John Gill Commentary Lamentations 1:11

"All her people sigh, they seek bread; They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh the soul: See, O Jehovah, and behold; for I am become abject." — Lamentations 1:11 (ASV)

All her people sigh Not her priests only, (Lamentations 1:4); but all the common people, because of their affliction, particularly for want of bread. So the Targum, ``all the people of Jerusalem sigh because of the famine;''

they seek bread ; to eat, as the Targum; inquire where it is to be had, but in vain:

they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul : or, "to cause the soul to return" ^F24 ; to fetch it back when fainting and swooning away through famine; and therefore would give anything for food; part with their rich clothes, jewels, and precious stones; with whatsoever they had that was valuable in their cabinets or coffers, that they might have meat to keep from fainting and dying; to refresh and recruit their spirits spent with hunger:

see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile ; mean, base, and contemptible, in the eyes of men, through penury and want of food; through poverty, affliction, and distress; and therefore desires the Lord would consider her case, and look with pity and compassion on her.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F24: (vpn byvhl) "ad reducendum animam", Montanus, Piscator.