Background and Introduction to the Book of Lamentations

The Book of Lamentations (Hebrew: איכה‎) is listed as the third of the Five Megillot in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh (תנ״ך‎‎). In the original Hebrew, the book’s title comes from its first word, “Eichah!” (‘Eh-khah’), meaning “How!” The title “How!” aptly conveys the book’s theme: everyone should seriously consider how the holy people, holy city, and holy Temple, chosen by God and blessed with His grace, could have fallen to such a state.

In 586 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon razed Jerusalem to the ground. The prophet Jeremiah watched as his own prophecies were fulfilled: his nation was ruined, his home destroyed, and his people taken captive. This lament expresses profound sorrow for the devastating destruction God’s chosen people experienced throughout history and assures the Jews that through repentance, they could return and restore their former glory.

Tradition holds that this book was written by the prophet Jeremiah in response to the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of God’s people. Thus, the Septuagint’s preface to the book states: “After Israel was taken captive and Jerusalem was made desolate, Jeremiah sat down and wept, and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem.”Tradition holds that this book was written by the prophet Jeremiah in response to the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of God’s people. Thus, the Septuagint’s preface to the book states: “After Israel was taken captive and Jerusalem was made desolate, Jeremiah sat down and wept, and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem.”

The prophet Jeremiah’s ministry began in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign (Jeremiah 1:1; 25:3) and continued until after the exile (Jeremiah 1:3; 44:1), approximately from 627-586 BC. This corresponds to the era of the Spring and Autumn Period in China, during the reigns of Duke Mu of Qin, Duke Wen of Jin, and King Zhuang of Chu. Jeremiah spent the last forty years of the Southern Kingdom’s existence counseling the people. However, unlike Moses, who served for forty years and witnessed God leading His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, Jeremiah served for forty years only to witness the disobedient people being driven out of the Promised Land and returning to Egypt. In 586 BC, Babylon invaded Judah for the third time, conquering Jerusalem. The holy city and the Temple were destroyed, King Zedekiah of Judah and most of the people were taken captive to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7, 11), leaving only the poorest people behind (2 Kings 25:12). Judah became a province of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The prophet Jeremiah was taken to Egypt by the fleeing populace and spent the rest of his life there. He likely wrote this book upon leaving Jerusalem.

The Book of Lamentations is closely related to Deuteronomy chapter 28. The covenant curses prophesied by Moses over nine hundred years earlier tragically became reality in Lamentations. Yet, this misfortune also brought hope—since the curses for breaking the covenant (Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-65) had been fulfilled, the promises of restoration (Leviticus 26:40-45; Deuteronomy 30:1-10) must also be imminent. Since God faithfully fulfilled every aspect of His covenant, His covenant with His people must remain valid. It is precisely because of this that the prophet could be full of hope amidst suffering (Lamentations 3:19-33). The message of this book for us is that every believer undergoing God’s discipline should review Deuteronomy chapter 28, thereby turning back to our Lord.

The best way to read Lamentations is not through analysis, but by using one’s spirit to perceive the feelings of the true author, the Holy Spirit. These five laments allow us to grasp the heart of God. In our suffering, He is with us, walking with us through fire and water, experiencing pain and sorrow alongside us. The heavenly Father who inflicts discipline is more grieved than the children who receive it, “for he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone” (Lamentations 3:33). These five laments also describe the experience of the flesh being dealt with by the cross, teaching us how to surrender and pray amidst discipline. Even though God “turned his hand against me again and again all day long” (Lamentations 3:3), we can still experience that His steadfast love and mercies are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23).