Cast away under affliction and under harsh servitude, Judah has gone into exile.
Desolation marks her gates; no one travels to Zion.
Enemies prosper and have mastery over her.
Besides the acrostics, each verse in chapter 1 contains three related thoughts. For example, the first verse contains the following three thoughts:
First thought: How lonely sits the city that was full of people.
Second thought: She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations.
Third thought: She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer.
b.
The following acrostic is from chapter 3. All the other chapters have only 22 verses, and remember chapter 5 is not considered to be an acrostic except for a portion of the chapter is called a mini-
acrostic. In chapter 3 we find that there are 66 verses. Each verse has a single thought. This chapter is also an acrostic, but note its form as follows in an English rendition of the first 6 verses: Affliction I have seen because of His wrath.
Away from light into darkness He has driven me.
Against me He has turned His hand all the day.
Breaking my bones and wasting away my flesh.
Besieging me with bitterness and hardship.
Black and dark are the place in which I dwell.
4.
The acrostic in chapter 3 is similar to the acrostic in chapter 2 in that chapter three contains the same acrostic reversal as chapter 2 where the 3
verses that begin with ‘P’ precede the 3 verses that begin with ‘U’. In the other case the letters are arranged beginning with “U” and being followed with “P”. Chapter 4 also has an acrostic reversal.
5.
There are other variations in the Book but the variations do not constitute a real need for discussion unless you are in a seminary class 33
wishing to impress your teacher. The purpose, themes and lessons that will help us in a day by day and lifetime existence is where the value lies.
6.
To summarize these structural elements just cited in Lamentations’ five chapters, note the following chart:
Acrostic Form
Number of Verses
Verse Arrangement
Acrostic Form
Number of Verses Verse Arrangements
Perfect-No variations