The Canonical Column, Book 25: Lamentations

We continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the twenty-fifth book of the biblical canon—Lamentations. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual-witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.¹ For a deeper understanding of this framework, I highly recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which provides the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.²

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).³ In the case of Lamentations, its two witnesses are Genesis 36 and Isaiah 25. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Lamentations. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within Lamentations and intentionally sequenced as the twenty-fifth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Lamentation’s ordinal position as the twenty-fifth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Lamentations are firmly established.

Table of Contents anchor

The book of Lamentations

The book of Lamentations is a poetic dirge mourning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, its five chapters form a tightly structured lament in which the fall of Zion is portrayed with brutal honesty and sacred reverence. Each chapter is composed as an acrostic—except for chapter 5—highlighting the ordered grief of a people whose entire world has collapsed.

Lamentations spares no detail. It mourns not only the destruction of the temple and the city’s physical ruin, but also the loss of national identity, leadership, and divine favor. Princes hang by their hands. Children faint in the streets. Women are ravished. The covenant people are left desolate, with no comforter in sight. The tone is deeply personal, and the suffering of Jerusalem is personified in the voice of a bereaved woman—abandoned, dishonored, and inconsolable.

But woven into the despair is a quiet thread of hope. Chapter 3 affirms the enduring mercies of the Lord and declares that judgment is never the end of the story. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed,” Jeremiah writes, “because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22–23). Even in the ashes, a flicker of covenant remains.

Authorship & Dating

The book of Lamentations has been traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah, a view supported by both internal and external evidence. The Septuagint introduction to the book explicitly names Jeremiah as the author, and the literary style, theological perspective, and historical context all align with his known prophetic ministry. Like the book of Jeremiah, Lamentations reflects a deep personal anguish over the destruction of Jerusalem and exhibits a profound understanding of covenant theology, divine justice, and prophetic intercession.

While the book itself is formally anonymous, its consistent use of Jeremianic language, shared poetic devices, and eyewitness perspective on the 586 BC destruction of Jerusalem strongly support the traditional view. Moreover, 2 Chronicles 35:25 states that “Jeremiah lamented for Josiah,” and this reference, though likely separate from the book of Lamentations, attests to Jeremiah’s known practice of composing funeral dirges.

The dating of Lamentations is relatively uncontroversial among conservative scholars. Its vivid descriptions of Jerusalem’s downfall, famine, and temple desecration point unmistakably to the Babylonian conquest in 586 BC. Most agree that the book was composed shortly after the destruction, likely between 586 and 580 BC, during the early years of the Babylonian exile. This places the book in the immediate aftermath of the national catastrophe it mourns, giving it the raw and urgent tone that characterizes each lament.

Though brief, the book of Lamentations stands as one of the most theologically rich and emotionally powerful works in the Hebrew Bible—its words shaped by firsthand devastation, yet anchored in covenantal hope.

Lamentations’ witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

Within the Canonical Column, the book of Lamentations is structurally witnessed by Genesis 36 and Isaiah 25. At first glance, this pairing may seem unlikely: Genesis 36 is a genealogical record of Esau’s descendants, and Isaiah 25 is a jubilant declaration of God’s final victory over death and pride. Yet both chapters contain hidden allusions and verbal echoes that prophetically foreshadow the themes, images, and language of Lamentations. Together, they bear witness that the book of Lamentations is no incidental lament—but a divinely inspired record of covenant chastening and prophetic fulfillment, foreordained before the foundation of the world to serve as the twenty-fifth book of the correct biblical canon.

As with every book attested by the Canonical Column, the two witnessing chapters of Lamentations have been intentionally designed and precisely positioned within their respective branches of the Canonical Column to bear dual witness to the book’s canonicity—each appearing as the twenty-fifth chapter in its respective branch of the framework. By their dual witness, the book of Lamentations is established as the twenty-fifth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.⁴

Context of Genesis 36

Genesis 36 is a genealogical chapter devoted to the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob and father of the Edomites. The chapter traces the development of Esau’s lineage from his immediate sons to the early kings and tribal chiefs of Edom, culminating in a detailed list of the rulers who reigned in the land of Seir prior to the establishment of Israel’s monarchy.

On the surface, Genesis 36 appears to be a routine record of names and settlements. But its inclusion in the Torah serves a deeper narrative and theological purpose. It marks the separation of Esau from Jacob, not merely in geography but in destiny. While Jacob’s line will inherit the covenant blessings and birthright promises, Esau’s line becomes a nation apart—politically established, materially prosperous, and independent of Israel’s God.

Most striking is verse 31, which notes that Edom had kings reigning “before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.” This detail is more than historical—it foreshadows the long-standing rivalry between Edom and Israel, a conflict that culminates in prophetic texts such as Obadiah and Lamentations. Edom’s early exaltation becomes the backdrop for its later downfall, when the Lord promises judgment for its pride and its cruelty toward Jerusalem in her day of affliction.

Genesis 36 -> Lamentations

Within the Canonical Column, the placement of Genesis 36 as the twenty-fifth chapter of The Circumcision (Gen. 12–50) is no accident. Though filled with lists of names, the chapter contains verbal and thematic seeds that prophetically mirror the desolation, exile, and covenantal sorrow found in the book of Lamentations–the twenty-fifth book of the biblical canon. The exaltation of Edom’s kings, the migration from the land of promise, and the ironic appearance of names like Bedad (“solitary”) and Eliphaz (“God is fine gold”) all contribute to a silent but powerful witness—hidden beneath the surface, yet divinely planted to confirm the canonicity of Lamentations, as well as its ordained place as the twenty-fifth book of the biblical canon.

The comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of the divinely embedded textual allusions and echoes to specific verses and passages from the book of Lamentations (explanations provided in the footnotes) in Genesis 36.

Genesis 36	Lamentations
Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. . . . The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.5 (Genesis 36:1, 28)	Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. (Lamentations 4:21)
These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.6 (Genesis 36:10-12)	The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! (Lamentations 4:2)
And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.7 (Genesis 36:31)	The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries. (Lamentations 2:17)
And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.8 (Genesis 36:32-33)	The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. (Lamentations 2:5)
And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.9 (Genesis 36:35)	How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! (Lamentations 1:1)

Context of Isaiah 25

Isaiah 25 is a prophetic hymn of praise that celebrates the future overthrow of the proud and the deliverance of God’s people. Following the global judgment described in Isaiah 24, this chapter stands as a jubilant declaration of the Lord’s final victory over the forces of death, oppression, and arrogance. It looks forward to a day when God will establish His reign on Mount Zion, destroy the covering cast over all nations, and wipe away the tears from every face.

The chapter begins with a personal doxology: “O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee…” (v.1). This leads into a series of praises for God’s past acts of judgment against ruthless nations and fortified cities, followed by prophetic promises of comfort and restoration. Central to the chapter is the image of a feast on Mount Zion (v.6)—a banquet prepared by God for all peoples, signaling peace, inclusion, and joy in contrast to the sorrow and starvation of previous chapters.

Isaiah 25 -> Lamentations

Within the Canonical Column, Isaiah 25 functions as the twenty-fifth chapter of the branch of the Canonical Column known as First Isaiah (Isaiah 1–39), and as such–prophetically witnesses to the twenty-fifth book of the Old Testament canon, that is–the book of Lamentations. Though their surface tones differ—one celebratory, the other mournful—the underlying connection is clear: Isaiah 25 exalts the God who judges tyrants and comforts mourners, just as Lamentations records the chastisement of Zion and looks forward to divine mercy. The ruined cities of verse 2, the universal tears of verse 8, and the final note of refuge for the poor and needy (v.4) all echo the language and themes of Lamentations—offering not only witness, but response. Once again, the comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of these (explanations provided in the footnotes).

Isaiah 25	Lamentations
O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.10 (Isaiah 25:1)	The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries. (Lamentations 2:17)
For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.11 (Isaiah 25:2)	All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? (Lamentations 2:15)
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.12 (Isaiah 25:4)	The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. (Lamentations 4:20)
And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.13 (Isaiah 25:7)	Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. (Lamentations 3:43–44)
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.14 (Isaiah 25:8)	The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. (Lamentations 2:2; cf. 2:5)
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.15 (Isaiah 25:9)	It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:26)
For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.16 (Isaiah 25:10)	The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. (Lamentations 1:15)
And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.17 (Isaiah 25:11)	Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them. (Lamentations 1:17)
And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.18 (Isaiah 25:12)	The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. (Lamentations 2:2)

Group Chat

While I haven’t included a section like this in previous installments of the series, the thought occurred to me as I was concluding this post that it might be good to showcase an example of a three-way allusion within the Canonical Column. This is a little phenomenon that I like to refer to as “Group Chat.”

In the example below, a select passage from Lamentations is sandwiched between parallel allusions from each of its witnessing chapters. When viewed side by side, the structural unity and mind-boggling complexity of the Canonical Column come into sharper focus. These three verses form a kind of prophetic conversation—one that transcends their immediate historical contexts and speaks to a deeper, divinely orchestrated pattern.

Genesis 36	Isaiah 25	Lamentations
And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. (Genesis 36:32-33)	He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25:8)	The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. (Lamentations 2:5)

At the center of this triad stands Lamentations 2:5, where the Lord “has swallowed up Israel… and all her palaces,” invoking the Hebrew root בָּלַע (balaʿ, “to swallow”). This same root is echoed in Isaiah 25:8, which promises that the Lord will “swallow up death in victory,” and it is subtly alluded to in Genesis 36:32, where the first Edomite king is named Bela—a name that literally means “he swallows.”

The effect is striking: in Genesis, Bela’s name introduces the theme of swallowing as conquest; in Lamentations, the Lord swallows Jerusalem in judgment; and in Isaiah, that same Lord swallows death itself, reversing judgment with a promise of eternal restoration. This three-way conversation reveals the Canonical Column’s capacity to weave coherent theological meaning across time, genre, and authorship—even embedding prophetic allusions into the names of ancient kings in the genealogies of Edom in Genesis.

Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Lamentations as the twenty-fifth book of the biblical canon.

The canonicity of the book of Lamentations is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 36 and Isaiah 25. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the twenty-fifth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Lamentations–the twenty-fifth book of the Old Testament and the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Lamentations, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the twenty-fifth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Lamentations are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.

1. I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
2. Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
3. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
4. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval.  ↩︎
5. In Genesis 36:1, Esau is explicitly identified as Edom, and verse 28 names Uz as one of the descendants of Dishan, a Horite chief within Edomite territory. Within the Canonical Column, this sets up a direct allusion to Lamentations 4:21, which addresses the “daughter of Edom that dwellest in the land of Uz.” The shared names and regional continuity establish a concrete geographic and genealogical link between the two passages—underscoring that the judgment pronounced in Lamentations is prophetically rooted in Edom’s earliest formation. Notably, the name “Uz” appears only eight times in the entire Bible—yet two of those occurrences are in Lamentations and one is in Genesis 36, the chapter that structurally witnesses to it. This rarity further reinforces the intentionality of the connection. ↩︎
6. In Genesis 36:11, Eliphaz—Esau’s firstborn—is named. His name contains the rare Hebrew word פָּז (paz), meaning “fine gold.” Within the Canonical Column, this serves as a linguistic allusion to Lamentations 4:2, which describes the sons of Zion as “comparable to fine gold.” The word paz appears in fewer than ten verses across the entire Hebrew Bible, making its embedded presence in Eliphaz’s name especially notable. The pairing juxtaposes Edom’s rising line of nobility with Zion’s fallen princes—drawing a silent poetic contrast between two peoples and their destinies. ↩︎
7. Genesis 36:31 records that Edom had kings “before there reigned any king over the children of Israel,” establishing Edom’s early political ascendancy and apparent national stability. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a prophetic allusion to Lamentations 2:17, where the Lord fulfills His ancient word by allowing Israel’s enemies to rejoice over her ruin and to be exalted. The ironic reversal is striking: Edom, which was politically elevated in Genesis 36, is now among those adversaries exalted in judgment over Zion—highlighting the prophetic fulfillment of a tension planted centuries earlier. ↩︎
8. In Genesis 36:32, the first king of Edom is named Bela, a name derived from the Hebrew root בָּלַע (balaʿ), meaning “to swallow up.” Within the Canonical Column, this forms an image-based allusion to Lamentations 2:5, where the Lord is said to have “swallowed up Israel… [and] all her palaces.” The root balaʿ appears twice in the Lamentations verse, directly linking it to the Edomite king’s name. What begins as a symbolic exaltation of Edom in Genesis—through a king whose very name means “to swallow”—becomes, in Lamentations, a tragic reality fulfilled through divine judgment. ↩︎
9. In Genesis 36:35, Hadad is identified as the son of Bedad, a name derived from the Hebrew root בָּדָד (badad), meaning “alone” or “solitary.” Within the Canonical Column, this serves as a linguistic allusion to Lamentations 1:1, which opens with the phrase “How doth the city sit solitary,” using the same rare root. Additionally, the name of Hadad’s city is Avith (עֲוִית)—a word possibly derived from the Hebrew root ʿavah, suggesting meanings like “ruins” or “devastation.” The combined presence of names meaning “solitary” and “ruins” within a single Edomite verse makes Genesis 36:35 a densely layered prophetic foreshadowing of Jerusalem’s isolation and destruction in Lamentations 1. ↩︎
10. In Isaiah 25:1, Isaiah praises the LORD’s “counsels of old,” which are proven to be faithful and true. This verse functions within the Canonical Column as a direct allusion to Lamentations 2:17, in which the prophet declares that “he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old.” ↩︎
11. In Isaiah 25:2, the prophet declares that the fortified city has been reduced to a ruinous heap, never to be rebuilt. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Lamentations 2:15, where passersby mock the utter downfall of Jerusalem, once hailed as “the perfection of beauty.” Both verses depict the utter collapse of a once-exalted city, with Isaiah emphasizing irreversible ruin and Lamentations portraying public scorn. The image of a destroyed city stripped of identity forms a clear structural and poetic link between the two passages. ↩︎
12. Isaiah 25:4 describes the LORD as “a shadow from the heat,” a poetic image of divine refuge for the distressed. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Lamentations 4:20, which uses the exact same metaphor in a moment of national despair: “Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen,” referring to the fallen king as their former shelter. This shared motif of protective shadow reinforces the prophetic alignment between Isaiah 25 and Lamentations within the Canonical Column. ↩︎
13. Isaiah 25:7 declares that the Lord will destroy the “covering” and “veil” spread over all nations, symbolizing the removal of spiritual blindness and the restoration of access to God. Within the Canonical Column, this is obviously intended to function as an allusion to Lamentations 3:43–44, where God is said to have “covered with anger” and “with a cloud,” blocking the people’s prayers. Both passages use the verb כָּסָה (kasah, “to cover”) and share the motif of divine covering, but in opposite ways—concealment in wrath vs. unveiling in mercy. The allusion forms a theological inversion: what Lamentations laments, Isaiah promises to undo. ↩︎
14. In Isaiah 25:8, the Lord is said to “swallow up death in victory”—a promise of ultimate deliverance and resurrection. Within the Canonical Column, this forms a direct linguistic allusion to Lamentations 2:2 and 2:5, where the same rare Hebrew root בָּלַע (balaʿ, “to swallow”) is used twice to describe the Lord’s judgment: “He hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob… He hath swallowed up Israel.” ↩︎
15. Both Isaiah 25:9 and Lamentations 3:26 emphasize the act of waiting for the salvation of the LORD, using nearly identical language. Both verses use forms of the Hebrew root קָוָה (qavah, “to wait/hope”) and refer explicitly to salvation (יְשׁוּעָה, yeshuah). This shared phrasing—”we have waited for him… salvation” in Isaiah and “wait for the salvation of the LORD” in Lamentations—forms a deliberate textual bridge, establishing structural correspondence between Isaiah 25 and the book of Lamentations within the Canonical Column. ↩︎
16. Isaiah 25:10 boldly declares that the Lord will tread down Moab like straw in a dung pit, using the Hebrew root דּוּשׁ (dush), meaning “to thresh” or “trample.” Within the Canonical Column, this forms an image-based allusion to Lamentations 1:15, where the Lord is said to have “trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress,” using a different but related verb—דָּרַךְ (darakh), meaning “to tread” (especially in the context of winepress judgment). Though the verbs differ, both passages depict violent trampling by the Lord, and both use agricultural metaphors to express divine judgment. The use of the rare and evocative phrase “trodden under foot” to describe divine judgment in both verses reinforces Isaiah 25 as a prophetic type of the book of Lamentations within the Canonical Column, linking the two passages through their shared depiction of being crushed under the weight of God’s wrath. ↩︎
17. The phrase “spreadeth forth his hands” in Isaiah 25:11 is an obvious allusion to Lamentations 1:17, which opens with the nearly-identical phrase, “Zion spreadeth forth her hands.” This direct verbal echo not only links the two passages but highlights a chiastic contrast between divine action (in Isaiah) and human helplessness (in Lamentations). ↩︎
18. Isaiah 25:12 concludes with the image of a fortified city being “brought to the ground, even to the dust.” Within the Canonical Column, this is an obvious allusion to Lamentations 2:2: “he hath thrown down… the strong holds… he hath brought them down to the ground.” Both passages describe the collapse of defensive strongholds using nearly identical language, establishing a clear verbal and thematic correspondence between Isaiah 25 and the book of Lamentations in the Canonical Column framework. ↩︎

© 2025, Zerubbabel. All rights reserved.