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How doth the city sit solitary, [that was] full of people! [how] is she become as a widow! she [that was] great among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, [how] is she become tributary!

How doth the city sit solitary. — Some Adrichom. ex Niceph. tell us of Jeremiah’s cave, near to Aceldama, where he sat in sight of the city now destroyed, and made her this epitaph - not altogether unlike that which David once made for his dear Jonathan. 2 Samuel 1:17 There he hath his Echa admirantis et commiserantis, his wondering and condoling. How once, and again, and a third time. 2 Samuel 1:19 ; 2 Samuel 1:25 ; 2 Samuel 1:27 And our prophet hath the self-same, in sense at least, three different times in this one verse; whence the Hebrews call the whole book by the name of Echa (How), which is the first word in it, and beginneth with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For it must be observed here that, for memory’s sake especially, this piece of Holy Writ is most of it made up in order of alphabet, viz., the four first chapters, and all of it with singular artifice in a poetic strain. Take that one passage for a taste, Lamentations 5:16: Oi na lanu, chi chattanu, which soundeth rhythmically, i.e., woe to us that we have sinned. And whereas other poetry is the luxury of such learning as is in words restrained, in matter usually loose, here it is altogether otherwise; for the prophet or poet, whether id sibi negotii credidit solum dari, maketh it his whole business to set forth his people’s misery in the cause thereof, their sins and excesses, pressing therefore to patience, to repentance, to earnest prayer, and to a confident expectation of a gracious issue, together with a sanctified use of all their sufferings. He had himself been a man of many sorrows all along; and now had his share as deep as any in the common calamity. Besides which he could truly say with Cyprian, Cum singulis pectus meum copulo, maeroris et funeris pondera luctuosa participo: cum plangentibus plango, cum deflentibus defleo, i.e., in St Paul’s words, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? grieved, and I grieve not? offended, and I burn not?" 2 Corinthians 11:29 And this he expresseth in a stately style and figurative terms, full of passion and compassion, as to show his love to his country, so to work upon his hard hearted countrymen, and to excite them to repentance and better obedience.

How doth the city. — Lately a city, yea, the city, the most famous of all the cities of the East, saith Pliny; but now, alas! of a city become a heap. So true is that of Seneca, speaking of a great city burned to ashes, Una dies interest inter magnam civitatem et nullam, There was but one day between a city and no city.

Sit solitary. — Sit on the ground in a mourning posture, as Job did among the ashes, and as Vespasian, after the last destruction of Jerusalem by his son Titus, caused money to be coined, whereon was stamped the picture of Judea in form of a captive woman, sitting sorrowfully under a palm tree.

“How sits this city, late most populous,

Thus solitary! like a widow thus!

Empress of nations, queen of provinces

She was, that now thus tributary is.”

That was full of people. — Full indeed, at the three solemn anniversary feasts especially. Josephus testifieth that at the last destruction of this city by the Romans there were more than eleven hundred thousand people in it. And although Judea was not over two hundred miles long and fifty miles broad, nothing nearly as large as England, yet what huge armies brought they into the field in the days of David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, …! Augustine saith there were three million present at that passover, whereof one million one hundred thousand perished by the sword and famine, one hundred thousand were led to Rome in triumph. Serm. de Tempore, 204.

How is she become as a widow — Having lost her king, if not her God. Happy if in this last respect she be but quasi vidua, as a widow only, and no more. See 2 Corinthians 6:8 . See Trapp on " 2 Corinthians 6:8 " If God at any time should say unto her, as Zechariah 10:6 , "She shall be as if I had not cast her off, and I will hear her." Or if she could say of herself as that good widow in the story did, Sola relicta solum Deum sequor, Being left alone, I will follow after God alone.

She that was great among the nations. — So was Athens, once the glory of Greece, for both arts and arms, now a dog hole in comparison. Sparta also, that other eye of Greece, is now a small burrow called Misithra, having nothing to boast of but the fame and thoughts of its former greatness.

And princess among the provinces. — In David’s and Solomon’s days especially, when that state was in the flourish - i.e., the praise of the whole earth, and terror to all nations.

How is she become tributary! — And by that means melted and exhausted, as the Hebrew word importeth. So was England once, when the Pope’s ass. Oh the huge sums that he sucked hence, to the wasting and impoverishing of the land! Of one of his agents here it is recorded, that at his departure he left not so much money in the whole kingdom as he either carried with him or sent to Rome before him. Some of them derive their mass from the Hebrew word mas in the text, signifying tribute; and in some respects well they may - Per eam scilicet pietas omnis liquefacta est et dissoluta, saith Rivet - for it is the bane of men’s souls, and a purge to their purses

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She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears [are] on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort [her]: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

She weepeth sore. — Heb., Weeping she weepeth - i.e., sadly and soakingly, or as we say, savourly, seeking that way to ease her sorrow, which is so deep and downright.

“ Expletur lachrymis, egeriturque dolore. ”

In the night. — When grief may have its full forth, and when widows are most sensible of their solitary and forlorn condition. She weeps when she should sleep.

“ Iam iacet in viduo squallida facta toro. ”

And her tears are on her cheeks. — Haerent et perennant, seldom or never are they off. As hinds by calving, so she by weeping, cast out her sorrows. Job 39:3

Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her. — Optimum solarium sodalitium, saith one; and Affert solarium lugentibus suspiriorum societas, saith another father. It was no small aggravation of Jerusalem’s misery, that her confederates proved miserable comforters, and her allies kept aloof off, so that she had none to compassionate her. This is also none of the smallest torments of the damned ghosts, that they are unpitied of their best friends and nearest relations.

All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. — The Edomites and Moabites. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, … Every sinner shall one day take up this lamentation. And why? "They have forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:13

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Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

Judah is gone into captivity. — But with no goodwill. God hath driven them out for their cruel oppressions and hard usage of their poor brethren that served them; thus the Chaldee paraphrast, and not amiss. Others Jun., Udal. thus: Judah, i.e., the inhabitants of the kingdom, goeth away, i.e., willingly leave their country, goods, and dwelling, sc., before the desolation of Jerusalem, because of affliction, i.e., extremity of trouble, and great slavery, …

She dwelleth among the heathen. — Where she can get nothing better than guilt or grief.

She findeth no rest. — No more than did the dove in the deluge. Genesis 8:9

All her persecutors took her in the straits, — i.e., At the most advantage to mischief her - a term taken from hunters or highwaymen. The Chaldees took the city when it had been first distressed with famine; and then the Jews that went down to Egypt for succour and shelter after Gedaliah’s death, they caught there, as mice in a trap, as this prophet had foretold them (Jeremiah 42:1-22 ; Jeremiah 43:1-13 ; Jeremiah 44:1-30 ), but they would not be warned. Mitsraim proved to be their Metsarim - i.e., Egypt their pound, or prison.

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The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she [is] in bitterness.

The ways of Zion do mourn. — So they seem to do because unfrequented, overgrown with grass, and out of their kindly order.

Her priests sigh. — For want of employment.

The virgins were afflicted. — Or, Discomfited. Those that are usually set upon the merry pin, and were wont to make mirth at those festivities,

And she is in bitterness. — Zion is; but for nothing so much as for the decay of religion, and the loss of holy exercises. When this befalleth, all things else are mere Ichabods to good people, Cultus Dei desertus est, et omnia luctifica. - Jun. See Zephaniah 3:18 .

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Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

Her adversaries are the chief. — Heb, Are for the head. This was threatened. Deuteronomy 28:13-14 ; Deuteronomy 28:43-44 This, when it happens, is a great grief to the godly. Therefore the prophet Nahum, for the comfort of God’s Israel, is wholly in setting forth the destruction of their enemies, the Assyrians.

Her enemies prosper. — See Jeremiah 12:1 . They prevail, and do what they wish; so that there seemeth to be neither hope of better, nor place for worse.

For the Lord hath afflicted her. — Not so much her adversaries and enemies, or her oppressors and haters, as the words properly signify - that is, those that oppress them in action, and hate them in affection. Cavet Scriptura ne haec potestas detur adversariis. - Oecolamp.

Her children are gone into captivity. — Those that were able to go; for the rest were slain. Lamentations 4:9

Before the enemy. — Driven before them, as cattle.

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And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts [that] find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed. — Her glory, as Isaiah 5:14 that is chiefly the temple, and the service of God in it. It is now Ichabod with her. The beauty and bulwark of a nation are God’s holy ordinances.

Her princes are become like harts, — i.e., Heartless, bereft of courage. They dare not make headway against an enemy.

Before the pursuer. — R. Solomon here observeth that the Hebrew word øåøó is written in full, Hebrew Text Note so as it is scarcely anywhere else, to note the fulness of the persecution.

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Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, [and] did mock at her sabbaths.

Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction. — Misery is the best art of memory. Then those privileges we prized not in prosperity, we recount with regret. Bona a tergo formosissima: the worth of good things is best known by the lack of them; Magis carendo quam fruendo. and as we see things best at a distance, so here. Afflictions are pillulae lucis, that do notably clear the eyesight.

The adversaries saw her, — sc., With a spiteful and scornful eye.

And did mock at her Sabbaths. — Calling the Jews in contempt, Sabbatarians, and jeering them as those that lost more than a seventh part of their time that way, and telling them, in scorn, that now they might well a while to keep a long Sabbath, as having little else to do. Juvenal thus describeth a Jew -

“ Cui septima quaeque fuit lux

Ignava, et partem vitae non attigit ullam. ” - Satyr. v.

Paulus Phagius telleth likewise of a black mouthed Egyptian, who said that Christians were a colluvies A collection or gathering of filth or foul matter; spec. foul discharge from an ulcer. ŒD of most loathsome, lecherous people, that had a foul disease upon them, and were therefore fain to rest every seventh day.

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Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Jerusalem hath grievously sinned. — Perpetuo, assidue, et graviter peccavit. Heb., Hath sinned sin, hath sinned sinningly, doing wickedly as she could, Jeremiah 3:4 and having many transgressions wrapped up in her sins and their circumstances. Leviticus 16:21 And this is here acknowledged as the true cause of her calamity. Profane persons lay all the blame in this case upon God, as he in the poet -

“ O patria, O divum domus Ilium, et inclyta bello

Maenia Dardanidum: ferus omnia Iupiter Argos

Transtulit …

Postquam res Asiae Priamique evertere gentem

Immeritam visum superis, ”& c. - Virg., Aeneid., ii.

Therefore she is removed. — Heb., Therefore is she unto removing or wandering, as Cain was Ad modum Cain fratricidae. - Piguier. when he went to live in the land of Nod, or as a menstruous woman is separated from the society of others. Nidah for Niddah.

All that honoured her. — When her ways pleased the Lord.

Because they have seen her nakedness. — Her infamous wickednesses, for which she hath done penance, as it were, and is therefore despised. Or else it is a term taken from a naked captive woman.

Yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward, — sc., To hide her nakedness from public view. Or, going into captivity, she looked her last look toward her dear country, and fetched a sigh.

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