John Gill Commentary Lamentations 3:13

"He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins." — Lamentations 3:13 (ASV)

He has caused the arrows of his quiver Or, "the sons of his quiver" ^F9 ; an usual Hebraism; the quiver is compared, as Aben Ezra observes, to a pregnant woman; and Horace has a like expression, "venenatis gravidam sagittis pharetram" ^F11 ; the judgments of God are often signified by this metaphor, even his four sore ones, sword, famine, pestilence, and noisome beast, (Deuteronomy 32:23Deuteronomy 32:42) (Ezekiel 5:16) (14:21) ; these, says the prophet, he caused to enter into my reins ; that is, into the midst of his land and people, or into the city of Jerusalem; or these affected his mind and heart as if so many arrows had stuck in him, the poison of which drank up his spirits, (Job 6:4) (Psalms 38:2) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: (wtpva ynb) "filios pharetrae suae", Montanus, Munster, Cocceius, Michaelis.
• F11: L. 1. Ode 22.