Commentaries on Lamentations

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Jeremiah  ⇐ ⇒  Ezekiel

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For more great commentaries on Lamentations, be sure to check:
Commentaries on the Prophets, Commentaries on the Whole Old Testament
& Whole Bible Commentaries

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Order of Contents

Best  2
More  8
Paraphrases of, & as Applied to Current Scenes  5
Early Church  1
Medieval Church  1
On Chapters of Lamentations  2
In Poetry  6
Authenticity of  1

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The Best Commentaries on Lamentations

1600’s

Hull, John – Exposition upon part of Lamentations  1618
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Hull (c.1570-1627) was reformed.
 
***  “Full of quaintnesses.  Marrowy throughout.” – Spurgeon

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Intermediate
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Lange’s Commentary – Lamentations  by Dr. C.W. Nagelsbach
*** – “Whoever becomes possessed of this great work will have, in a comprehensive form, the results of all ancient and modern exegesis, with an apparatus criticus of surprising copiousness.” – British Quarterly Review, as quoted by Spurgeon

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More Commentaries on Lamentations

1500’s

Tossanus, Daniel – The Lamentations and Holy Mournings of the Prophet Jeremiah with a Lamentable Paraphrase and Exhortation, Meet Every way to be Applied unto these our Days…  ToC  (London, [1587?])

Udall, John – A Commentary upon the Lamentations of Jeremy  1593

Udall (c.1560-1592) was a reformed puritan.

** – “In this extremely rare work the author has labored after brevity, and has given the abridgment of many discourses; hence, to those who can procure it, it is all the more useful.” – Spurgeon

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1600’s

Broughton, Hugh – The Lamentations of Jeremy translated, with Explications  1608

Broughton (1549-1612) was a reformed Anglican.

* – “Incomprehensible.  One of Broughton’s wilder pieces.  It may as well die.” – Spurgeon

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Brief & Practical

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Erdman, Charles – The Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations  Buy  1955

‘A clear analysis of both books.’ – Cyril J. Barber

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Intermediate
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**  “Blayney belonged to a past school of clever men, too apt to suggest new readings, and more able to appreciate literary beauties than spiritual teachings.  He was a zealous follower of Lowth, but he lacked the fine taste and poetic genius of his master.” – Spurgeon
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Lowth, William – Commentary on Lamentations  1718
** – “This forms a part of what is known as Bishop Patrick’s Commentary.  Orme says that Lowth is ‘one of the most judicious commentators on the prophets, and he never prophesies of himself.’  We wish we could say this of all writers on prophetic subjects.” – Spurgeon
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Smith, Payne – Lamentations in Speaker’s Commentary, ed. F.C. Cook  1875
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“We would call special attention to the volume of the Speaker’s Commentary upon this book.  It is by Dr. Payne Smith, Dean of Canterbury, and deserves much praise.” – Spurgeon
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Smith, Thornley – ‘The Prophet’s Lamentations’  18 pp., being ch. 16 of his The Prophet of Sorrow; or, Life and Times of Jeremiah, pp. 214-232  1875
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** – “Not a commentary; but as it casts light on the character and times of the prophet it deserves a place here.” – Spurgeon
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Advanced
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Keil, C.F. – Commentary on Lamentations  1866-91
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** – “We have already indicated the direction in which Keil is serviceable.  For exact interpretation he is esteemed, but he is too cold and formal ever to be a favorite.” – Spurgeon

 

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Paraphrases of Lamentations & as it has been Applied to Current Scenes

Pradel, Nicolas – Jeremiah Revived, though in his Prison, or his Lamentations Paralleled  ToC  1648

Rich, Jeremiah – Jeremiah’s Contemplations on Jeremiah’s Lamentations, or, England’s Miseries Matched with Sion’s Elegies, being described and unfolded in Five Ensuing Scenes  ToC  (London, 1648)

Anon. – The Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah Paraphrased, Suitable to the Exigencies of These Times  ToC  (London, 1667)

Anon. – A Paraphrase on the First and Second Chapters of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah  ToC  (London, 1683)

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The Early Church on Lamentations

Wenthe, Dean – Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Jeremiah, Lamentations  Buy

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The Medieval Church

Aquinas, Thomas – Commentary on Lamentations

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On Chapters in Lamentations

Ch. 3

Dod, John – Two Sermons on the Third of the Lamentations of Jeremy…  1602  ToC  (London, 1608)

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Ch. 5

Swift, Daniel – Zion’s Sufferings: an Exposition of Lamentations 5  1654

** – “Strong, rough, coarse.  Excessively rare.” – Spurgeon

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Lamentations in Poetry  6

See the subsection on Lamentations on our Bible in Poetry page.

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The Authenticity of Lamentations

Keil, C.F. – ‘The Author, Time of Composition and Position in the Canon’  15 pp.  in Commentary on the Old Testament: the Prophecies of Jeremiah

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Related Pages

Whole Bible Commentaries

Old Testament Commentaries

New Testament Commentaries