Lam 1:11 | NETfull | STEP | All her people groaned as they searched for a morsel of bread. They exchanged their valuables for just enough food to stay alive. “Look, O Lord ! Consider that I have become worthless!”

Lamentations 1:11

כ (Kaf)

11 All her people groaned
as they searched for a morsel of bread. ^{▼▼ Heb “bread.” In light of its parallelism with אֹכֶל (’okhel, “food”) in the following line, it is possible that לֶחֶם (lekhem, “bread”) is used in its broader sense of food or nourishment.}
They exchanged ^{▼▼ Heb “they sell.”} their valuables ^{▼▼ Heb “their desirable things.” The noun מַחְמָד (makhmad, “desirable thing”) refers to valuable possessions, such as gold and silver which people desire (e.g., Ezra 8:27).}
for ^{▼▼ The preposition ב (bet) denotes the purchase price paid for an object (BDB 90 s.v. בְּ III.3; HALOT 105 s.v. בְּ 17) (e.g., Gen 23:9; 29:18, 20; 30:16; Lev 25:37; Deut 21:14; 2 Sam 24:24).} just enough food
to stay alive. ^{▼▼ The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) functions as a metonymy (= soul) of association (= life) (e.g., Gen 44:30; Exod 21:23; 2 Sam 14:7; Jon 1:14). When used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), the Hiphil הָשִׁיב (hashiv) of שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn, return”) may mean “to restore a person’s vitality,” that is, to keep a person alive (Lam 1:14, 19).}

Jerusalem Speaks:

“Look, O Lord! Consider ^{▼▼ The dagesh lene in כּי (ki) following the vowel ending the verb וְהַבִּיטָה (v^ehabbitah, “consider”) indicates a dramatic pause between calling for the Lord’s attention and stating the allegation to be seen and considered.}
that I have become worthless!”