Lamentations 3:6
he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Lamentations 3:6
he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "like the dead of long ago" isn't just about being old and forgotten, but about a profound state of finality and separation, like being consigned to a place of permanent darkness from which there's no return. It speaks to a feeling of being utterly removed from God's favor and light, beyond any hope of recovery or re-engagement with life.
The prophet Jeremiah is deep in despair, vividly describing his suffering as if God himself has abandoned him to the uttermost darkness. He feels plunged into a state like the forgotten dead in Sheol, a place of absolute gloom and oblivion, where there is no hope of returning to the land of the living or God's favor. This intense imagery of being entombed in darkness reflects the devastating national tragedy of Jerusalem's destruction and exile.
Imagine being cut off from everything familiar, plunged into a deep, oppressive darkness. This wasn't just a feeling for Jeremiah; it was his reality.
Jeremiah uses powerful imagery to describe his extreme suffering. He says God has made him dwell in 'dark places, like the dead of long ago.'
A Place of Profound Darkness
This 'darkness' isn't just sadness; it evokes the underworld, a place associated with the dead, forgotten, and cut off from life and light. The commentaries suggest this refers to the gloom of Sheol or Hades – the grave.
The Ultimate Isolation
Comparing himself to 'the dead of long ago' speaks to an utter sense of abandonment. It’s like being consigned to oblivion, forgotten by God and humanity, with no hope of return. This reflects the utter devastation of Jerusalem and the exile of God's people, a state of spiritual and national death.
It's one thing to feel abandoned by the world, but what about when it feels like God Himself has plunged you into darkness?
Jeremiah's words, 'He has made me dwell in darkness,' are shocking. He isn't just describing his circumstances; he's attributing them directly to God's action.
God's Hand in Suffering
This doesn't mean God is cruel or malicious. In the context of Lamentations, God is acting in righteous judgment against sin. For Jeremiah, it felt like God's wrath was directly upon him, making his suffering intensely personal and terrifying.
A Test of Faith
This verse, and the surrounding passage, reveals a profound spiritual battle. It's the struggle of acknowledging God's sovereignty even when His actions feel unbearable. The challenge is to trust that God's perceived 'terrible' actions are part of a larger, albeit mysterious, plan, rather than an abandonment.
Understand the original words
machashakkim · Hebrew Noun
A state of physical or spiritual deprivation of light, often symbolizing judgment, separation from God, death, or severe distress. It represents the absence of the favor and presence of God.
metey olam · Hebrew Noun phrase
The state of non-existence or the realm of the deceased; in a spiritual sense, it represents finality, hopelessness, and separation from the land of the living.
The profound sense of darkness and oblivion in Lamentations 3:6 isn't just emotional despair; it reflects the horrifying reality of the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the exile, where life felt like dwelling in a tomb, disconnected from God's presence and favor.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them throughout the empire. This event marked a significant loss of national identity and sovereignty for many.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian Empire conquers Judah, and a first wave of exiles, including young nobles like Daniel, are taken to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Judahite exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another significant deportation occurs, including King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens. The prophet Ezekiel is among those taken to Babylon, where he prophesies to the exiles.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's armies destroy Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, the heart of Judahite worship and national life. This event triggers the final, largest wave of exiles to Babylon.
This passage is a direct verbal parallel, showing Jeremiah (the author of Lamentations) borrowing the imagery of darkness and the state of the dead to describe his deep distress and sense of abandonment.
Psalm 88:6This psalm vividly describes a state of utter despair, explicitly mentioning being placed in the darkest depths and among the dead, mirroring the profound sense of isolation and hopelessness found in Lamentations 3:6.
Ezekiel 37:12In the vision of the dry bones, God promises to open the graves and bring His people up, emphasizing that the graves (symbolic of a state of death and darkness) represent their exiled condition.
Job 17:13Job uses similar imagery of the grave and darkness as his only hope and home, illustrating the extreme desperation and sense of finality that the prophet expresses in Lamentations 3:6.
barnesLamentations 3:6: "He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old."
Or, "He hath" made me to dwell "in darkness," i. e. in Sheol or Hades, "as those" forever "dead."
pooleLamentations 3:6: "He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old."
The prophet compareth their state in Babylon to the state of bodies in the graves, or in some charnel-house, which are places of darkness, full of rottenness and dead men’s bones. Such was the state of the Jews in Jerusalem during the time of the siege before the city was taken, when Jerusalem was a most miserable place by reason of the multitudes slain by the enemy, or by the famine: such was their state in Babylon…
The phrase "like the dead of long ago" isn't just about being old and forgotten, but about a profound state of finality and separation, like being consigned to a place of permanent darkness from which there's no return. It speaks to a feeling of being utterly removed from God's favor and light, beyond any hope of recovery or re-engagement with life.
The prophet Jeremiah is deep in despair, vividly describing his suffering as if God himself has abandoned him to the uttermost darkness. He feels plunged into a state like the forgotten dead in Sheol, a place of absolute gloom and oblivion, where there is no hope of returning to the land of the living or God's favor. This intense imagery of being entombed in darkness reflects the devastating national tragedy of Jerusalem's destruction and exile.
The prophet Jeremiah is deep in despair, vividly describing his suffering as if God himself has abandoned him to the uttermost darkness. He feels plunged into a state like the forgotten dead in Sheol, a place of absolute gloom and oblivion, where there is no hope of returning to the land of the living or God's favor. This intense imagery of being entombed in darkness reflects the devastating national tragedy of Jerusalem's destruction and exile.
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c. 586 BC
Jeremiah Writes Lamentations
The prophet Jeremiah, witnessing the devastation of Jerusalem and experiencing the exile himself, writes the book of Lamentations. The poems express profound grief, sorrow, and a sense of God's judgment.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This shift in power eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
"he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago." — The phrase "like the dead of long ago" isn't just about being old and forgotten, but about a profound state of finality and separation, like being consigned to a place of permanent darkness from whic…