Lamentations 4:10
"The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children,.... Such as were naturally, and agreeably to their sex, pitiful and compassionate; merciful to the poor, as the Targum; and especially tenderhearted to their own offspring; yet, by reason of the soreness of the famine, became so cruel

and hardhearted, as to take their own children, and slay them with their own hands, cut them to pieces, put them into a pot of water, and make a fire and boil them, and then eat them, as follows: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people: at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. This strange and unnatural action was foretold by Moses, Deu 28:56 ; and though we have no particular instance of it on record, as done at the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, yet no doubt there was, as may be concluded from the words: and at the siege of it by the Romans, when many things here spoken of had a fuller accomplishment, we have a remarkable instance of it, which Josephus (a) relates; an illustrious woman, named Mary, pressed with the famine, slew her own son, a sucking child, boiled him, and ate part of him, and laid up the rest; which was found by the seditious party that broke into her house, which struck them with the utmost horror; See Gill on Lam 2:20 . (a) De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 3. sect. 4.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (10 words)

H3027 יָד
Definition:

26+ often (masculineExodus 17:12see Di; onיִרְמּוּ יָדַיִם2 Samuel 4:1;Zephaniah 3:16; 2Chronicles 15:7;Nehemiah 6:9, see Ges§ 145, 7 a, R. 1)hand(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaicיְדָא,; ZinjirliידDHMSendsch.G 26+ often (masculineExodus 17:12see Di; onיִרְמּוּ יָדַיִם2 Samuel 4:1;Zephaniah 3:16; 2Chronicles 15:7;Nehemiah 6:9, see Ges§ 145, 7 a, R. 1)hand(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaicיְדָא,; ZinjirliידDHMSendsch.G

Possible Meanings:
  • power (semantic_range)
H0802 אִשָּׁה
Definition:

33+; constructאֵשֶׁתGenesis 11:29+ (apparently absoluteDeuteronomy 21:11;1 Samuel 28:7;Psalm 58:9but compare Bö§ 728Ges§ 130. 5); suffixאִשְׁתִּיGenesis 20:11+;אִשְׁתְּךָGenesis 12:18+ (אֶשְׁתְּךָPsal 33+; constructאֵשֶׁתGenesis 11:29+ (apparently absoluteDeuteronomy 21:11;1 Samuel 28:7;Psalm 58:9but compare Bö§ 728Ges§ 130. 5); suffixאִשְׁתִּיGenesis 20:11+;אִשְׁתְּךָGenesis 12:18+ (אֶשְׁתְּךָPsal

Possible Meanings:
  • an offering made by fire (semantic_range)
H7362 רַחְמָנִי
Definition:

10compassionate women.Topical LexiconOverview of the TermRachmani describes a person who is tender-hearted, compassionate, or merciful. In Scripture the word appears only once, yet it carries a profou 10compassionate women.Topical LexiconOverview of the TermRachmani describes a person who is tender-hearted, compassionate, or merciful. In Scripture the word appears only once, yet it carries a profou

H1310 בָּשַׁל
Definition:

13,בָּֽשְׁלוּEzekiel 24:5; —boil, cook(intransitive)Ezekiel 24:5;grow ripe(ofקציר) Joel 4:13; —Pi`elPerfect3masculine singular suffixבִּשְּׁלָם1 Kings 19:21;וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֫Exodus 29:31;Deuteronomy 16:7 13,בָּֽשְׁלוּEzekiel 24:5; —boil, cook(intransitive)Ezekiel 24:5;grow ripe(ofקציר) Joel 4:13; —Pi`elPerfect3masculine singular suffixבִּשְּׁלָם1 Kings 19:21;וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֫Exodus 29:31;Deuteronomy 16:7

Possible Meanings:
  • cooked (semantic_range)
  • boiled (semantic_range)
H3206 יֶלֶד
Definition:

8child, son, boy, youth; —יֶּ֫לֶדabsoluteGenesis 4:23+; constructJeremiah 31:20;יָ֫לֶדGenesis 21:16+; pluralיְלָדִיםGenesis 33:1+; constructיַלְדֵיExodus 2:62t.;יִלְדֵיֿIsaiah 57:4; suffixיְלָדַיGenes 8child, son, boy, youth; —יֶּ֫לֶדabsoluteGenesis 4:23+; constructJeremiah 31:20;יָ֫לֶדGenesis 21:16+; pluralיְלָדִיםGenesis 33:1+; constructיַלְדֵיExodus 2:62t.;יִלְדֵיֿIsaiah 57:4; suffixיְלָדַיGenes

H1961 הָיָה
Definition:

1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu 1+;וְהָיָהconsecutiveGenesis 4:14+; 3 feminine singularהָֽיְתָהGenesis 1:2+;הָיָ֑תָהIsaiah 14:243t.;וְהָֽיְתָהconsecutiveGenesis 9:13+;והית2Kings 9:37 Kt (Qrוְהָֽיְתָה); 2 masculine singularהָיִיתָDeu

Possible Meanings:
  • fall out (semantic_range)
  • come to pass (semantic_range)
  • become (semantic_range)
  • be (semantic_range)
  • Fall out (semantic_range)
H1262 בָּרָה
Definition:

17;Imperfectאֶבְרֶה2 Samuel 13:6,10eat bread(בְּרוּלְֿכֶם1 Samuel 17:8scribal error forבחרולכם1 Kings 18:25DrSm 107).Pi`elInfinitiveלְבָרוֺתLamentations 4:10for devouring.Hiph`ilImperfectתַּבְרֵנִי2 S 17;Imperfectאֶבְרֶה2 Samuel 13:6,10eat bread(בְּרוּלְֿכֶם1 Samuel 17:8scribal error forבחרולכם1 Kings 18:25DrSm 107).Pi`elInfinitiveלְבָרוֺתLamentations 4:10for devouring.Hiph`ilImperfectתַּבְרֵנִי2 S

Possible Meanings:
  • bind (semantic_range)
  • fetter (semantic_range)
  • treaty, covenant (semantic_range)
H7667 שֶׁבֶר
Definition:

5breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash; — absoluteשֶׁבֶרIsaiah 51:19+,שָׁ֑בֶרLamentations 3:47;Proverbs 17:19, constructשֶׁבֶרIsaiah 1:28+,שֵׁבֶרAmos 6:6+; suffixשִׁבְרִיJeremiah 10:19, etc.; pl 5breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash; — absoluteשֶׁבֶרIsaiah 51:19+,שָׁ֑בֶרLamentations 3:47;Proverbs 17:19, constructשֶׁבֶרIsaiah 1:28+,שֵׁבֶרAmos 6:6+; suffixשִׁבְרִיJeremiah 10:19, etc.; pl

Possible Meanings:
  • buy grain (semantic_range)
  • buy grain (semantic_range)
  • sell grain (semantic_range)
H1323 בַּת
Definition:

16+; constructGenesis 11:29+; suffixבִּתִּיDeuteronomy 22:16+;בִּתְּךָGenesis 29:18+;בִּתֵּנוּGenesis 34:17etc.; pluralבָּנוֺתGenesis 5:4+; constructבְּנוֺתGenesis 6:2+; suffixבְּנֹתַיGenesis 31:26+;ב 16+; constructGenesis 11:29+; suffixבִּתִּיDeuteronomy 22:16+;בִּתְּךָGenesis 29:18+;בִּתֵּנוּGenesis 34:17etc.; pluralבָּנוֺתGenesis 5:4+; constructבְּנוֺתGenesis 6:2+; suffixבְּנֹתַיGenesis 31:26+;ב

Possible Meanings:
  • bath (semantic_range)
H5971 עַם
Definition:

Fromamam; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock -- folk, men, nation, people.see HEBREWamamBrow Fromamam; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock -- folk, men, nation, people.see HEBREWamamBrow

Possible Meanings:
  • with (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

---

Get the daily verse delivered free

Create Free Account

Automatic daily verse emails after signup

← Chapter 4 All Chapters