Thomas Aquinas Commentary Lamentations 4:16

"The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders." — Lamentations 4:16 (ASV)

Regarding the infliction of punishment, when the text says the face of the Lord, it means His foreknowledge; and when it says He has divided them, it means they are scattered among the nations. They are divided by the wrath of his countenance (Psalms 54:22).

Third, he reproaches them for their lack of respect for the elders, and these are the words of their enemies against the Jews: they respected not the persons of the priests. This is like the prophecy in Isaiah 3:5: The child shall make it tumult against the ancient, and the base against the honorable. Alternatively, these can be the words of the prophet about their enemies.