Lamentations 1:20–21

Footnotes

1. 120 Heb “because I have distress” (כִּי־צַר־לִי, ki-tsar-li).
2. 121 Heb “my bowels burn” or “my bowels are in a ferment.” The verb חֳמַרְמָרוּ (khamarmaru) is an unusual form and derived from a debated root: Poalal perfect 3rd person common plural from III חָמַר (khamar, “to be red,” III חמר) or Pe`al`al perfect 3rd person common plural from I חָמַר (khamar, “to ferment, boil up,” 330 I חָמַר). The Poalal stem of this verb occurs only three times in OT: with פָּנִים (panim, “face,” Job 16:16) and מֵעִים (me’im, “bowels,” Lam 1:20; 2:11). The phrase מֵעַי חֳמַרְמָרוּ (me’ay khamarmaru) means “my bowels burned” ( ) or “my bowels are in a ferment,” as a euphemism for lower-intestinal bowel problems ( 330 ). This phrase also occurs in later rabbinic literature ( Sanhedrin 7:2). The present translation, “my stomach is in knots,” is not a literal equivalent to this Hebrew idiom; however, it is an attempt to approximate the equivalent English idiom.
3. 122 The participle נֶהְפַּךְ (nehpakh), Niphal participle masculine singular הָפַךְ (hafakh, “to turn over”) functions verbally, referring to progressive present-time action (from the speaker’s viewpoint). The verb הָפַךְ (hafakh) is used here to describe emotional distress (e.g., Ezek 4:8).
4. 123 Heb “because I was very rebellious.” The Hebrew uses an emphatic construction in which the root מָרַה (marah, “to rebel”) is repeated: מָרוֹ מָרִיתִי (maro mariti), Qal infinitive absolute from מָרָה (marah) followed by Qal perfect 1st person common singular from מָרָה (marah). When an infinitive absolute is used with a finite verb of the same root, it affirms the verbal idea (e.g., Gen 2:17; 18:10; 22:17; 31:15; 46:4; Num 16:13; 23:11; Judg 4:9; 15:13; 20:39; 1 Sam 2:30; 9:6; 2 Sam 24:24; Isa 6:9; Ezek 16:4). See §35.3.1f.
5. 124 Heb “in the street the sword bereaves.” The words “a mother of her children” are supplied in the translation as a clarification.
6. 125 Heb “in the house it is like death.”
7. 126 The reads שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u, “They heard”), Qal perfect 3rd person common plural from שָׁמַע (shama’, “to hear”). The ἀκούσατε (akousate) reflects the vocalization שִׁמְעוּ (shim’u, “Hear!”), Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural from שָׁמַע (shama’, “to hear”). Internal evidence favors the . Elsewhere in Lamentations, personified Jerusalem urges God with singular imperatives (“Look! See!”); however, nowhere else is a plural imperative used. In fact, the Qal perfect 3rd person common plural form שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u, “They hear”) appears in the following line. The referent of שָׁמְעוּ (sham’u) is the enemy who has destroyed Jerusalem and now mocks her when they hear her laments. The vocalization is undoubtedly original. Most English versions follow the : “They hear” (, , , , , ); but several follow the and revocalize the text as an imperative: “Hear!” (, , ).
8. 127 “You” here and in the following line refers to the Lord.
9. 128 Heb “that You have done it.”
10. 129 The verb הֵבֵאתָ (heve’ta) Hiphil perfect 2nd person masculine singular from בּוֹא (bo’, “to bring” in the Hiphil) probably functions, not as a simple past-time perfect, but as a precative perfect, an unusual volitional nuance similar to the imperative of request. The precative is used in reference to situations the speaker prays for and expects to be realized; it is a prayer or request of confidence (e.g., 2 Sam 7:29; Job 21:16; 22:18; Pss 3:8; 4:2; 7:7; 22:22; 31:5–6; 71:3; Lam 1:21). See §30.5.4c, d. This volitional precative nuance is reflected in the which translates this verb using an imperative. Most English versions adopt the precative nuance: “Bring on the day you have announced” (), “Oh, that Thou wouldst bring the day which Thou hast proclaimed” (), “May you bring the day you have announced” (), “Bring the day you promised” (), “Oh, bring on them what befell me!” (), “Hurry and punish them, as you have promised” (). A few English versions adopt a prophetic perfect future-time nuance: “thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called” (, , ).
11. 130 The term יוֹם (yom, “day”) is often used as a metonymy of association, standing for the event associated with that particular time period: judgment (e.g., Isa 2:12; 13:6, 9; Jer 46:10; Lam 2:22; Ezek 13:5; 30:3; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad 15; Zeph 1:7, 14; Zech 14:1; Mal 3:23) ( 399 3).
12. 131 Heb “proclaimed.”
13. 132 Heb “and.” Following a volitive use of the perfect, the vav (ו) prefixed to וְיִהְיוּ (véyihyu, “and let it be!”) introduces a purpose/result clause in a dependent volitive construction: “so that they may be like me!”
14. 133 Heb “that they be like me.”