You should remember that next time you use the word, which has been often. Again, you state the obvious.
The LXX omits "are men", as do two of your most trusted versions, the NIV & NET, etc. Perhaps you should listen to them instead of the silly racist opinions of those whom Scripture says their minds are blinded (2 Cor.4:4; 1 Cor.2:12-16). Is God a racist? Are His inspired Scriptures?
Such does not necessarily mean "he shall never look upon them again". So there is no contradiction between Lam.4:16 and 3:31-33:
The highly acclaimed Liddell-Scott Greek lexicon states:
"in LXX and NT, continue or repeat an action":
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, προστίθημι
Lam.3:31 For the Lord will NOT cast off FOR EVER:
32 For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness. 33 For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the SONS OF MEN.
"Lit:"place/set-toward", hence add/proceed-onward":
Kata Biblon Wiki Lexicon - προστίθημι - to add (v.)
Obviously to destroy does not require casting off forever. What is the problem in understanding the easy harmonization of 3:31-33 with 3:62-66? From "under the heavens" is a way of saying - from the earth or from this life. It says nothing about postmortem consequences or final destiny.
The destroyed bodies will live again when they are un-destroyed in resurrection. Their souls continue to exist & live when their bodies are destroyed. Nothing is said in Lam.3:62-66 of what will become of them in the new heavens & new earth. Though 3:31-33 says:
You need to get your facts straight:
Lamentations 3:62-66 of what will become of them in the new heavens & new earth.
Lamentations 3:62 The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
Lamentations 3:66 Persecute
and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.
Psalms 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Psalms 94:13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity,
until the pit be digged for the wicked.
Psalms 94:14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake
his inheritance.
Though 3:31-33 says:
For the Lord will NOT cast off FOR EVER is talking about
Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Psalms 77:15 Thou hast with thine arm
redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
2 Corinthians 4:4 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the
God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
That by the God of this world the supreme Being is meant, who in his judgment gave over the minds of the unbelieving Jews to spiritual darkness, so that destruction came upon them to the uttermost: of THIS WORLD, means simply mankind at large in their state of probation in this lower world, in opposition to their state in the world to come. The same meaning the word has in several other places, to which l need not refer; it is simply implying the present state of things, governed by the Divine providence, in contradistinction from the eternal state: and it is very remarkable that, in 1 Timothy 1:17,
God himself is called τω δε βασιλει των αιωνων,
the King of the WORLD; what we call King eternal; but here it evidently means Him who governs both worlds, and rules in time and eternity.
Some, and particularly
the ancient fathers, have connected and have read the verse: But God hath blinded the minds of the unbelievers of this world, Theophylact, and Augustine, all plead for the above meaning; and
St. Augustine says that it was the opinion of almost all the ancients The Adam Clarke Commentary
2 Corinthians 4 Commentary - Adam Clarke Commentary
It is shown by the fact that God controls who should hear and who should see:
2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
Matthew 5:45 that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise
on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.
Romans 11:8-10: God HATH GIVEN THEM THE SPIRIT of SLUMBER,
EYES that they SHOULD not SEE, and EARS that they SHOULD not HEAR; let their EYES be DARKENED .
Isaiah 6:9: Go and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. MAKE the HEART of this PEOPLE FAT, and
MAKE their EARS HEAVY, and SHUT their EYES; LEST they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart.
Exodus 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or
who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
It is God who says, "I kill, and I make alive" (Deut. 32:39)
1 Corinthians 2:14 But
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Now get your word correct and your translation correct:
G4369 προστίθημι = LSJ = to close a door, inflict, MiddleLiddell = to put to the door, hand over, lay unto, bury, add, add to, increase; give, grant; proceed, go ahead, continue, do again; win over (of followers); bury Acts of the Apostles 13:36; Page 155 4th Edition The Greek New Testament
The word is προσετεθη in Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon
