Reading Report

Subject: Hope in Suffering& Joy in Liberation: Study of Hebrew poetry and Wisdom
Literature

Submitted to: Rev. S.V. Bison Submitted by: Sridhar Madiki BD4

. Introduction to poetic Books ……………………………………… 1-3

. The book of Job …………………………………………………… 3-6

III. Book of Song of Solomon ………………………………………... 6-10

IV. Book of Proverbs ……………………………………………….... 10-12

V. Book of Lamentations ……………………………………………. 12-14

Bibliography …………………………………………………………. 15

. Introduction to poetic Books

Old testament contains different forms of genres, one among those were poetic
literatures. The five books known as the poetic books are found in the third division of the
Hebrew Bible, which is called the ‘’kethubim or writings.” The term ‘poetic books’ refers to
the poetic nature of the contents. The poetic books are psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, song of
songs and Job. Three of the poetic books constitute the wisdom literature of the old testament:
Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Sometimes it also known as “Biblical wisdom.”

This biblical wisdom was a dynamic in ancient Israel that operated in three dimensions:
The personal, universal, literary. These dynamic natures are explained as regard of
understanding of Biblical understanding. First, wisdom as Personal nature refers to practical
arts and skills of the individual. The word ‘wise’ as adjective of wisdom is recorded in Bible,
for example Bezalel, the Craftsman, the women weavers etc. (Ex. 35:30, 28:3,4) the term Wise

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is used to refer personal designate skills and arts. According to Henri Blocher, that all these
three poetic books are they have come to us are a witness to the theological premise that the
fear of the Lord is the principle of Wisdom. The second, universal dynamic nature of Wisdom
of biblical wisdom. Which refers to the truth that world accepts, some scholars believe by
reading verse Proverbs 8:22-31 that this passage presents wisdom as hypostasis, having an
existence distinct from God though expressing His nature, much like wisdom in the apocryphal
wisdom of Solomon. In my perspective that Solomon seeks to personify a divine attribute.

Yet, in this way he asserts that wisdom is a divine life, much as one would understand
love to be an emanation of the life of God. God always communicate his people through by
law, precept through the prophets by his words, through the sages by wisdom. As a principle
of revelation, wisdom was the Rationale of the cosmos, imparting understanding to mankind.
Wisdom is the God’s communication word written in nature and human experience. The
implicit concept came to frustration in the wisdom of Solomon where wisdom is depicted as
the driving force of history.
Third dynamic nature of poetic books is literary. Old testament contains wisdom
fragments distributed throughout the division testify that important of wisdom literature in
ancient Israel. The literary legacy is a rich in its variant of genres as prophetic literature. More
specifically the literary form of Proverb was a favorite genre of wisdom literature. The
addressees of wisdom to the individual rather than to corporate society, national fell into the
background. One of the purpose of this wisdom literature is to instruct young on how to achieve
the good life and serve the social order well. And many times, this wisdom literature were
equipped people take good decision for self or society. Thus, all wisdom literatures have their
own way of teaching of people, for example Ecclesiastes written records of experience of those
times. All this understanding of wisdom or writing emerges out of different kinds of socio,
religious, cultural and political aspects. The life situation of wisdom is Diverse.

Wisdom, Law and prophecy

Law given by God to Moses for the people of Israel to follow, thereafter prophets are
coming and giving another message to the people. Why God is communicating in two ways?
Here is my point that when people of Israel were failed follow the law or commandments of
God, prophecy is reaching the people to taking them back to God’s conscious or Law. In other
words, prophecy is reawaking the people to Law, which they left. The role of wisdom as
compared to prophecy has been much discussed. The fact that all prophets attributed wisdom

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to the lord. Law which had its institutional structure interrupted by the destruction of the
temple. The oral law which is prophecy had the effect of extending the influence of the written
law in that it is regulated the minute details of daily life. Wisdom moved in a similar direction.
By imposing the wisdom character upon the creation narrative triune paradigm spelled out,
which theological, ecological and sociological. According to William McKane, the wise man
was a statesman, official and not that counsel was not the religious at all.

Hebrew poetry
The Hebrew language has a basic musical quality that naturally supports poetic
expression. It is basically a language of verbs and nouns, and these are the buildings blocks for
Hebrew poetry. Bishop Robert lowth says about Hebrew poetry in 1953, showed parallelism
to be the primary feature of Hebrew poetry. Lowth identifies three types of parallelism:
synonymous, antithetic and synthetic. We may speak of terms in Hebrew poetry, rather than of
metrical feet. Sometimes the effect is an intensification of meaning. In his recent times Robert
Alter presents a stimulating discussion of Hebrew poetry and emphasis the idea that language
tends to true synonymy. He speaks in terms of focusing, by which the poet introduces a term
in one line and then focuses more specially on it in text. Features of Hebrew poetry, certain
sound techniques are used to enhance the beauty and the impact of the words used. It is usually
impossible to intimate these in an English translation, so we lose the beauty in the transfer from
Hebrew to the receptor language.

. The book of Job

The book of Job is all about ‘suffering of Righteous’. There are lot of contradictions
were there in this book. The basic approach is to explaining the central problem may be viewed
in two categories, the theological and the existential. Addressing the book of job theologically,
some view the central issue to be the problem of evil. This book has been standing on two
poles, the justice of God and integrity of the righteous. Experience of Job in this book is very
unique which never human wanted in their life, but truth revealed that the righteous must gone
through severe kind of situation in his, in other words righteous must suffer. Job indeed
struggled with life, moved from humble submission to daring challenge and gradually he draw
himself to God’s heart. One of the question that raises in our mind that God can do anything
without the help of the meter or man? Of course, he can but Man was his Doing and not god

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man’s devising. God took initiative for everything, in the same God’s sight and his concern
towards Job is so Great.

Purpose- The book of Job written to show God’s righteous fulfillment in his created
being(JOB). It is our prime biblical example of theodicy, a work that seeks to investigate the
problem of divine justice. The wisdom schools of the ancient Israel were known as intellectual
schools, Job is that exercise incarnate. The book of Job provides a real example a real example
of extreme suffering and its precisely its reality that has been a source of comfort and
reassurance to those who have suffered through ages.
Date- It is difficult to give date to Job book. There is no evidence inside the book about date
or authorship. I think author not interested to mention anything about history or evidence. But
there was some internal evidence that proves that this is an ancient literature. There are several
dialogues were recorded in Job book, which held between friends of Job and to him. These
dialogues were evidently from ancient languages Ugaritic, Aramaic, and Arabian languages,
the development of wisdom literature in general, the importance of the individual in ancient
near eastern culture, and the concept of afterlife. In chronological order, the next assigned date
the monarchical era be between Solomon and the Babylonian exile. According to Davidson,
the divine province was no longer calmly accepted, and that the background of the poem was
some great disorder, the Exile being the most viable era.
Provenance and Authorship- The origin of the book or the identification of the authors are
almost as varied as those for date. The range of proposals for provenance includes Egypt,
Arabia, Edom, and Israel. Gordis says that, Edom is most likely because the proper names in
job are drawn from the genealogy of Esau in Genesis36. We may suggest then that
geographically the provinces of Edom, although spirit and language the book is Hebraic. We
can be confident, however that the author was a Hebrew or Israelite who had strong faith in
God.

The literary Structure- The literary structure of Job is full Dialogues and quotations, prayers
etc. The dialogues were the huge part in this book, for example Dialogue between God and
Satan, Job and His friends etc. The book of job defies all efforts to establish its literary genre.
While it has been viewed as an epic, a tragedy, and a parable. According to Gordis, the author
of Job has created his own literary genre. The book is didactic in the sense that the author seeks
to teach religious truth a task that he executes primarily by means of lyrical poetry expressive
of the deep emotions.

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The structure of the Book- We can understand this book by close reading, and emphasize on
basis of Diction, Dramatic movement and individual components. Structure of the Book
understand firstly as a poetic book. Little effort to connect this prose framework to this the
poetic teaching is evident, so that both story and poem were stand on their own. And secondly
the book of job becomes a drama consisting of three episodes: God afflicts Job, Job challenged
God and God challenges Job. This interpretation can be understood by narration through the
dialogue, so that the fundamental category of the book is said to be prose with the poetic
dialogues retarding the movement of plot and highlighting the emotional pitch through drams.
Yet another means of structuring the book derives its clues from distinctive components in it:
a story about Job’s affliction, a dispute between him and three friends, the speeches of Elihu,
Devine speeches punctuated by Job’s submission and a story about Job’s Restoration.

The narrative- The Prologue (1:1- 2:10b) in this Book explained in five scenes for better
understanding. The first scene opens with action alternates between earth and heaven. The
second scene is Job’s children gathered together for the purpose of eating and drinking a
heavenly assembly of God’s son took place. The next scene occurs back on earth, where God’s
bounty flowed freely (1:13-21). The fourth scene return to heaven, where another assembly of
God’s children occurred. Final scene of the prologue the second and third scene began with a
single Hebrew verb; that consistency explodes in the fifth scene in order to focus on the
adversary’s hasty departure from God’s presence.
And in the main story of this book is story clearly about Job and his suffering. And how
God tested his faith? And proven that Job’s righteousness. God intension about Job not to make
him suffer rather faith tested. And there were people who encouraged Job and some were
discouraged too. Huge section of dialogue also mentions which is conversion between Job and
friends, and his wife. The Epilogue (42:7-17), story closed by placing God’s servant once again
with in a protective wall and securing his existence till his death, gave him all blessings which
he lost early.

The poetic dialogue- Job used some specific words or laments, which considered as poetic
dialogue. One of the powerful lament begins and ends with curse but not on God and initial job
curses his birthday. The curse with in chapters 29-31 represents Job’s endeavor to achieve

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god’s declaration of innocence for such vindication has not come three friends. Despising the
present and remembering the old good days and he denounced in such a way.
The speeches of Job to his three friends- he had two curses a dialogue with three friends. Job
enjoyed favored status literarily, for the responds to each of the three friends. This conservation
held between Job and his three friends Eliphaz, bildad and Zophar. And second speech is
Devine speech and Job’s response which indirectly acknowledges the force of Job’s attack on
God. The divine speech completely seems like irrelevant, for they fail to provide any answer
to the problem of suffering and divine injustice. And third speech is speech to Elihu between
Job’s negative confession and God’s response attempts to provide a more adequate answer to
Job then three friends had managed. Essentially Elihu emphasized God’s majesty, which
removed the deity from human criticism.

III. Book of Song of Solomon

Introduction
Author understood Song of Solomon book by comparing the things that he had experienced in
hi very life. Actually, Song of Solomon is the profoundest of all the prophetic songs in Old
Testament. According to Paul, Song of Solomon is the mystery, in which from the beginning
of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph 3:19). The Lord’s
plan implemented in the world by selecting Abraham and through his people. The theme of the
Song of Solomon is profound to this extend had not, neither entered into the heart of anyone
of those who had endeavored to unravel the mystery of the song of heretofore.
A brief survey of the speculative interpretation of the song attempted heretofore by the
scholars of the various schools of Biblical interpretation
There are many varieties of Biblical interpretation, mainly concerned here three classifications.
a. Jewish allegorical interpretations

According to this understanding of song is rabbinical schools uses this songs to express
their expectation of new age which indicates the messiah imagery. The whole
understanding is Solomon to be anthropomorphic representation of Yahweh and Solomon’s
bride as depicting Israel, setting the song in forth in terms of the love of Yahweh and Israel.
According to Rabbi Ibn Ezra, Song of Solomon is history of Israel from Abraham and
exodus reflected as allegorically in the song.
b. Christian Allegorical interpretations

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 The simple understanding of Christian is song of Solomon is expression which is talking
about love between Christ and his people, which is church. By 5 th century Augustine
understood the bride in songs is rather than a church, regarded her as theocracy of in OT.
Luther also pointed that Solomon song’s is just exploring things about his kingdom.
c. Secular or Literal interpretations

The proponents of this school maintained this book as collection of songs expressing of
worldly love. According to nutshell various views, this song is love song as it claims; the
song id a collection of independent love songs extolling human love and the song is
marriage song for Solomon marriage literally.
The clues leading to the interpretations of the song advanced through this book
1. By observing the book, we can be understood it as meticulously devised prophetic song
of Old Testament. The division of the songs book is two co-equal parts of 111 each
from 1:1-4:15 and 5:2- 8:14. The very fact that the title “The Song of Solomon,” in
which Solomon included and proves that integral part of the inspired text.
2. This all book is the story is set in the household of God. The idea of household coming
from idea of Abraham and his covenant and promise to generate children unto Him
through regeneration. Throughout this book we could notice that story of Israel is
merged and emerges out.
3. Another key to interpretation of songs is that allusions are often made to events took
place in the Jacob’s Life.
4. Key to understand and interpret this book by knowing the love of God towards the
people of Israel and church in NT.
5. The watchman idea also key to interpret which clearly affirming the Picture of Moses
and Aron who appears in wider scene of the Old Testament.

The importance of the study of the Song of Songs to reinforce and rejuvenate our
Christian life
How can we be sure that Jesus is messiah? The only answer we may get from the
scriptures from OT and NT, among all those books the book of Song of Solomon mentioned a
lot about Christ his bond. The events in these books very clear about God’s action towards his
own people. The study of the Song, is important to reinforce our saving faith in the irrefutable
fact that Jesus of Nazareth.
The title and authorship of Song

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 There are two types of songs in bible, one is prophetic songs and other is devotional
song. It factually a song sung by Solomon the prophet, son of David, king of the Israel, as the
spirit of Christ who was in him (1 peter 1:11). The opening words of the Targum of the song
the paraphrased, Aramaic translation of the song cited below reflects the belief that entertained
by the ancient rabbinical school of biblical interpretation. Solomon was indeed an inspired
composer of songs. This is duly attested in 1kings 4:32, where it is stated that ‘he spoke 3000
proverbs and his songs were 1005.’ Josephus highlights the fact that one of the pleasant royal
past times of the Solomon had been confronting himran of Lebanon and other friendly kings
of the neighboring countries with ease, those received from them. It appears that the spirit of
Christ made us of this particular prowess that was inherent in Solomon while giving him
utterance to sing the song.
The identity of the lovers
Many a brilliant scholar has spent his/her time and talent in vain to identify the lovers and
discover the song’s theme and plot. Author wrote songs song could not have been different in
this respect.
1. The identity of the beloved

The hint given to identity the female partner is her own narration of the paradoxical turn of
events that took place in her by way of which the lord made her the heir of promise in the
Abrahamic covenant of promise, to wit, “my mother’s son was angry with me, they made me
keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” The song of however reckons
that the one who was born of God into an Israel of God, at peniel that memorable night was
not an individual but a corporal entity namely Israel, the church of the regenerated.
2. The identity of the lover

The lover is Christ; the pre-incarnate Christ, in the Old Testament division of the song (1:2-
5:1), and the risen and glorified Christ in the New Testament. Love is an important subject of
special revelation, and human love in particular is a central feature of it as well (cf. Lev. 19:18;
Matt. 22:36-39; John 13:34-35). Consequently, it should not seem incredible that God gave us
this book to help us understand this subject better.

Message of the Book

Contemporary culture has affected the interpretation of this book more than that of most
other Bible books. For many years, believers considered this book to be a revelation of God's

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love for the believer and the believer's love for God, expressed in vivid metaphorical language.
This was the predominant viewpoint for centuries when most people did not talk about the
intimacies of human physical love publicly. With the sexual revolution that began in the 1960s,
there are now many more interpreters who believe this book is a revelation of two human
beings' love for each other exclusively. Some have even suggested that it is an inspired
marriage manual that God has given us to enable us to develop strong marriages. Some Jewish
rabbis in ancient times believed this was its purpose as well.

This book emphasizes the supremacy of love. Human life finds its highest fulfillment
in the love of a man and a woman. Spiritual life finds its highest fulfillment in the love of a
human being and God. Jesus Christ makes the fulfillment of love on both the human and the
spiritual levels possible. He manifested God's love to humankind. Consequently, we can love
Him, and we can love one another. Matthew 22:37-39 gives us the greatest commandment,
namely, to love God wholeheartedly and our neighbors as ourselves. Thus, our love for God
and our love for other human beings are both very important to God. 1 John 4:19 says, "We
love, because He first has shed abroad His love in our hearts (Rom. 5:5).

When Solomon originally wrote this book, it was a poem about the love of two people,
a man and a woman, for each other. Consequently, what it reveals about love is applicable to
human love. However, since God revealed and inspired it as part of Scripture, He also intended
us to apply it to our spiritual lives: our relationship with God. That is the purpose of every other
book of the Bible, and I believe that this was God's purpose in giving us this book as well. In
Ephesians, Paul wrote that we should learn about Christ's love for the church from marriage
(Eph. 5:32).

The mode of appearances of the lovers

The mode of appearances of lover’s contrary to prevailing notion, the lovers do not appear
in the song in human form, either literally or figuratively.

a. The mode of appearance of Christ, the lover

Being an invisible and intangible spirit, Christ the lover appears in the song only as such.
One needs only to think in terms of the manner in which we speak to the lord and talk about

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him today, in order to understand how Christ id loving the church. The lover as Christ gives
picture of ministry of Christ in later days.

b. The mode of appearance of the beloved

As the beloved is not an individual but a corporeal entity, namely the church of the
regenerated, she appears in the song only as such. It is from this standpoint that the spirit
compares her aptly in 1:9 to “a company of horses in pharaoh’s chariots and a Lilly among
thrones to the lord’s paradisiacal garden planted him by faith. The expression that expresses in
this book a community which probably church and Christ who is head of that. The relationship
is explained in such a way that how lovers will be. The hand of lord is clearly evident in plotting
the disclosure of Israel’s redemptive story in the songs.

IV. Book of Proverbs

“The book of Proverbs is one Old Testament book that has received less that its share of
attention at the hands of Christians. The reason for this is to be found in the fact that most want
to relegate it to an abrogated law. This is a mistake. For there is very little peculiar to the Mosaic
economy that characterizes the wisdom of Solomon... he did not write for the Jew alone. This
is a tragic mistake, because his practical knowledge is one of the greatest needs of our hour...
His concern is the everyday need of an applied religion. He helps us deal with today’s task,
today’ s trial, today’ s dilemma, and today’ s opportunity.”

Place in Canon- Those who use English versions of the Bible find the book of Proverbs after
Psalms and before Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. This follows the order in the Greek OT,
which contains a more chronological order than the Hebrew Bible. It is likely that Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs are listed together because of their common connection with
Solomon. In the Hebrew canon, Proverbs is contained in the third part of the Tanak: the
Ketubim, or Writings. Proverbs is thus found in a different order of books. The Ketubim begin
with Psalms, Psalms precedes Job in the Ketubim so that massive and important book can
introduce the third and final part of the Tanak. Job may then follow because of its ancient
setting, to be followed by Proverbs. Then continue with Job and then Proverbs. Ruth and then
the Song of Songs follow Proverbs.

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Authorship and Date- Standing at the head of the entire book, the superscription appears to
lead to the conclusion that the book at least claims to have been produced if not authored by
Solomon, the third king of Israel (ca. 970–930 BC). Indeed, a strong tradition connects
Solomon with wisdom and specifically with the proverb form. After all, the book of Kings
Credits Solo- mon with pursuing and receiving the gift of wisdom from God (1 Kings 3:1–15).
Solomon’s fame is associated with his great wisdom in 1 Kings 4:29–34, a wisdom that is
described in an international context and includes the fact that “he composed three thousand
proverbs, and his songs number a thousand and five” (4:32 NRSV). The verb that NRSV
translates “composed” is actually simply “uttered” or “spoke” (from dbr). Further, the Kings
tradition illustrates how Solomon used his wisdom in judging cases (3:16–28). Authorship
from the book is Solomon (see 1:1; 10:1; 25:1); The Wise Men (22:17-24:34); Agur (30). The
name means “gatherer” or “collector”. Lemuel (31); The name means “dedicated unto God”
and may have also referred to Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24-25).

Social Setting- The issue of the social setting of the composition and reading of Proverbs
became particularly interesting after scholarship concluded that Solomon was not the sole
author. However, even if Solomon is the foundational figure associated with the composition
of the book, this does not settle the issue of the origin of proverbs. By their nature, proverbs
are not only authored; they are also collected. Another way to approach the question of
authorship is to ask whether the book of Proverbs betrays a connection with a specific sector
of Israelite society. The content of some proverbs clearly makes one think that they come from
a court setting

Literary Style- The book of Proverbs is made up of both discourses and proverbs proper.
While the former is a longer type of speech, they are both forms of poetry. Thus, to read
Proverbs well, one must understand how to read poetry.

Poetry is compressed language, saying a lot with just a few words. The obvious
implication of this characteristic is that poetry is to be read reflectively and not quickly. Also,
poetry is inherently more ambiguous than prose, though what it lacks in precision of
communication it makes up for by its vividness and its appeal to the whole person—emotions,
imagination, will, and intellect. Of course, this distinction between prose and poetry is not one
of kind as much as degree, especially in the Bible, where the prose is highly literary.

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 Poetry has three major characteristics: terseness, parallelism, and intense use of
imagery. There are also a number of what might be called secondary poetical devices.

Structure of book

There are five distinct major collections, each with its own introduction:

1. 1) The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel (1:1–9:18)

2. 2) The proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
3. 3) The words of the wise (22:17–24:22)
4. 4) The sayings of the wise (24:23–34)
5. 5) Other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied
(25:1–29:27)

Additionally, “The words of Agur” (30) and “The words of King Lemuel” (31) constitute later
additions to the work. These collections existed independently and were pasted together by a
later editor.

V. Book of Lamentations

In the Hebrew Bible, Lamentations occurs between Ruth and Ecclesiastes as the third
book of the "Megilloth" or "Scrolls," within the third and last major division of the Old
Testament, namely, the "Hagiographa" or "Writings." The Megilloth consists of The Song of
Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. The Jews read each of these books on
a special feast or fast day each year: Passover, Pentecost, the anniversary of the destruction of
Jerusalem, Tabernacles, and Purim respectively.

Place in canon

The position of Lamentations after the Book of Jeremiah in the English Bible follows
the tradition of the Septuagint and Vulgate versions. They placed it there because of its
connection with the destruction of Jerusalem, which Jeremiah recorded, and because of the
Jewish tradition that Jeremiah wrote both books. Assuming that Jeremiah wrote the book, he
probably did so in Judah following the destruction of Jerusalem, or in Egypt shortly thereafter,
or both.

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Authorship and Date

The common view that Jeremiah wrote this book. The translators of these ancient
versions may have deduced Jeremiah’s authorship of lamentations from 2 chronicles 35:25.
Some scholars believed that the Septuagint and vulgate translators erroneously deduced from
this verse in chronicles that Jeremiah wrote lamentations. I think probably Jeremiah wrote these
lamentations, in view of the similarities in style and subject matter between the books of
Jeremiah and Lamentations (cf. Lam. 1:2 with Jer. 30:14; Lam. 1:16; 2:11 with Jer. 9:1)

Almost all Lamentations scholars believe the date of composition fell between 586 and
538 B.C., namely, during the Babylonian Captivity. Most believe that they were written before
561 B.C., when Evil merodach, King of Babylon, released Jehoiachin from prison (2 Kings
25:27-30; Jer. 52:31- 34). The basis for this view is the absence of national hope in the book.
The hope expressed in chapter 3 is personal rather than national. Jeremiah could have written
one or more of the laments before the destruction of Jerusalem.

Purpose of Lamentations

Simply purpose is to remember the things that happened in there and by reading in the
temple as custom and thanking for every work that God has done in their history. Since the
Jews read Lamentations on the annual fast that celebrated Jerusalem's destruction as far back
as tradition reaches (cf. Zech. 7:3, 5; 8:19), it may be that the writer wrote this book to be read
then. Its purpose then would have been to memorialize God's faithfulness in bringing covenant
punishment on His people for their unfaithfulness to the Mosaic Covenant. book would then
have taught later generations the importance of covenant faithfulness and God's faithfulness.

Structure of Lamentations/

The book consists of five communal laments or mourning songs. Three were describes the
destruction of the temple and other two laments form further experiences. The acrostic style
seems to have been a favourite way of composing Hebrew poetry. Laments 1, 2, and 4 each
have 22 verses, corresponding with the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. However, Lament 3
has three (3) verses allotted to each successive Hebrew letter instead of one, there by making
66 verses.

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 Theme and Outline- The central message of Lamentations is the suffering that befell
Jerusalem. It also expresses hope and consolation for God’s People, in the that he has power to
restore His people once again to fellowship with him.

Outline of the book

a. The prophets and people weep over Jerusalem’s destruction.

b. God’s Judgement upon His people is described.
c. Jeremiah grief is comforted only by the hope of God’s mercy.
d. Judah has become like tamished gold because of its sin.
e. Jeremiah prayer for mercy upon Jerusalem.

Message

In first lament, we catch the initial glimpse into how both the prophet and the city feel
about Jerusalem wall. “Lamentations is obviously a book about suffering, addressing the
subject on both a communal and a personal level, as we have seen”. God’s judgment of his
rebellious people is in the context of the covenant he made with them at Sinai through Moses
(Exod. 19 – 24). The word ‘covenant’ is not used in Lamentations.

“There is a strong conviction that God is in charge of the disaster. Although God used
other nations in bringing about his judgment, he is still in control and these nations will receive
their share of his anger (Lam. 1:22; 4:21–22; cf. Jer. 25:12–14). It is affirmed that the Lord
reigns for ever (Lam 5:19). The book breathes chaos on every page, but there is also the strong
conviction that God is neither absent nor overwhelmed by what is happening, although he may
have been grieved by his people’s suffering.” However, this book contains an element of
distress which may be interpreted as anger towards God, or least questioning with regard to the
extent of the suffering. Author of lamentations testifies of hope but does not deny the raw
reality of suffering in the broken World.

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Bibliography

Bullock, C.Hassell. An introduction to Old testament poetic books. Chicago: Moddy press,
1979. 1-42.

Bullock, C.Hassell. An introduction to Old testament poetic books. Chicago: Moddy press,
1979. 69-80.

Crenshaw, James. Old Testament Wisdom an introduction. Kentucky: Westminster John

Knox press, 1980. 70- 115.

Jesudas, A. D. The hidden theme of the song of songs. Delhi: ISPCK, 2010. 2-65.

Longman, Tremper. Proverbs introduction. USA: Baker Academic publishers, 2006. 1-60.

Lalleman, Hetty. Jeremiah and Lementations: An introduction and commentary. England:

INTER- VARSITY Press, 2013. 520-565.

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