Lamentations 2:15-22

15 All who pass by on the road clap their hands about you; they whistle, shaking their heads at Daughter Jerusalem: "Could this be the city called Perfect Beauty, the Joy of All the Earth?"

16 All your enemies open wide their mouths against you; they whistle, grinding their teeth. They say, "We have devoured! This is definitely the day we've been waiting for. We've seen it come to pass."

17 The LORD did what he had planned. He accomplished the word that he had commanded long ago. He ripped down, showing no compassion. He made the enemy rejoice over you; he raised up your adversaries' horn.

18 Cry out to my Lord from the heart, you wall of Daughter Zion; make your tears run down like a flood all day and night. Don't relax at all; don't rest your eyes a moment.

19 Get up and cry out at nighttime, at the start of the night shift; pour out your heart before my Lord like water. Lift your hands up to him for the life of your children— the ones who are fainting from hunger on every street corner.

20 LORD, look and see to whom you have done this! Should women eat their own offspring, their own beautiful babies? Should priest and prophet be killed in my Lord's own sanctuary?

21 Young and old alike lie on the ground in the streets; my young women and young men fall dead by the sword. On the day of your anger, you killed; you slaughtered, showing no compassion.

22 You invited—as if to a festival!—terrors from every side. On the day of the LORD's anger, no one escaped, not one survived. The children that I nurtured, that I raised myself, my enemy finished them off.

Lamentations 2:15-22 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Correction; or their heart cried out to my Lord
• [b]. Heb lacks your.
• [c]. Correction; or my attackers