THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
I will summon my beloved to assist me, and they have captivated me. The prophet is referring to either the idols and false prophets or the Idumeans along with the other nations nearby.
Lamentations 1:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Coph. I called for my friends, but they deceived me: my priests and my ancients pined away in the city: while they sought their food, to relieve their souls.
קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Theodoret of Cyrus
The Lord is just, for His words are full of sorrow, as He has violated the commandments He established. After mourning the capture of young women and men, the Prophet illustrates the futility of idol worship by referring to them as "lovers." He implores the One who can remove the grip of disasters to show compassion to the city that acknowledges its wrongdoing, for he states:
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Lam 2:20Res. Behold, O Lord, and consider whom thou hast thus dealt with: shall women then eat their own fruit, their children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
- Lam 1:2Beth. Weeping, she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her among all them that were dear to her: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies.
- Lam 1:11Caph. All her people sigh, they seek bread: they have given all their precious things for food to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider, for I am become vile.
- Job 19:13He hath put my brethren far from me, and my acquaintance like strangers have departed from me.
- Job 19:19They that were sometime my counsellors, have abhorred me: and he whom I loved most is turned against me.
- Lam 4:7Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.
- Lam 4:9Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.
- Jer 27:13Why will you die, thou and thy people by the sword, and by famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?