Lamentations 5 6

Lamentations 5:6 kjv

We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

Lamentations 5:6 nkjv

We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.

Lamentations 5:6 niv

We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

Lamentations 5:6 esv

We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough.

Lamentations 5:6 nlt

We submitted to Egypt and Assyria
to get enough food to survive.

Lamentations 5 verses

Lamentations 5 6 Meaning

This verse expresses deep anguish and regret over Israel's forced subjugation and loss of dignity. They are now beholden to oppressive overlords who exercise undue control and influence over their lives, even to the point of imposing heavy tributes or extortions from their own people.

Lamentations 5 6 Context

Chapter 5 of Lamentations is an extensive prayer or communal lament for the devastation of Jerusalem and Judah. The prophet, on behalf of the suffering people, recounts their extreme misery following the Babylonian conquest. This chapter specifically details the profound suffering, the loss of inheritance, the absence of liberty, the extreme hardship and hunger, the humiliation, and the grief that have befallen them. Verse 6 speaks to the continued subjugation and vulnerability even after the initial catastrophe, highlighting the persistent oppression and loss of autonomy.

Lamentations 5 6 Word Analysis

• We (Strong's H859 - 'anachnu'): This plural pronoun emphasizes the communal nature of the suffering. The entire nation, or a significant representation of it, is enduring these hardships.

• stretch forth (Strong's H7971 - 'shalaach'): Implies extension or reaching out, in this context, to make a levy or demand, a reaching into the land for resources.

• our hand (Strong's H3027 - 'yad'): Symbolizes power, control, or authority. Here, it signifies the oppressive act of extending control over Israel's assets and possibly its people.

• to (Strong's H413 - 'el'): A preposition indicating direction or purpose.

• the Egyptians (Strong's H4713 - 'Mitzriym'): A specific reference to Egyptians. Historically, Egypt often played a role in Israel's political landscape, sometimes as an ally and sometimes as an oppressor (though Assyria and Babylon were the immediate oppressors at this time). The inclusion of Egyptians here might be rhetorical, using a familiar symbol of subjugation, or could refer to historical grievances or ongoing negative influences and allegiances that contributed to their current state. It points to the people from whom they seek relief, or to whose ways they might have likened themselves, resulting in such hardship. Alternatively, it could imply seeking help from external nations (like Egypt had once been) which in turn caused their plight or were involved in their downfall, adding to the bitter irony.

• to the Assyrians (Strong's H804 - 'Ashshuwr'): Refers to the Assyrians, a powerful empire known for its brutal conquests and deportations, who had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. While Babylon was the immediate conqueror of Judah, the mention of Assyrians could signify the continuation of an oppressive system, or the sins leading to their current state originating from earlier oppressions and unlearned lessons from the fall of the Northern Kingdom. It reinforces the theme of national suffering at the hands of powerful, ruthless empires.

• group analysis: The phrase "stretch forth our hand to the Egyptians, to the Assyrians" can be interpreted as a commentary on their desperation and misguided attempts at security or alliances. Instead of relying on God, they have looked to human powers (symbolized by Egyptians and Assyrians), and it is from these same sources of human power that their present oppressions, perhaps even tribute or exploitation, originate or are sustained. This implies a seeking of help from or adoption of the ways of nations that ultimately led to their downfall and continued suffering.

Lamentations 5 6 Bonus Section

The choice of "Egyptians" and "Assyrians" is significant. Egypt represents both the initial oppressive bondage from which Israel was delivered and a historical pattern of political entanglements and alliances that often proved detrimental. Assyria represents the brutal efficiency of empires that conquered and scattered nations. By mentioning both, the prophet underscores the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of their oppression and the long history of their struggle against such powers. It evokes a sense of helplessness and regret for not having fully relied on Yahweh, who alone had delivered them from Egypt and whose promise of protection they had forsaken. This verse is a powerful testament to the consequences of national unfaithfulness.

Lamentations 5 6 Commentary

This verse paints a stark picture of national shame and distress. The people of Israel, stripped of their sovereignty and subjected to foreign rule, find themselves in a state where their own resources, perhaps even their very means of sustenance, are vulnerable to the extortions and impositions of outside powers, symbolized here by Egypt and Assyria. This might signify economic exploitation, the burden of tribute, or even the involvement of these nations in their current hardship through past political entanglements or misguided reliance on them. It is a profound expression of loss of freedom and dignity, where even basic sustenance is threatened by the reach of oppressors. The reference to historical enemies like Egyptians and Assyrians serves to heighten the sense of generational or recurring suffering, and perhaps to underscore the failure to learn from past apostasies and divine judgments.