Texts in Conversation
The Hebrew version of Lamentations mourns the captured king as God’s anointed and the breath of the nation’s life. The Greek Septuagint translates the title with messianic language that would influence later traditions.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Lamentations 4:20
Hebrew Bible
19 ק (Qof) Those who pursued us were swifter than eagles in the sky. They chased us over the mountains; they ambushed us in the wilderness. 20 ר (Resh) Our very life breath—the Lord’s anointed king—was caught in their traps, of whom we thought, “Under his protection we will survive among the nations.” 21 ש (Shin) Rejoice and be glad for now, O people of Edom, who reside in the land of Uz. But the cup of judgment will pass to you also; you will get drunk and take off your clothes.
LXX Lamentations 4:20
Septuagint
19 Kōph. Our time has passed; our days have been fulfilled; our time is present. Our pursuers are swift beyond eagles of the sky. They flew out over the mountains; they laid snares for us in the desert. 20 Rhēchs. The breath of our face, the anointed Lord, was captured by their destructions, of whom we said, “We will live in its shade among the nations.” 21 Chsen. Rejoice and be cheerful, O daughter of Edom, who dwell upon the land; and indeed, the cup of the Lord will pass to you; you will be drunk, and you will pour out.
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Notes and References
... By far the most popular passage from Lamentations in the living tradition is the fleeting reference to the “taking” of “the LORD’s anointed” (Hebrew mashiah; Greek christos) (Lamentations 4:20). Although in its historical context, this appears to be a reference to the exile of King Zedekiah, the early Church Fathers overwhelmingly saw in it a prophecy of the Passion and death of Christ. For example, Rufinus of Aquilea writes: “[T]hey who boast themselves of their knowledge of the Law will, perhaps, say to us, ‘You blaspheme in saying that the Lord was subjected to the corruption of death and to the suffering of the Cross.’ Read, therefore, what you find written in the Lamentations of Jeremiah: ‘The Spirit of our countenance, Christ the Lord, was taken in our corruptions, of whom we said, we shall live under His shadow among the nations’ [Lamentations 4:20 Septuagint]. Thou hearest how the Prophet says that Christ the Lord was taken, and for us, that is, for our sins, delivered to corruption.” As should be immediately evident, there are differences here between the Greek version of Lamentations and the Hebrew. Nevertheless, explicit reference to the death of “the Messiah of the Lord” (Greek christos kyriou; Lamentations 4:20 Septuagint) was seen as a biblical prophecy of the atoning death of Christ. ...
Bergsma, John, and Brant Pitre
A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament
(p. 851) Ignatius Press, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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