The people of God used to travel to Jerusalem for the feasts – especially the appointed feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. At these times, the roads
leading to Jerusalem would have been trodden with joyful festival goers. After the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple the roads are empty. To describe this, the writer continues the use of personification: the roads themselves are mourning.
The gates
are desolate for the same reason. As the roads led up to the city and temple, the gates could refer to those of the city or the temple. The gates would normally have been accompanied by a bustle of activity – especially during festivals. Zion’s gates share the road’s sorrow because no one is coming to the festivals anymore.
The priests
joined the gates and the roads in their grieving as they were the temple’s chief officials. Their income was lost, and their daily routine disrupted, and for them the outworking of God’s purposes were shattered.1 They were supposed to teach people and help them with sacrifices. Now no one is coming. Their grieving is described with the same word used to express Israel’s groaning under the bondage of Pharaoh (Exodus 2:23), Ezekiel’s moaning at the prospect of God’s wrath (Ezekiel 21:6–7) and the noise of starving cattle (Joel 1:18).
The virgins
refer to young women. They also played a special role in the festivals. This is evident in other Old Testament passages:
they danced at the festivals in Shiloh (Judges 21:19–21);
they participate in joyful processions (Psalm 68:24–25);
they rejoice and dance in restored Israel (Jeremiah 31:4).
Their role at the festivals was to express joy. Now their affliction is a tragic reversal of their initial activity at the temple.2
Even Zion…herself suffers bitterly.
This is a summary of all the suffering described in Lamentations 1:4: mourning, groaning and affliction. Zion, the mother, is experiencing in totality the suffering of her children and this experience is bitter. It reminds one of Naomi’s situation (see Ruth 1:13, Ruth 1:20). Instead of joy and pleasantness, there is bitter suffering.3
As Jerusalem’s worship is described, it is to be noted that this bitter situation is because the covenant people of God offended their covenant King. Now they experience the bitter penalty for their sin (see also Zephaniah 1:14; Amos 8:10).4
4 The roads to Zion mourn, for none come to the festival; all her gates are desolate; her priests groan; her virgins have been afflicted, and she herself suffers bitterly.