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Lamentations, book of


Lamentations, book of

Or, Dirges over the fall of Jerusalem and the nation. Written by Jeremiah. The poems are acrostic, Lam. 1–2; 4 having each 22 verses beginning with the successive letters of the alphabet; Lam. 3 has 66 verses, every three beginning each with one letter; Lam. 5 is not alphabetical. This beautiful little book is very instructive, such as in regard to the scenes in the city and the feelings of the people, Lam. 4; the deep impression made by the destruction of the holy city and temple by Jehovah’s own hand (1:21; 2:1–11; 3:42–44); the feeling of sin awakened by it and the deep sense of national humiliation. The date of the book must be some years after the fall of the city, of which the writer was an eyewitness.