Lamentations 5:4

4 We drink our own water—but for a price; we gather our own wood—but pay for it.

Lamentations 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 5:4

We have drunken our water for money
They who in their own land, which was a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, had wells of water of their own, and water freely and in abundance, now were obliged to pay for it, for drink, and other uses: our wood is sold unto us;
or, "comes to us by a price" ^F18; and a dear one; in their own land they could have wood out of the forest, for cutting down and bringing home; but now they were forced to give a large price for it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (waby ryxmb) "in pretio venerunt", Pagninus, Montanus; "caro nobis pretio veniunt", Michaelis.

Lamentations 5:4 In-Context

2 Our property has been turned over to strangers; our houses belong to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans, having no father; our mothers are like widows.

4 We drink our own water—but for a price; we gather our own wood—but pay for it.

5 Our hunters have been at our necks; we are worn out, but have no rest.

6 We held out a hand to Egypt and to Assyria, to get sufficient food.