Lamentations 2:1-6

1 How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion with the cloud of his anger[a] ! He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.
2 Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Daughter Judah. He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor.
3 In fierce anger he has cut off every horn[b][c] of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy. He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything around it.
4 Like an enemy he has strung his bow; his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion.
5 The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for Daughter Judah.
6 He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden; he has destroyed his place of meeting. The LORD has made Zion forget her appointed festivals and her Sabbaths; in his fierce anger he has spurned both 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 23

  • 1. Lamentations 3:44
  • 2. Psalms 99:5; Psalms 132:7
  • 3. S Jeremiah 12:7
  • 4. ver 17; Lamentations 3:43
  • 5. Psalms 21:9
  • 6. Psalms 89:39-40; Micah 5:11
  • 7. S Isaiah 25:12
  • 8. Psalms 75:5,10
  • 9. Psalms 74:11
  • 10. S Isaiah 42:25; Jer 21:4-5,14
  • 11. S Job 3:23; Job 16:13; Lamentations 3:12-13
  • 12. S Psalms 48:2; Ezekiel 24:16,25
  • 13. S 2 Chronicles 34:21; Ezekiel 20:34
  • 14. Isaiah 42:25; S Jeremiah 7:20
  • 15. S Jeremiah 4:20
  • 16. S Job 13:24; Jeremiah 30:14
  • 17. ver 2
  • 18. S Isaiah 29:2
  • 19. S Jeremiah 7:20; Jeremiah 9:17-20
  • 20. 2 Chronicles 36:19
  • 21. S Jeremiah 52:13
  • 22. Lamentations 1:4; Zephaniah 3:18
  • 23. Isaiah 43:28; S Jeremiah 7:14; Lamentations 4:16; Lamentations 5:12

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or "How the Lord in his anger" / "has treated Daughter Zion with contempt"
  • [b]. Or "off" / "all the strength" ; or "every king"
  • [c]. "Horn" here symbolizes strength.
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