Introduction to Lamentations 1:9
Lamentations 1:9 is part of a poetic lament mourning the fall of Jerusalem, portraying the city as a defiled and abandoned woman. The verse uses personification, metaphors of impurity, and imperative appeals to YHWH, reflecting deep sorrow and theological reflection on divine judgment.
This verse contains two key literary and grammatical features:
1. Personification of Jerusalem as an impure, forgotten woman (טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ, “Her impurity is in her skirts”).
2. Imperative appeal to YHWH for compassion (רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י, “See, O YHWH, my affliction”).
This study will analyze the grammatical structure of personification, the imperative appeal for divine attention, and the theological implications of Jerusalem’s fall.
טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אֹויֵֽב׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1. טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ (tum’atah beshuleha)
– Root: טָמֵא (“to be unclean, defiled”)
– Translation: “Her impurity is in her skirts”
– Function: A metaphor for Jerusalem’s moral and ritual defilement.
2. לֹ֤א זָֽכְרָה֙ אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ (lo zakhrah aḥaritah)
– Root: זָכַר (“to remember”), אַחֲרִית (“latter end”)
– Translation: “She did not remember her latter end”
– Function: Indicates Jerusalem’s failure to foresee the consequences of sin.
3. וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים (vatēred pela’im)
– Root: יָרַד (“to go down”), פֶּלֶא (“wonder, catastrophe”)
– Translation: “She has fallen astonishingly”
– Function: Emphasizes the shocking extent of Jerusalem’s fall.
4. אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם לָ֑הּ (ein menaḥem lah)
– Root: נָחַם (“to comfort”)
– Translation: “There is no one to comfort her”
– Function: Highlights utter abandonment and despair.
5. רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיִ֔י (re’eh YHWH et-‘oniy)
– Root: רָאָה (“to see”), עָנִי (“affliction”)
– Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine singular
– Translation: “See, O YHWH, my affliction”
– Function: An urgent plea for divine attention and intervention.
6. כִּ֥י הִגְדִּ֖יל אֹויֵֽב (ki higdil oyev)
– Root: גָּדַל (“to become great”), אוֹיֵב (“enemy”)
– Translation: “For the enemy has become great”
– Function: Describes Jerusalem’s suffering at the hands of her conquerors.
Explanation of Grammatical Function
The Personification of Jerusalem’s Defilement
– טֻמְאָתָ֣הּ (“Her impurity”) → Defilement is treated as an active force.
– בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָ (“in her skirts”) → Uses clothing imagery to depict shame and exposure.
– וַתֵּ֣רֶד פְּלָאִ֔ים (“She has fallen astonishingly”) → Metaphoric descent, emphasizing humiliation and judgment.
The Imperative רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ (“See, O YHWH”)
– Expresses urgency → The speaker demands immediate attention from YHWH.
– Common in lament psalms (e.g., Psalm 25:18, “Look upon my affliction”).
– Directly appeals to YHWH’s compassion.
The Contrast Between Divine and Human Response
– אֵ֥ין מְנַחֵ֖ם (“There is no comforter”) → Humans fail to offer solace.
– רְאֵ֤ה יְהוָה֙ (“See, O YHWH”) → Calls for divine attention as the only hope.
Theological Implications of Jerusalem’s Fall
1. Sin and Consequences
– The phrase “She did not remember her latter end” warns of spiritual neglect.
2. Divine Judgment and Compassion
– Imperative plea (רְאֵה יְהוָה) acknowledges God’s power to restore.
3. The Reversal of Glory
– Jerusalem, once glorious, now experiences abandonment and shame.
The Role of Personification and Imperative Appeals in Lamentations
Lamentations 1:9 employs personification and imperative pleading to depict Jerusalem’s despair. The grammatical structure highlights the contrast between abandonment and divine intervention, reinforcing the theological message that only YHWH can restore what has been lost.
Thus, this verse serves as a call to remember the consequences of sin while also expressing hope in divine mercy.
