6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
6 We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough.
6 We sold ourselves to Assyria and Egypt just to get something to eat.
6 We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough food to survive.
18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.
18 He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape.
18 Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won't escape.
18 Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these things, he shall not escape.' "
18 For the king of Israel disregarded his treaty and broke it after swearing to obey; therefore, he will not escape.
(Read Ezekiel 17:11-21)
The parable is explained, and the particulars of the history of the Jewish nation at that time may be traced. Zedekiah had been ungrateful to his benefactor, which is a sin against God. In every solemn oath, God is appealed to as a witness of the sincerity of him that swears. Truth is a debt owing to all men. If the professors of the true religion deal treacherously with those of a false religion, their profession makes their sin the worse; and God will the more surely and severely punish it. The Lord will not hold those guiltless who take his name in vain; and no man shall escape the righteous judgment of God who dies under unrepented guilt.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Lamentations 5:6
Commentary on Lamentations 5:1-16
(Read Lamentations 5:1-16)
Is any afflicted? Let him pray; and let him in prayer pour out his complaint to God. The people of God do so here; they complain not of evils feared, but of evils felt. If penitent and patient under what we suffer for the sins of our fathers, we may expect that He who punishes, will return in mercy to us. They acknowledge, Woe unto us that we have sinned! All our woes are owing to our own sin and folly. Though our sins and God's just displeasure cause our sufferings, we may hope in his pardoning mercy, his sanctifying grace, and his kind providence. But the sins of a man's whole life will be punished with vengeance at last, unless he obtains an interest in Him who bare our sins in his own body on the tree.