Introduction to Lamentations 4:15: Public Shame and Ritual Defilement
This verse from Lamentations 4:15 depicts the depth of Jerusalem’s humiliation after the Babylonian destruction. The once-honored people of YHWH are now driven away with the cry ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א—“Turn aside! Unclean!” The command ס֤וּרוּ is then repeated for emphasis: ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ. This article focuses on the grammatical structure, literary repetition, and ritual-theological implications of the verb ס֤וּרוּ in this context of impurity, exile, and national rejection.
ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מֹו ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם לֹ֥א יֹוסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃
Grammatical Analysis of ס֤וּרוּ
The repeated verb ס֤וּרוּ is from the root סוּר (s-w-r), meaning “to turn aside, to depart, to avoid.” In this verse, it appears twice in the imperative plural masculine form, directed at or concerning those labeled טָמֵא (“unclean”).
- Root: סוּר (s-w-r) – to turn aside, depart
- Stem: Qal
- Form: Imperative, 2nd person masculine plural
- Translation: “Turn aside!” / “Get away!” / “Depart!”
Though imperatives typically address the second person, in this poetic setting the imperatives may function as declarative commands voiced by the surrounding nations or the people themselves, dramatizing their social and cultic rejection of the ritually defiled.
Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מֹו
- ס֣וּרוּ – “Turn aside!” (Qal imperative plural)
- טָמֵ֞א – “Unclean!” – A ritual pronouncement, as in Leviticus 13–14, especially regarding skin diseases.
- קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מֹו – “They called out to them” – from קָרָא, to proclaim or call aloud.
This line evokes public exclusion: those who are called “unclean” are verbally shunned and socially exiled with the shout of ס֣וּרוּ.
ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ
- ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ – Repeated imperative: “Turn aside! Turn aside!” – a poetic intensification through repetition.
- אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ – “Do not touch!” – negative command using אַל + imperfect verb from נָגַע (“to touch”).
The repeated ס֤וּרוּ functions like a crowd chant: the defiled are to keep distance, and others must avoid contact—ritual contamination is contagious.
כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ
- נָצוּ – “They fled” or “they scattered” (Qal perfect of נוּץ)
- נָעוּ – “They wandered” or “were shaken” (Qal perfect of נוּעַ)
These verbs reinforce the image of displacement and instability—those pronounced unclean are driven out and unable to remain rooted.
אָמְרוּ בַּגֹּויִם לֹא יֹוסִיפוּ לָגֽוּר
- אָמְרוּ – “They said”
- בַּגֹּויִם – “among the nations”
- לֹא יֹוסִיפוּ לָגוּר – “They shall no longer sojourn/dwell” – from גּוּר, “to sojourn”
This concluding phrase seals the judgment: the defiled exiles will no longer be allowed even temporary residence among the nations. They are rejected universally.
Theological and Rhetorical Implications
1. Echoes of Levitical Purity Law
The cry “טָמֵא!” and the command “ס֣וּרוּ!” recall priestly instructions in Leviticus 13:45–46, where lepers are to dwell outside the camp and shout “Unclean!” to warn others. Here, that imagery is extended to the entire community—not just individuals—showing that the nation has become ritually impure and excluded.
2. Intensified Rejection
The triple imperatives—ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א, ס֤וּרוּ ס֨וּרוּ, אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ—function as a crescendo of exclusion. Not only are the people impure, but they are vocally driven away and physically untouchable.
3. Exile as Divine and Human Judgment
The final clause (לֹא יֹוסִיפוּ לָגוּר) is both a social and theological condemnation. The people are not merely exiled—they are unwelcome even among the nations, suggesting total alienation under divine wrath.
The Role of ס֤וּרוּ in Lamentations 4:15
The repeated imperative ס֤וּרוּ (“Turn aside!”) anchors this verse’s portrayal of ritual, social, and theological exclusion. It reveals a world turned upside-down:
- Grammatically: Qal imperative plural of סוּר, stressing direct address and command.
- Literarily: Repetition evokes panic, public shaming, and poetic emphasis.
- Theologically: Once holy people are now declared unclean, cut off from community and divine presence.
In Lamentations 4:15, ס֣וּרוּ is not just a command—it is a symbol of loss, of distance from holiness, and of the devastating result of covenantal unfaithfulness. The nation is cast out like a leper, both touched by wrath and untouchable by man.
