The adversary has spread out his hand over all her precious things: for she has seen that the nations entered into her sanctuary, whom you did command that they should not enter into your congregation.
All Commentaries on Lamentations 1:10 Go To Lamentations 1
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
Here is considered captivity, and servitude, relating to the taking of possessions suffered from victorious foes.
First is viewed exploitation of possessions relating to what foes had taken. Second, is calculated the possessions destroyed. As declared: "all her people groan as they search for bread". (Verse 11).
About the above idea two notions are proposed. First is the regard for plundered possessions. As said: "The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious things". Namely, the Chaldeans, the victors, stretched out their hands. That is, for the treasures of the house of God, of the royal house, and of all other houses. As the prophet Isaiah reminds: "and all our pleasant places have become ruins". (Is 64:ll).
Secondly is considered the very profanation of the people. As stated: "yea, she has seen the nations invade her sanctuary". Namely, in such an order, so that it can happen that all possessions are taken away, even things within the sanctuary, or temple. As I Maccabees 2:8-9: "Her temple has become like a man without honor; her glorious vessels have been carried into captivity."
Or, otherwise: "yea, she has seen the nations invade her sanctuary." That is, by the Lord God. Also: "the nations invade her sanctuary". Namely, sanctuary priests invade by word, though living nicely, as they possess an idol within their sanctuary.Again: "those whom thou didst forbid to enter thy congregation". The Book of Leviticus records that mankind, even from Aaron's root in whom is a stain, may
not utilize holy things from the Lord God (cf. Leviticus Chapter 22, "Priests Shall be Holy to God"). So since sanctuary priests utilized holy things, they also were led into captivity and servitude. As a result, their fault, or sin, is cause for punishment.
