Lamentations 2:10-12

10 The elders of the daughter of Zion ¹sit on the ground ²in silence; ³they have thrown dust on their heads and ⁴put on sackcloth; the young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.

11 ⁵My eyes are spent with weeping; ⁶my stomach churns; ⁷my bile is poured out to the ground ⁸because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, ⁹because infants and babies ¹⁰faint in the streets of the city.

12 They cry to their mothers, ¹¹"Where is bread and wine?" ¹²as they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers' bosom.

Lamentations 2:10-12 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. Lamentations 1:1; Lamentations 3:28; Isaiah 3:26
• 2. Ezekiel 3:15
• 3. See Joshua 7:6
• 4. Jeremiah 48:37; Ezekiel 7:18; Amos 8:10; See Jeremiah 4:8
• 5. [ver. 18; Lamentations 5:17; Psalms 6:7]
• 6. See Lamentations 1:20
• 7. [Job 16:13]
• 8. Lamentations 3:48
• 9. [Lamentations 4:4; Jeremiah 44:7]
• 10. ver. 19; [Isaiah 51:20]
• 11. See Lamentations 1:11
• 12. [See ver. 11 above]