, then he would also mean that God’s “law” had ceased to be in effect! Second, Jeremiah and other OT prophets were alive and prophesying during this time (586 BC), which would imply that the author of Lamentations was denying true prophets of God. This is untenable. Instead, the author (Jeremiah in our view) is simply saying that God has stopped speaking to his people through the false prophets, which abounded during this time. After all, the context refers to the unbelieving kings and priests (vv.6-7), and later it refers to false prophets who see “false and foolish visions” (v.14).

(2:10) These are all symbols of mourning—from the old men to the young women.

(2:11-12) Jeremiah weeps over the state of the little children and infants who are starving to death (“as their life is poured out on their mothers’ bosom”).

(2:13) He is at a loss of words describing Jerusalem. The enormity of Jerusalem’s fall is compared to the enormity of the “sea.” Ellison understandings the comparison to be with the chaos of the sea—not its enormity.^[17] While it’s true that the sea often used as a symbol for chaos, we do not see that symbolism here.

(2:14) False prophets were popular during this time (Jer. 23:18-22; Ezek. 13:10-16). The role of a true prophet was to get the people back on track with God’s revealed will. These false prophets invented new, novel prophecies, and they ignored God’s covenant.

(2:15-16) The neighboring and conquering nations likely enjoyed the fact that Israel had fallen so far, because this was supposed to be God’s “chosen nation.” Ellison writes, “Israel’s claim that Yahweh was the only God, that Israel was his people, and that Jerusalem was his capital caused bitter jealousy and joy at their downfall.”^[18]

(2:17) The fulfillment comes from passages in Moses’ day (Lev. 26:14-46; Deut. 28:15-68).

(2:18-19) The people personified the “wall” around Jerusalem to cry out alongside the people. This seems odd to a modern reader, but it simply means that the entirety of Jerusalem (even the walls themselves!) are mourning over the city.

(2:20-22) This is a prayer of desperation: the dead lie in the streets, mothers cannibalize their children, priests and prophets are killed. Jeremiah pours out his heart asking God for him to act.

Lamentations 3

Ellison understands this to be Jeremiah speaking to God in this section.^[19] There is difficulty with this view, because verses 40-47 are in the first person plural (“we” “us”). But this seems to make better sense of the author using masculine first person pronouns throughout the chapter (rather than feminine for a personified Jerusalem).

(3:1) To “see” implies that Jeremiah shared in these sufferings.^[20] He feels abandoned by God. In fact, God’s name doesn’t appear until verse 18 in this section.

(3:2-3) “Driven” (nāhag̱) is “used of driving animals, never of God’s gracious leading.”^[21]

(3:4) Other translations render this as growing old (prematurely). The breaking of his bones could refer to “fever pains.”^[22]

(3:5) He is losing hope.

(3:6) The “darkness” fits those who are in Sheol or “long dead.” He sees himself as a “dead man walking.”

(3:7-8) If these are literal chains, it would fit with Jeremiah’s own experience (Jer. 38:6).

(3:9) Ellison describes this as being “trapped in a maze,”^[23] where he couldn’t see which way to go.

(3:10-13) Even if he escaped the maze, God was there to catch him—like a predatory animal (e.g. bear or lion) or a hunter.

(3:14) The use of “my people” implies that an individual is speaking—not a personified Jerusalem.

(3:15) His life is bitter.

(3:16) Regarding the eating of “gravel” and “dust,” Ellison comments, “Some suggest the feeding on gravel and dust (or ashes) in mockery; some, the violent grinding of the face in the ground by others. The latter seems the more probable. Yet again it could be argued that it refers to the type of bread made from the sweepings of the granary floor that Jeremiah must have received toward the end of the siege.”^[24]

(3:17) “Peace” (šālôm) is God’s intended order.

(3:18) The “strength” of Jeremiah was tied to his “hope” in the Lord.

(3:19-20) Jeremiah wants God to “remember” his sorrow—even as he himself “remembers” it.

(3:21) His hope is generated by turning his thinking toward God, rather than his circumstances.

(3:22) Specifically, Jeremiah focuses on God’s “lovingkindness” (ḥeseḏ). The loyal love of God changed his emotional state.

(3:23) Jeremiah starts to see that God’s compassion (v.22) is ongoing. Every day that he lives, he can see God’s loyal love and compassion revealed.

(3:24) Jeremiah sees God as his ultimate foundation for life and hope. If he had everything without God, he would have nothing. If he had nothing with God, he would still have everything!

(3:25-27) God’s timing is “good.” Therefore, Jeremiah wants to wait on God, seek God, wait silently, and suffer for God (“bear the yoke”).

(3:28-30) Instead of vainly fighting with his circumstances, Jeremiah learned to sit and “be silent,” accepting God’s judgment. How can someone accept judgment like this? Jeremiah continues…

(3:31-33) Jeremiah knew that God’s judgment was (1) temporal, (2) followed by compassion, and (3) not enjoyed by God (v.33).

(3:34-36) God is judging for good reasons: the mistreatment of prisoners (v.34), the breaking of justice (v.35), and the breaking of law (v.36).

(3:37-39) God does not create evil (see Isaiah 45:7), as hyper-Calvinists claim. In context, the reason that “ill” (NASB) or “calamity” (NIV) come from God is to punish people for their sins (v.39). Judgment is not evil on God’s behalf.

The people’s prayer

(3:40) Instead of raging against God, the people should “examine” the sin in their own lives.

(3:41) By lifting up their “hearts” as well as their hands, they were showing true, non-hypocritical prayer.

(3:42-43) The contrast is between God’s just character on the one hand, and Jerusalem’s sin on the other.

(3:44-47) The concept of a “cloud” was common in the OT (Ex. 20:21; 40:34-35; Lev. 16:2; 1 Kin. 8:10, 12; Pss. 18:9, 11; 97:2; Isa. 6:4; Nah. 1:3). The cloud stopped the people’s prayers from getting through (v.44). This is why the people turned into “refuse” (v.45) and were openly mocked (v.46).

Jeremiah begins to pray again

(3:48) Jeremiah weeps over the people (Jer. 9:1; 14:17).

(3:49-51) Jeremiah will weep until God intervenes for the people.

(3:52-55) This could refer to the time where Jeremiah’s own people put him in a cistern (Jer. 38:6).

(3:56) Jeremiah’s only hope is in God himself.

(3:57) God answered Jeremiah’s prayer (cf. Jas. 4:8).

Imprecatory psalm

(3:58-66) Modern readers cringe at the thought that Jeremiah would pray something like this. But how exactly should God answer Jeremiah’s prayers for rescue, unless this involves judgment for the oppressors? (see “What about the ‘Cursings’ in the Psalms?”).

Lamentations 4

Ellison dates this lament shortly after chapter 2.^[25]

(4:1) The precious metals and stones have lost all of their value in the day of judgment.

(4:2) The people themselves have lost all of their value and their dignity.

(4:3-4) The mothers are compared to “ostriches” because they had an “apparent neglect” of their eggs.^[26] Similarly, the mothers in Jerusalem couldn’t even provide for their children.

(4:5) The rich had fallen into abject poverty.

(4:6) It’s difficult to know if “iniquity” or “punishment” (NIV, NET) is meant here. Either way, one leads to the other, and Jerusalem is being compared to a notoriously sinful place: Sodom!

(4:7-9) “Consecrated ones” (nāzir) should be translated “princes” (ESV, NIV). Even the royalty fell into abject poverty.

(4:10-11) The cannibalism of children is described elsewhere (2 Kin. 6:25-29). This one verse can explain the terror, savagery, and poverty in Jerusalem. Ellison writes, “Hunger drives humans to inhuman action.”^[27]

(4:12) The nation was untouchable when they followed God. God had protected them again and again and again.

(4:13) The spiritual leaders (e.g. priests and prophets) brought this judgment on the people by leading them astray.

(4:14) Some take these verses to refer to the priests and prophets, but this doesn’t fit with Jeremiah 29:15-23, which states that they were deported or killed. Ellison takes this imagery to refer to the survivors in Jerusalem.^[28] Even the people of other nations rejected them (v.15).

(4:17-19) The people looked for help from Egypt “almost to the last moment,”^[29] as Jeremiah records (Jer. 37:310).

(4:20) Ellison holds that this verse is “irreconcilable” with Jeremianic authorship.^[30] We do not see persuasive reasons why. Zedekiah was captured as he tried to escape Jerusalem (Jer. 52:6-9). Jeremiah could simply be explaining the messianic hope that was never realized in Zedekiah.

(4:21-22) God’s judgment on Judah was exhausted in the Exile. Jeremiah now warns the nations who overtook her—namely Edom. Ellison aptly summarizes, “Rejoice while you can, for judgment is coming to you also.”^[31]

Lamentations 5

(5:1) In the OT, to “remember” or “look” doesn’t just mean to be a passive observer. Instead, it “involves a resultant action.”^[32] Jeremiah is asking God to intervene.

(5:2) This describes the Babylonians taking over the land of Israel.

(5:3) The language of simile is used (“become like widows”). This could also refer to literally losing their fathers because of the Exile. Either their fathers were killed, taken away into slavery, or separated from them in other ways.

(5:4) This probably refers to “heavy taxation.”^[33] Only the poor were allowed to stay behind after the Exile and work the land (2 Kin. 24:14; 25:12; Jer. 39:10).

(5:5) Some translations think this refers to slavery—perhaps having a “yoke” around their necks. However, others think this is just referring to the enemies being close to them: “breathing down our necks” (NET) or “at our heels” (NIV).

The reference to a lack of “rest” shows that they had forfeited God’s rest (Deut. 12:10; 25:19; 2 Sam. 7:1, 11).

(5:6-7) This could refer to political alliances or idolatry (Hos. 2:5, 8) or both. Whatever their fathers did, it was motivated by avoiding starvation (“to get enough bread”).

(5:8) The “slaves” refer to slaves of Nebuchadnezzar.

(5:9) It is dangerous just to get enough bread to live. This might imply that they need to steal their food to survive. It could be rendered, “To get bread we risk our lives before the pursuer’s sword.”^[34]

(5:10) Ellison takes the hot “skin” to refer to starvation.^[35] Perhaps it refers to dehydration with their skin burning and blistering in the hot sun.

(5:11-12) The princes being “hung” could refer to torture or having their bodies hung after death to dishonor them.^[36]

(5:13) Young men were typically soldiers, and “grinding mill” was the job of women.^[37]

(5:14-16) The invasion of Babylon and judgment of God had robbed the people of their joy.

(5:17-18) The sacred site of the Temple was “desolate” and destroyed. This was a clear sign of the judgment of God on the people.

Conclusion

(5:19) This is a remarkable statement given all that we have read so far. The Temple is destroyed, the city is ruined, the treasury is emptied, the people are exiled, etc. Yet Jeremiah can still say that God is on his throne!

(5:20) This relates back to verse 1. Here he asks God if he has “forgotten” them, and in verse 1, he asks God to “remember” them. Note the synonymous parallelism between “forget” and “forsake.” This shows that Jeremiah wanted more than God to remember intellectually, but to act on their behalf.

(5:21) Jeremiah could see that the people needed God to have a change of heart (Jer. 31:18, 33-34; Ezek. 36:26-27).

(5:22) Jeremiah ends by stating that God will restore them when his judgment is complete.

[1] Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti, The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011), 555.

[2] Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti, The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011), 555.

^[3] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 696). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

[4] Merrill, Eugene H., Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti, The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2011), 555.

^[5] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 696). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[6] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 699). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[7] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 698). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[8] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 702). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[9] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 705). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[10] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 705). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[11] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 707). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[12] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 708). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[13] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 708). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[14] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 709). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[15] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 710). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[16] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 712). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[17] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 713). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[18] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 714). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[19] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 716). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[20] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 717). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[21] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 717). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[22] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 717). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[23] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 718). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[24] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 718). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[25] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 725). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[26] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 726). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[27] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 727). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[28] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 728). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[29] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 729). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[30] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 729). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[31] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 729). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[32] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 730). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[33] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 731). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[34] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 732). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[35] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 731). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[36] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 731). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

^[37] Ellison, H. L. (1986). Lamentations. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 731). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.