Covering a rich landscape of literary, theological and cultural creativity, the authors explore the astonishing variety of interpretations inspired by Lamentations, one of the shortest books in the Bible. Features a wealth of reactions covering two and a half millennia to this ancient text's influential and unflinching account of the devastation wreaked by war Explores a kaleidoscope of examples ranging from the Dead Sea Scrolls; Yehudah Halevy; John Calvin; and composer, Thomas Tallis; through to the startling interpretations of Marc Chagall; contemporary novelist, Cynthia Ozick; and Zimbabwean junk sculpture Deploys "reception exegesis", a new genre of commentary that creatively blends reception history and biblical exegesis Offers sensitive treatment of challenging theological and psychological responses to one of the most disturbing books of the Hebrew Bible Widely relevant, with nuanced reflections both religious and secular on human suffering and the disasters of war