The tradition is that the prophet jeremiah wrote lamentations. There are 22 letters in the hebrew alphabet, and chapters 1, 2 and 4 have 22 verses eacha verse for each of the 22 letters. We call this book lamentations because it is a collection of sad poems. Lamentations 1 bible commentary matthew henry concise. She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer. The last half of chapter 3 and the very end of chapter 5 are the most hopeful sections of the book. Lamentations summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of lamentations for bible study or sunday school lessons. She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.
This summary of the book of lamentations provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of lamentations. The miserable state of jerusalem, the just consequences of its sins. It is not among the most popular old testament books, but it repays careful study. Jeremiah lamenteth the former excellency and present misery of jerusalem for her sin, lamentations 1. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. Grigor narekatsi book of prayer armenian literature. Book of lamentations simple english wikipedia, the free. This view is highly likely considering the author was a witness of the babylonians destroying jerusalem. Grigor narekatsi or krikor, grigor naregatsi, 9511003 is a cannonized saint. Book of prayer is known in armenian as girk aghotits literally, book of prayer or matean voghbergutyan literally book of tragedy or lamentation. Lamentations chapter 5 is not an acrostic poem, though it does contain 22 verses, the same number as the distinct letters of the hebrew alphabet. Oct 06, 20 pastor paul leboutillier of calvary chapel ontario oregon teaches the hebrew old testament book of lamentations. The book of lamentations was written soon after the fall of jerusalem in 586 b.
Each chapter of the book is comprised of a poem making five poems in all. Although never named in the book, the book of lamentations has long been attributed to the prophet jeremiah, although some scholars have disputed this. The appearance of the holy mother of god to narekatsi. The name implies that the topic is expressing grief over something to lament. He has led me and made me walkin darkness and not in light. There are 22 verses, but they arent arranged into an acrostic. Lamentations 1 nasb the sorrows of zion how lonely sits. Completed towards the end of his life, circa 100203, the work has been described as a monologue, a personal lyric and confessional poem, mystical and meditative. Next chapter of lamentations the book of lamentations, chapter 1 we hope that you find the content of the book of lamentations, chapter 1 from the douay rheims version of the catholic bible helpful to your bible studies and for references which allow you to read the books and individual verses of this chapter. Gregory of narek or grigor narekatsi was an armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher, theologian and saint of the armenian apostolic church and catholic church. Lamentations 3, new king james version nkjv the bible app.
But whatever changes there are on earth, god is still the same, and remains for ever wise and holy, just and good. Judahs been caught for centuries between powerful countries in the middle east, and this time they backed the wrong guys. Although the poems are traditionally ascribed to the prophet jeremiah. The book of lamentations is book of sorrowful songs or poems. It is a series of sad poems about the destruction of jerusalem. Narekatsi gardener, the miracle of the apricot stone and the benediction of the stone cross. The book itself does not tell who wrote it, so the author is uncertain. Lamentations consists of five distinct poems, corresponding to its five chapters. The talmud, that vast reservoir of jewish law and tradition, states.
Beginning with the reality of disaster, lamentations ends with the thought that god may have finally rejected israel chapter 5. The poems use the literary style of an acrostic where the poem is built around the alphabet 16. Their former allies but now sworn enemies, the babylonians, have stormed the town and taken over. Gregory draws on the exquisite potential of the classical armenian language to translate the pure sighs of the broken. Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. The book of lamentations is a collection of five poems that serve as an anguished response to the destruction of jerusalem in 587 b. Prayer 15 prayer 16 prayer 17 prayer 18 prayer 19 prayer 20 prayer 21 prayer 22 prayer 23 prayer. The sorrows of zion how lonely sits the city that was full of people. The prayer book entitled the book of lamentations is the crown of narekatsi s creation and it was translated into many languages. For narekatsi, peoples absolute goal in life should be to reach to god. Check out book of lamentations by narekatsi on amazon music. The first four are written as acrostics chapters 1, 2, and 4 each have 22 verses, corresponding to the 22 letters of the hebrew alphabet, the first lines beginning with the first letter of the alphabet, the second with the second letter, and so on.
The people who lived in jerusalem did not obey god. Grigor narekatsi author of the armenian prayer book of st. It was written soon after the fall of jerusalem in 586 b. On the basis of the latter term the septuagint calls it threnoi, or latin threni, or lamentations.
Chapter 5s verses reflect the hebrew alphabet in number alone. How deserted lies the city, once so full of people. She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks. The destruction of jerusalem chapter 1 the anger of yahweh chapter 2 the prayer for mercy chapter 3 the siege of jerusalem chapter 4 the prayer for restoration chapter 5 six centuries later christ would also weep over jerusalem.
The rabbis call this little book ekhah how, according to the word of lament with which it begins, or qinoth. Chapter 3 contains sixtysix vv since three vv are assigned to each hebrew. In the middle of the book, the writer reminds the people to hope in god. The armenian people have traditionally assigned various powers to different chapters recited as prayers, and there are changes in mood and imagery from chapter to chapter. Jan 18, 2014 chapter 5s verses reflect the hebrew alphabet in number alone. Lamentations 1 nasb the sorrows of zion how lonely. Lamentations 5 bible commentary matthew henry concise. He was an armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian, born into a family of writers. Book of lamentations read, study bible verses online. Chapter 5, which is the last chapter, has 22 verses each, of which, contains a single thought. Lamentations 1 niv how deserted lies the city, once so. Book of lamentations was at that time removed from its position as an appendix to the book of. The first two chapters have 22 verses each and are an acrostic. God wanted his people to take care of jerusalem and the special house in it.
Chapter 1a all verse 1b all verse 2 twentytwo verses. To summarize these structural elements in lamentations five chapters, note the following chart. The targum or aramaic paraphrase of jonathan which dates to ca. There are several translations into eastern and western armenian languages eastern armenian translations made by mkrtich kheranian and vazgen gevorkian, western armenian translations made by bishop torgom. Although the poems are traditionally ascribed to the prophet jeremiah, this is unlikely. It originates from the village and monastery of narek and owns its popularity to gregory of narek and the book of lamentations, popularlily known as narek. Chapter 3 has 66 verses, so that each letter begins three. In the context of total desolation, prayers for vindication fill the book 1. See 2 kgs 25 for a prose account of the fall of jerusalem. Jeremiah, also known as the weeping prophet writes this after the destruction of jerusalem by the babylonians. She appeals to the justice of god concerning the injuries that her enemies did her lamentations 2. Chapter 3 is slightly different as it has 66 verses in total, with three verses for each of the 22 letters. To this question, posed by the prophets, psalmist, apostles and saints, he gives a humble answer the sighs of the heart expressed in his book of prayer, also called the book of lamentations. The book is a prayer book of ninetyfive poems or meditations, of which most are divided into three or four sections russell xv.
Even though there are 22 verses, there is no acrostic pattern in this chapter. Grigor narekatsi, book of lamentations, armenian classical orthography grigor narekatsi on. But even in a book named lamentations, the god of vengeance is still a god of hope. Gregory called his book an encyclopedia of prayer for all nations. Lamentations free bible commentary in easy english. How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations. Chapter 5 has 22 verses, but the acrostic style of writing was not used in this chapter. Pastor paul leboutillier of calvary chapel ontario oregon teaches the hebrew old testament book of lamentations.
The septuagint calls it threnoi ieremiou, lamentations of jeremiah. She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations. Mar 19, 2009 check out book of lamentations by narekatsi on amazon music. As a result, the difficulties of earthly life would disappear. Smart folks talk lamentations a good breakdown of whats up with lamentations from an introduction to the hebrew bible course at yale. The term threnoi is the plural form of a greek term meaning to cry aloud, which is indicative of the anguished nature of the book. The book of lamentations, chapter 1 catholic bible. The book of lamentations does not explicitly identify its author. The entire book of lamentations is poetic in its form. It is traditionally read by the jewish people on tisha bav, the fast day that commemorates the destruction of the temple in jerusalem in western christianity, readings and songs from the book are used in the lenten religious service known as tenebrae latin for darkness.
In the hebrew old testament the book is entitled ekah, meaning how or alas, taken from the first verse. Title lamentations was derived from a translation of the title as found in the latin vulgate vg. The little book consists of 5 lamentations, each one forming the contents of a chapter. This outline of lamentations is intended to help you deepen your understanding of gods holy word. Chapter 3 has 66 verses, so that each letter begins three lines, and the fifth poem is not acrostic but still has 22 lines. Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, the day that is fixed in the counsels of god and published in the prophecies, when my enemies, that now prosecute me, shall be made like unto me, when the cup of trembling, now put into my. Lamentations 1, king james version kjv the bible app.