John Gill Commentary Lamentations 3:16

"He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes." — Lamentations 3:16 (ASV)

He has also broken my teeth with gravel stones
With gritty bread, such as is made of corn ground with new millstones, the grit of which mixes with the flour; or with stony bread, as Seneca ^F14 calls a benefit troublesome to others; with bread that has little stones mixed with it, by eating of which the teeth are broken, as Jarchi observes: the phrase signifies afflictions and troubles, which are very grievous and disagreeable, like gravel in the mouth, as sin in its effects often proves, (Proverbs 20:17) ;

he has covered me with ashes ;
as mourners used to be; the word rendered "covered" is only used in this place. Aben Ezra renders it, "he has defiled me"; and Jarchi and Ben Melech, from the Misnah, "he has pressed me", without measure; see (Luke 6:38) ; and so the Targum,``he has humbled me:'' but the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions, render it, "he has fed me with ashes"; which version is defended by Castel ^F15 and Noldius ^F16 , and best agrees with the preceding clause; the sense is the same with (Psalms 102:9) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F14: "Pane lapidoso", Seneca De Beneficiis, l. 7.
• F15: Lexic. Polyglott, col. 1791.
• F16: Concordant. Ebr. Part. p. 168. No. 763.