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Lamentations 2:12-22

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12 They cry to their mothers, 1"Where is bread and wine?" 2as they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers' bosom.
13 What can I say for you, 3to what compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? 4What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? 5For your ruin is vast as the sea; who can heal you?
14 6Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; 7they have not exposed your iniquity to 8restore your fortunes, 9but have seen for you 10oracles that are false and misleading.
15 All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; 11they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that was called 12the perfection of beauty, 13the joy of all the earth?"
16 14All your enemies rail against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We 15have swallowed her! Ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have it; 16we see it!"
17 The LORD has done what he purposed; he has carried out 17his word, which he commanded 18long ago; 19he has thrown down 20without pity; 21he has made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted the 22might of your foes.
18 Their heart cried to the Lord. O 23wall of the daughter of Zion, 24let tears stream down like a torrent 25day and night! 26Give yourself no rest, 27your eyes no respite!
19 "Arise, 28cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! 29Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! 30Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, 31who faint for hunger at the head of every street."
20 Look, O LORD, and see! 32With whom have you dealt thus? 33Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of 34their tender care? Should 35priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
21 In the dust of the streets 36lie the young and the old; 37my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; 38you have killed them in the day of your anger, slaughtering 39without pity.
22 You summoned as if to 40a festival day 41my terrors on every side, 42and on the day of the anger of the LORD no one escaped or survived; 43those whom I held and raised my enemy destroyed.
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Lamentations 2:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 2

This chapter contains another alphabet, in which the Prophet Jeremiah, or those he represents, lament the sad condition of Jerusalem; the destruction of the city and temple, and of all persons and things relative to them, and to its civil or church state; and that as being from the hand of the Lord himself, who is represented all along as the author thereof, because of their sins, La 2:1-9; and then the elders and virgins of Zion are represented as in great distress, and weeping for those desolations; which were very much owing to the false prophets, that had deceived them, La 2:10-14; and all this occasioned great rejoicing in the enemies of Zion, La 2:15-17; but sorrow of heart to Zion herself, who is called to weeping, La 2:18,19; and the chapter is concluded with an address to the Lord, to take this her sorrowful case into consideration, and show pity and compassion, La 2:20-22.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 43

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.