Lamentations 2:16-22

16 All 1your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and 2gnash their teeth. They say, "We have 3swallowed her up! Surely this is the 4day for which we waited; We have reached it, we have seen it."
17 The LORD has 5done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word Which He commanded from days of old. He has thrown down 6without sparing, And He has caused the enemy to 7rejoice over you; He has 8exalted the might of your adversaries.
18 Their 9heart cried out to the Lord, "O 10wall of the daughter of Zion, Let your 11tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief, Let your eyes have no rest.
19 "Arise, cry aloud in the 12night At the beginning of the night watches; 13Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him For the 14life of your little ones Who are 15faint because of hunger At the head of every street."
20 See, O LORD, and look! With 16whom have You dealt thus? Should women 17eat their offspring, The little ones who were born healthy? Should 18priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord?
21 On the ground in the streets Lie 19young and old; My 20virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of Your anger, You have slaughtered, 21not sparing.
22 You called as in the day of an appointed feast My 22terrors on every side; And there was 23no one who escaped or survived In the day of the LORD'S anger. Those 24whom I bore and reared, My enemy annihilated them.

Lamentations 2:16-22 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.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Job 16:10; Psalms 22:13; Lamentations 3:46
  • 2. Job 16:9; Psalms 35:16; Psalms 37:12
  • 3. Psalms 56:2; Psalms 124:3; Jeremiah 51:34
  • 4. Obad 12-15
  • 5. Jeremiah 4:28
  • 6. Lamentations 2:1, 2; Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 7:8, 9; Ezekiel 8:18
  • 7. Psalms 35:24, 26; Psalms 89:42; Isaiah 14:29
  • 8. Deuteronomy 28:43, 44; Lamentations 1:5
  • 9. Psalms 119:145; Hosea 7:14
  • 10. Lamentations 2:8; Habakkuk 2:11
  • 11. Psalms 119:136; Jeremiah 9:1; Lamentations 1:2, 16; Lamentations 3:48, 49
  • 12. Psalms 42:3; Isaiah 26:9
  • 13. 1 Samuel 1:15; Psalms 42:4; Psalms 62:8
  • 14. Lamentations 2:11
  • 15. Isaiah 51:20
  • 16. Exodus 32:11; Deuteronomy 9:26
  • 17. Jeremiah 19:9; Lamentations 4:10
  • 18. Psalms 78:64; Jeremiah 14:15; Jeremiah 23:11, 12
  • 19. 2 Chronicles 36:17; Jeremiah 6:11
  • 20. Psalms 78:62, 63
  • 21. Jeremiah 13:14; Zechariah 11:6
  • 22. Psalms 31:13; Isaiah 24:17; Jeremiah 6:25
  • 23. Jeremiah 11:11
  • 24. Jeremiah 16:2-4; Jeremiah 44:7

Footnotes 5

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