Lamentations 4:20

“The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, etc.] Or “the Messiah”, or “the Christ of the Lord” f133; not Josiah, as the Targum; and so Jarchi and others; for though he was the Lord’s anointed, and the life of the people, being the head of them, as every king is, especially a good one; yet he was slain, and not taken, and much less in their pits, and that not by the Chaldeans, but by the Egyptians; nor did the kingdom cease with him, or the end of the Jewish state then come, which continued some years after: but rather Zedekiah, as Aben Ezra and others, the last of the kings of Judah, with whom all agrees; he was the Lord’s anointed as king, and the…”

“breath . . . anointed of . . . Lord--our king, with whose life ours was bound up. The original reference seems to have been to Josiah (Ch2 35:25), killed in battle with Pharaoh-necho; but the language is here applied to Zedekiah, who, though worthless, was still lineal representative of David, and type of Messiah, the "Anointed." Viewed personally the language is too favorable to apply to him. live among the heathen--Under him we hoped to live securely, even in spite of the surrounding heathen nations [GROTIUS].”

“A rapid sketch of the last days of the siege and the capture of the king. Lamentations 4:17 Rather, “Still do our eyes waste away looking for our vain help.” In our watching - Or, “on our watchtower.” Lamentations 4:18 Or, They hunted “our steps that we could not go out into the streets. To hunt” means here to lie in ambush, and catch by snares; and the streets are literally “the wide places,” especially at the gates. Toward the end of the siege the towers erected by the enemy would command these places. Lamentations 4:19 Our persecutors are ... - Our pursuers (Lamentations 1:3 note) “were swifter thorn the eagles of heaven.” They pursued us - Or, they chased us. Mountains ... wilderness -…”

“The anointed - Zedekiah, who though a bad man yet afforded some protection to the Jews. We said - We promised ourselves that though the land of Judah was encompassed with Pagan nations, yet through Zedekiah's valour and good conduct we should live comfortably. Lamentations 4:21”

“4:20 Our king . . . was caught: A reference to Zedekiah, who tried to flee but was caught and treated cruelly by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kgs 25:4-7; Jer 39:4-7; 52:9-11).”

“breath: Lam 2:9; Gen 2:7, Gen 44:30; Sa2 18:3 the anointed: Sa1 12:3, Sa1 12:5, Sa1 16:6, Sa1 24:6, Sa1 24:10, Sa1 26:9, Sa1 26:16; Sa2 1:14, Sa2 1:21, Sa2 19:21; Psa 89:20, Psa 89:21 was taken: Jer 39:5, Jer 52:8; Eze 12:13, Eze 17:18, Eze 19:4-8 Lamentations 4:21”