Lamentations 2:1-6

The Lord Has Destroyed Without Pity

1 How the Lord in his anger has set the daughter of Zion ¹under a cloud! ²He has cast down from heaven to earth the splendor of Israel; he has not remembered ³his footstool in the day of his anger.

2 The Lord ⁴has swallowed up ⁵without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath ⁶he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought ⁷down to the ground ⁸in dishonor the kingdom ⁹and its rulers.

3 He has cut down in ¹⁰fierce anger all ¹¹the might of Israel; ¹²he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; ¹³he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.

4 ¹⁴He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set ¹⁵like a foe; and he has killed all who were delightful in our eyes in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.

5 ¹⁶The Lord has become like an enemy; ¹⁷he has swallowed up Israel; ¹⁸he has swallowed up all its palaces; he has laid in ruins its strongholds, and he has multiplied in the daughter of Judah ¹⁹mourning and lamentation.

6 He has laid waste his booth like a garden, laid in ruins ²⁰his meeting place; ²¹the Lord has made Zion forget festival and ²²Sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned king and priest.

Lamentations 2:1-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2:1 [ch. 3:44]
• 2. 2:1 [Matt. 11:23]; See Isa. 14:15
• 3. 2:1 1 Chr. 28:2
• 4. 2:2 ver. 16; [Ps. 35:25; 56:2; Ezek. 36:3]
• 5. 2:2 ver. 17, 21; ch. 3:43; [Ezek. 9:5, 10]
• 6. 2:2 Ps. 89:40
• 7. 2:2 Ps. 74:7
• 8. 2:2 Ps. 74:7
• 9. 2:2 Isa. 43:28
• 10. 2:3 See Jer. 12:13
• 11. 2:3 1 Sam. 2:1
• 12. 2:3 Ps. 74:11
• 13. 2:3 Ps. 79:5; 89:46
• 14. 2:4 ch. 3:12
• 15. 2:4 See Jer. 30:14
• 16. 2:5 [See ver. 4 above]
• 17. 2:5 ver. 16; [Ps. 35:25; 56:2; Ezek. 36:3]
• 18. 2:5 [2 Kgs. 25:9]
• 19. 2:5 Isa. 29:2
• 20. 2:6 ch. 1:4; Isa. 1:13; Zeph. 3:18
• 21. 2:6 ch. 1:4; Isa. 1:13; Zeph. 3:18
• 22. 2:6 Isa. 1:13