Lamentations 2:1-6

1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with darkness in his strong vengeance? he hath cast down from heaven into earth the noble city of Israel; and bethought not on the stool of his feet, in the day of his strong vengeance. (How the Lord hath covered the daughter of Zion with darkness in his strong vengeance! he hath thrown down the glory of Israel from heaven to the earth; and thought not about the stool of his feet, on the day of his strong vengeance.)

2 The Lord casted down, and spared not, all the fair things of Jacob; he destroyed in his strong vengeance the strongholds of the virgin of Judah, and casted down into [the] earth; he defouled the realm, and the princes thereof. (The Lord threw down, and spared not, all the beautiful things of Jacob; he destroyed in his strong vengeance the strongholds of the virgin of Judah, and threw them down to the ground; he defiled the kingdom, and its leaders.)

3 He brake in the ire of his strong vengeance all the horn of Israel; he turned aback his right hand from the face of the enemy; and he kindled in Jacob, as fire of flame devouring in compass (and he kindled against Jacob, like a fire of devouring flame all around it).

4 He as an enemy bent his bow, he as an adversary made steadfast his right hand; and he killed all thing that was fair in sight in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion; he shedded out his indignation as fire. (He bent his bow like an enemy, he made steadfast, or firm, his right hand like an adversary; and he killed everything that was beautiful in sight in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he poured out his anger like fire.)

5 The Lord is made as an enemy; he casted down Israel, he casted down all the walls thereof; he destroyed the strongholds thereof, and filled in the daughter of Judah a man made low, and a woman made low. (The Lord is made like an enemy; he threw down Israel, he threw down all its walls; he destroyed its strongholds, and filled the daughter of Judah full of men and women who were humbled, or were made low.)

6 And he scattered his tent as a garden (And he plowed under his tent like a garden), (yea,) he destroyed his tabernacle; the Lord gave to forgetting in Zion a feast day, and (the) sabbath; and (put) the king and (the) priest into shame, and into the indignation of his strong vengeance.

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.