John Calvin Commentary Lamentations 5:6

"We have given the hand to the Egyptians, And to the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread." — Lamentations 5:6 (ASV)

He speaks here of the people's begging, meaning they sought bread from everywhere. "To give the hand" is explained in three ways: some say it means to ask humbly; others, to make an agreement; and others, to extend it as a sign of misery, as someone who cannot ask for help indicates their needs by extending their hand. But the Prophet seems simply to mean that the people were so distressed by need that they begged for bread. Therefore, I understand the expression "to give the hand" as meaning that they asked for bread, as beggars usually do.

He now says that they gave or extended the hand both to the Egyptians and to the Assyrians, which was a most unworthy and disgraceful thing. For the Egyptians had been their most troublesome enemies, and the Assyrians afterwards followed their example. At that time, indeed, the Egyptians pretended to be the friends of the chosen people and made a treaty with them; but the Jews were held in contempt by them, as they deserved, for they had prostituted themselves, as it were, like harlots. Since, then, they had been despised by the Egyptians, it was a most bitter disgrace and reproach when they were compelled to beg for bread in Egypt, and then in Assyria, for this could have been turned into the bitterest taunts.

So now we perceive the Prophet's meaning; this was also the recompense God justly rendered to them. He had promised them a fruitful land, in which He was ready to support them fully. How often does Moses mention grain, wine, and oil? And why? So that God might show that this land surpassed every other in fertility. It was, then, evidence of an extreme curse when the people were compelled to beg for bread from various places, even though the abundance of all things should have been sufficient to supply even foreigners.

“Thou shalt lend to others, but thou shalt not borrow.” (Deuteronomy 15:6).

So those who ought to have fed others from their abundance were so reduced that their need forced them to undergo this disgrace: to beg for bread from the Egyptians and Assyrians.