---
title: "Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 5"
author: "John Calvin"
translator: "John Owen"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 106 of 107
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-5/106/
cite: "John Calvin, tr. John Owen, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 5, section 106. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-5/106/"
---

# Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 5

*John Calvin, tr. John Owen*

Calvin on Jeremiah and Lamentations, volume 5 of 5.

## 106. Chapter 4

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-5/106/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-5/106/#p-N

[¶0] 1 How obscured is the gold! How changed is the fine gold! Cast forth have been the stones of the sanctuary At the head of all the streets

[¶1] 2 The precious sons of Sion, Clothed in gold, How they are counted as earthen pitchers, The work of the potter’s hands!

[¶2] 3 Even serpents draw out the breast, They suckle their young ones: The daughter of my people was cruel, Like the ostriches in the desert.

[¶3] 4 Cleave did the tongue of the suckling To the roof of his mouth for thirst; The little ones asked bread, No one divided to them.

[¶4] 5 They who fed on delicacies Perished in the streets; They who had been brought up in scarlet Embraced the dunghills:

[¶5] 6 And the punishment of the daughter of my people Has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no strokes remained on her.

[¶6] 7 Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk; They were ruddy in their body, Above precious stones; Sapphire was their polish:

[¶7] 8 Darker than darkness became their form, They were not known in the streets; Cleave did their skin to their bones, It became dry as wood.

[¶8] 9 Better were the slain with the sword Than the slain with famine: They pined away, having been pierced through By the knits of the field.

[¶9] 10 The hands of compassionate mothers Boiled their own offspring; They became food for them, At the destruction of the daughter of my people.

[¶10] 11 Fulfilled has Jehovah his wrath; He poured forth the indignation of his wrath; And he kindled a fire in Sion, Which devoured her foundations.

[¶11] 12 They could not have believed, the kings of the earth, Nor all the inhabitants of the world, That enter would the adversary and the enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.

[¶12] 13 For the sin of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who shed in the midst of her The blood of the righteous, —

[¶13] 14 They wandered blind in the streets, They were polluted with blood; Because they could not But touch their garments.

[¶14] 15 Depart ye, “Unclean,” they cried to them, Depart, depart, come not near: Because they fled, and also wandered, They said among the Gentiles, “They shall not return to dwell;

[¶15] 16 The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He will no more regard them.” The face of the priests they respected not, And to the elders they shewed no mercy.

[¶16] 17 While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, As to our vain help; In our looking out we looked out To a nation that could not save us.

[¶17] 18 They hunted our steps, So that we could not walk in our streets; Draw near did our end, fulfilled were our days, Surely come did our end.

[¶18] 19 Swifter were our pursuers Than the eagles of heaven; On the mountains they followed us, They lay in wait for us in the desert.

[¶19] 20 The spirit of our nostrils, the anointer of Jehovah, Was taken in their snares; Of whom we said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”

[¶20] 21 Rejoice and be glad, thou daughter of Edom, Who dwellest in the land of Uz. To thee also shall the cup pass over, Thou shalt be inebriated and made naked.

[¶21] 22 Completed is thy punishment, O daughter of Sion, He will no more deliver thee into exile; He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, And will uncover thy sin.