Lamentations of Jeremiah

Third of Hagiographa, Holy Writings

[He. Eik[ch]ah “How”, after its opening word]

Courtesy of Alexander Scourby(Bible Audio)The Book of Lamentations

Background: This is s funeral song about the devastated city of Jerusalem, possibly written by Jeremiah. Each chapter is a complete poem and in each mood changes from anguish and despair in the recognition that punishment was deserved, to hope in God’s love and mercy. Prayer is made that God will once again show these to his people. 5chs

Author: Jeremiah:

*He. Phrase “daughter of Zion” and daughter of people” and similar phrases are used to refer to Israel about 20x in each book

*his heard as stream of water (1:16Jr9:1)

Confined in a pit (3:53Jr37:16; 38:6)

*signs of sinfulness found on skirts (1:9KJV Jr2:34; 13:22, 26)

*Author of Lam., was an eyewitness to the destruction of Jerusalem fitting Jeremiah

*he suffering of the author (3; especially 3:53) fits Jr

*Septuagint, other Gr. manuscripts and KJV calls it the Lamentations of Jr

Date and Location: After Jerusalem’s fall in 586BC. Its eyewitness nature suggests a location near the burning city, perhaps in Jr’s hometown of Anathoth, in the area of Ramah (Jr39:11-18)

Purpose: To discuss Jerusalem’s destruction:

-Judah’s sin (1:8, 9; 18:4:13-16)

-God was still faithful (3:21-33) and would restore them (5:19-22) if they would repent (3:40-42)

Unique Features: 
^Each of the first 4chs of lam. is an acrostic poem. 
^In 1, 2 and 4 each of the 22verses begins with a successive letter of the Gr. alphabet. 
^In ch3, every third of the66verses begins with successive letter of the Gr. alphabet. 
^Though ch5 has 22 verses as well, it does not follow the acrostic pattern.

*Though other bible books contain laments (2S1:17-27Jb3) only La. Is composed entirely in this literary style

Abbreviations: Lam. / La./ Lm.

MV: Famines, Jb5:20

Bib1Yr: Lk6, 7The Healings