Lamentations 2:7-17

7 The Lord has 1rejected His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He 2has delivered into the hand of the enemy The walls of her palaces. They have made a 3noise in the house of the LORD As in the day of an appointed feast.
8 The LORD determined to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has 4stretched out a line, He has not restrained His hand from destroying, And He has 5caused rampart and wall to lament; They have languished together.
9 Her 6gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The 7law is no more. Also, her prophets find 8No vision from the LORD.
10 The elders of the daughter of Zion 9Sit on the ground, they 10are silent. They have thrown 11dust on their heads; They have girded themselves with 12sackcloth. The 13virgins of Jerusalem Have bowed their heads to the ground.
11 My 14eyes fail because of tears, My 15spirit is greatly troubled; My 16heart is poured out on the earth 17Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, When 18little ones and infants faint In the streets of the city.
12 They say to their mothers, "19Where is grain and wine?" As they faint like a wounded man In the streets of the city, As their 20life is poured out On their mothers' bosom.
13 How shall I admonish you? To what 21shall I compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I liken you as I comfort you, O 22virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is as vast as the sea; Who can 23heal you?
14 Your 24prophets have seen for you False and foolish visions; And they have not 25exposed your iniquity So as to restore you from captivity, But they have 26seen for you false and misleading oracles.
15 All who pass along the way 27Clap their hands in derision at you; They 28hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem, "Is this the city of which they said, '29The perfection of beauty, 30A joy to all the earth '?"
16 All 31your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and 32gnash their teeth. They say, "We have 33swallowed her up! Surely this is the 34day for which we waited; We have reached it, we have seen it."
17 The LORD has 35done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word Which He commanded from days of old. He has thrown down 36without sparing, And He has caused the enemy to 37rejoice over you; He has 38exalted the might of your adversaries.

Lamentations 2:7-17 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 38

  • 1. Psalms 78:59-61; Isaiah 64:11; Ezekiel 7:20-22
  • 2. Jeremiah 33:4, 5; Jeremiah 52:13
  • 3. Psalms 74:3-8
  • 4. 2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 34:11; Amos 7:7-9
  • 5. Isaiah 3:26; Jeremiah 14:2
  • 6. Nehemiah 1:3
  • 7. Hosea 3:4
  • 8. Jeremiah 14:14; Jeremiah 23:16; Ezekiel 7:26
  • 9. Job 2:13; Isaiah 3:26; Isaiah 47:1
  • 10. Amos 8:3
  • 11. Job 2:12; Ezekiel 27:30
  • 12. Isaiah 15:3; Jonah 3:6-8
  • 13. Lamentations 1:4
  • 14. Lamentations 1:16; Lamentations 3:48, 51
  • 15. Jeremiah 4:19
  • 16. Job 16:13
  • 17. Isaiah 22:4; Lamentations 4:10
  • 18. Jeremiah 44:7; Lamentations 2:19
  • 19. Jeremiah 5:17
  • 20. Job 30:16; Psalms 42:4; Psalms 62:8
  • 21. Lamentations 1:12
  • 22. Isaiah 37:22
  • 23. Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 30:12-15
  • 24. Jeremiah 23:25-29; Jeremiah 29:8, 9
  • 25. Isaiah 58:1; Ezekiel 23:36; Micah 3:8
  • 26. Jeremiah 23:36; Ezekiel 22:25, 28
  • 27. Job 27:23; Ezekiel 25:6
  • 28. Psalms 22:7; Isaiah 37:22; Jeremiah 18:16; Jeremiah 19:8; Zephaniah 2:15
  • 29. Psalms 50:2
  • 30. Psalms 48:2
  • 31. Job 16:10; Psalms 22:13; Lamentations 3:46
  • 32. Job 16:9; Psalms 35:16; Psalms 37:12
  • 33. Psalms 56:2; Psalms 124:3; Jeremiah 51:34
  • 34. Obad 12-15
  • 35. Jeremiah 4:28
  • 36. Lamentations 2:1, 2; Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 7:8, 9; Ezekiel 8:18
  • 37. Psalms 35:24, 26; Psalms 89:42; Isaiah 14:29
  • 38. Deuteronomy 28:43, 44; Lamentations 1:5

Footnotes 8

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