Ratapan 3:28-33
Konteksי (Yod)
3:28 Let a person 1 sit alone in silence,
when the Lord 2 is disciplining him. 3
3:29 Let him bury his face in the dust; 4
perhaps there is hope.
3:30 Let him offer his cheek to the one who hits him; 5
let him have his fill of insults.
כ (Kaf)
reject us forever. 7
3:32 Though he causes us 8 grief, he then has compassion on us 9
according to the abundance of his loyal kindness. 10
3:33 For he is not predisposed to afflict 11
or to grieve people. 12
[3:28] 1 tn Heb “him.” The speaking voice in this chapter continues to be that of the גֶּבֶר (gever, “man”). The image of female Jerusalem in chs. 1-2 was fluid, being able to refer to the city or its inhabitants, both female and male. So too the “defeated soldier” or “everyman” (see note at 3:1 on “man”) is fluid and can represent any member of the Jewish community, male and female. This line especially has a proverbial character which can be extended to any person, hence the translation. But masculine pronouns are otherwise maintained reflecting the Hebrew grammatical system and the speaking voice of the poem.
[3:28] 2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[3:28] 3 tn Heb “has laid it on him.” The verb נָטַל (natal) is used 4 times in Biblical Hebrew; the related noun refers to heaviness or a burden. The entry of BDB 642 s.v. is outdated while HALOT 694 s.v. נטל is acceptable for the Qal. See D. R. Hillers, Lamentations (AB), 57. Hillers’ suggestion of a stative meaning for the Qal is followed here, though based on 2 Sam 24:12 “impose” is also possible.
[3:29] 4 tn Heb “Let him put his mouth in the dust.”
[3:30] 5 tn Heb “to the smiter.”
[3:31] 6 tc The MT reads אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “the Lord”) here rather than יהוה (YHWH, “the
[3:31] 7 tn The verse is unusually short and something unrecoverable may be missing.
[3:32] 8 tn Heb “Although he has caused grief.” The word “us” is added in the translation.
[3:32] 9 tn Heb “He will have compassion.” The words “on us” are added in the translation.
[3:32] 10 tc The Kethib preserves the singular form חַסְדּוֹ (khasdo, “his kindness”), also reflected in the LXX and Aramaic Targum. The Qere reads the plural form חֲסָדָיו (khasadayv, “his kindnesses”) which is reflected in the Latin Vulgate.
[3:33] 11 tn Heb “he does not afflict from his heart.” The term לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) preceded by the preposition מִן (min) most often describes one’s initiative or motivation, e.g. “of one’s own accord” (Num. 16:28; 24:13; Deut. 4:9; 1Kings 12:33; Neh. 6:8; Job 8:10; Is. 59:13; Ezek. 13:2, 17). It is not God’s internal motivation to bring calamity and trouble upon people.
