THE JERUSALEM OF NEHEMIAH

CHRONOLOGY OF THE MACCABEAN AND ROMAN PERIODS

PALESTINE DURING THE MACCABEAN PERIOD

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THE EXILE AND THE REVIVAL OF THE JUDEAN COMMUNITY

Section xci.  The Jews in Palestine and Egypt

[Sidenote:  Lam. 2:1-5] How the Lord hath beclouded in his anger the daughter of Zion!  He hath cast down from heaven to earth the beauty of Israel, And he hath not kept in remembrance his footstool in the day of his anger.  The Lord hath swallowed up without mercy every habitation of Jacob, He hath thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah, He hath struck to the ground, he hath polluted her king and her princes.  He hath cut off in the fierceness of his anger all of Israel’s strength, He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, He hath burnt in Jacob like a flame, which devours on all sides.  He hath bent his bow as an enemy, he hath stood as an adversary, He hath slain all the desirable men in the tent of Zion, He hath poured out his fury as fire [on the daughter of Judah].  The Lord hath become like an enemy, he hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all of his palaces, he hath destroyed his fortresses, And he hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah sighing and lamentation.

[Sidenote:  Lam. 2:6,7]
He hath torn down as a vine his dwelling, he hath destroyed his assembling
  place,
He hath caused to be forgotten in Zion, fast day and sabbath,
And hath spurned in his indignant anger, king and priest. 
The Lord hath rejected his altar, he hath abhorred his
  sanctuary,
He hath given up into the hands of the enemy the ark of the covenant,
They have made a din in Jehovah’s house, as in the solemn feast day.

[Sidenote:  Lam. 2:8-10]
Jehovah hath determined to destroy the wall of Zion,
He hath stretched out the line, he hath not held back his hand from
  destroying,
He hath made rampart and wall lament, they mourn together,
Her gates have sunk into the ground, he hath destroyed her defences,
Her king and her princes are among the heathen, there is no law. 
Her prophets also receive from Jehovah no vision. 
Silent, upon the earth sit the elders of Zion;
They cast dust upon their heads; they are girded with sackcloth;
With heads bowed to earth are the daughters of Jerusalem.

[Sidenote:  Lam. 5:1-7]
Remember, O Jehovah, what has befallen us,
Look and see our disgrace. 
Our inheritance is turned over to aliens,
Our homes belong to foreigners. 
We are orphans and fatherless,
Our mothers are like widows. 
We drink our water for money,
Our wood comes to us by purchase. 
The yoke upon our necks harasses us,
We are weary, but find no rest. 
We have given the hand to the Egyptians,
And to the Assyrians, that we might be sated with food. 
Our fathers sinned and are no more,
While we bear their guilt.