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Texts -- Lamentations 2:1-12 (NET)

Context
The Prophet Speaks:
2:1 א (Alef) Alas! The Lord has covered Daughter Zion with his anger. He has thrown down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he did not protect his temple when he displayed his 2:2 ב(Bet) The Lord destroyed mercilessly all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. In his anger he tore down the fortified cities of Daughter Judah . He knocked to the ground and humiliated the kingdom and its rulers . 2:3 ג(Gimel) In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel . He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked . He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob ; it consumed everything around it. 2:4 ד(Dalet) He prepared his bow like an enemy ; his right hand was ready to shoot . Like a foe he killed everyone , even our strong young men ; he has poured out his anger like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion . 2:5 ה(He) The Lord , like an enemy , destroyed Israel . He destroyed all her palaces ; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament . 2:6 ו(Vav) He destroyed his temple as if it were a vineyard ; he destroyed his appointed meeting place . The Lord has made those in Zion forget both the festivals and the Sabbaths . In his fierce anger he has spurned both king and priest . 2:7 ז(Zayin) The Lord rejected his altar and abhorred his temple . He handed over to the enemy her palace walls ; the enemy shouted in the Lord’s temple as if it were a feast day . 2:8 ח(Khet) The Lord was determined to tear down Daughter Zion’s wall . He prepared to knock it down ; he did not withdraw his hand from destroying . He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament ; together they mourned their ruin. 2:9 ט(Tet) Her city gates have fallen to the ground ; he smashed to bits the bars that lock her gates. Her king and princes were taken into exile ; there is no more guidance available. As for her prophets , they no longer receive a vision from the Lord . 2:10 י(Yod) The elders of Daughter Zion sit on the ground in silence . They have thrown dirt on their heads ; They have dressed in sackcloth . Jerusalem’s young women stare down at the ground . 2:11 כ(Kaf) My eyes are worn out from weeping ; my stomach is in knots . My heart is poured out on the ground due to the destruction of my helpless people ; children and infants faint in the town squares . 2:12 ל(Lamed) Children say to their mothers , “Where are food and drink ?” They faint like a wounded warrior in the city squares . They die slowly in their mothers ’ arms .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Poetry

    [ebd] has been well defined as "the measured language of emotion." Hebrew poetry deals almost exclusively with the great question of man's relation to God. "Guilt, condemnation, punishment, pardon, redemption, repentance are the a...
    [nave] POETRY Lam. 1-5. Didactic Moses' song, Deut. 32. The Book of Job, the Proverbs, Solomon's Song, the books of prophecy. See: Psalms, Didactic. Elegy On the death of Saul, 2 Sam. 1:17, 19-27. Of Abner, 2 Sam. 3:33, 34. ...

  • Church

    [nave] CHURCH, the collective body of believers. Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics Called in the O.T., The Congregation, Ex. 12:3, 6, 19, 47; 16:1, 2, 9, 10, 22; Lev. 4:13, 15; 10:17; 24:14. Called in the N.T., Church, Matt. 16:18; ...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • War

    [nave] WAR Divine approval of, 2 Sam. 22:35. Civil, Judg. 12:1-6; 20; 2 Sam. 2:12-31; 3:1; 20; 1 Kin. 14:30; 16:21; Isa. 19:2; forbidden, 2 Chr. 11:4; averted, Josh. 22:11-34. Enemy harangued by general of opposing side, 2 Kin. 1...

  • Doubting

    [nave] DOUBTING. Job 4:3-6; Job 9:16-23; Job 30:20, 21 Job 3; 16; 17; 23:15-17. Psa. 22:2; Psa. 31:22; Psa. 42:5, 6; Psa. 49:5; Psa. 73:13-17; Psa. 77:3, 7-9; Prov. 24:10; Isa. 40:27, 28 Isa. 50:2. Isa. 49:14, 15; Jer. 8:18; Jer. ...

  • Anger

    [nave] ANGER. Gen. 4:6; Gen. 49:7; 2 Chr. 28:9; Job 5:2; Job 19:29; Psa. 37:8; Psa. 55:3; Psa. 76:10; Prov. 6:34; Prov. 12:16; Prov. 14:17, 29; Prov. 15:1, 18; Prov. 16:14, 29, 32; Prov. 17:14; Prov. 19:11, 12, 19; Prov. 21:24; Pr...

  • GARDEN

    [isbe] GARDEN - gar'-d'-n (gan, gannah, ginnah; kepos): The Arabic jannah (diminutive, jannainah), like the Hebrew gannah, literally, "a covered or hidden place," denotes in the mind of the dweller in the East something more than t...
    [smith] Gardens in the East, as the Hebrew word indicates, are enclosures on the outskirts of towns, planted with various trees and shrubs. From the allusions in the Bible we learn that they were surrounded by hedges of thorn, (Isaia...

  • Footstool

    [isbe] FOOTSTOOL - foot'-stool (kebhes; hupopodion, "trodden on"): The 15 Scripture references to this term may be classified as literal or figurative. Of the former are the two passages: 2 Ch 9:18 and Jas 2:3. In these the footsto...
    [nave] FOOTSTOOL. Figurative The earth is God's, Isa. 60:13; 66:1; Lam. 2:1; Acts 7:49.

  • CLOUD

    [isbe] CLOUD - kloud (`anan, `abh; nephele, nephos): I. Clouds in Palestine. In the Bible few references are found of particular clouds or of clouds in connection with the phenomena of the weather conditions. The weather in Palesti...
    [smith] The shelter given, and refreshment of rain promised, by clouds give them their peculiar prominence in Oriental imagery. When a cloud appears rain is ordinarily apprehended, and thus the "cloud without rain" becomes a proverb ...

  • Famine

    [nave] FAMINE Pharaoh forewarned of, in dreams, Gen. 41. Described, Deut. 28:53-57; Isa. 5:13; 9:18-21; 17:11; Jer. 5:17; 14:1-6; 48:33; Lam. 1:11, 19; 2:11-22; 4:4-10; Joel 1:17-20. Sent as a judgment, Lev. 26:19-29; Deut. 28:23...

  • Bow

    [nave] BOW A Weapon Gen. 21:16, 20. Made of bronze, 2 Sam. 22:35; Job 20:24; Psa. 18:34; of wood, Ezek. 39:9. Used in war, Isa. 13:18; Lam. 2:4; Ezek. 39:3. Used by the Elamites, Jer. 49:35. David instructed the Israelites in ...

  • Fainting

    [nave] FAINTING, Lam. 2:12; Dan. 8:27.

  • Earth

    [nave] EARTH Primitive condition of, Gen. 1:2, 6, 7; Job 26:7; Psa. 104:5-9; Jer. 4:23. Design of, Isa. 45:18. Ancient notions concerning, 1 Sam. 2:8; Job 9:6; Rev. 7:1. Cursed of God, Gen. 3:17, 18; Rom. 8:19-22. Circle of, Is...

  • Prophecy

    [nave] PROPHECY Concerning Jesus, See: Jesus. Concerning church, See: Church, Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of. Relating to various countries, nations, and cities, see under their respective titles. Respecting individuals, see...

  • Stool

    [nave] STOOL, 2 Kin. 4:10. Footstool Figurative: Of the earth, Isa. 66:1; Matt. 5:35; Acts 7:49; temple, 1 Chr. 28:2; Lam. 2:1; sanctuary, Psa. 99:5; 132:7; enemies of Jesus, Psa. 110:1; Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43; Acts...

  • Temple

    [nave] TEMPLE. Solomon's Called also Temple of the Lord, 2 Kin. 11:10; Holy Temple, Psa. 79:1; Holy House, 1 Chr. 29:3; House of God, 1 Chr. 29:2; 2 Chr. 23:9; House of the Lord, 2 Chr. 23:5, 12; Jer. 28:5; Father's House, John 2...

  • Virgin

    [nave] VIRGIN Proofs of, Deut. 22:13-21. Dowry of, Ex. 22:17. Character of, to be protected, Deut. 22:17-21, 23, 24. Betrothal of, a quasi marriage, Deut. 22:23, 24. Distinguishing apparel of, 2 Sam. 13:18. Priests might marry...

  • Sanctuary

    [nave] SANCTUARY, the holy of holies. In the tabernacle, Heb. 9:2. Divine dwelling place, Ex. 25:8. Reverence for, Lev. 19:30; 26:2. In charge of high priest, Ex. 27:21; Lev. 24:3; Num. 18:5. The holy place in the temple, Lam. 2...

  • Sackcloth

    [nave] SACKCLOTH A symbol of mourning, 1 Kin. 20:31, 32; Job 16:15; Isa. 15:3; Jer. 4:8; 6:26; 49:3; Lam. 2:10; Ezek. 7:18; Dan. 9:3; Joel 1:8. Worn by Jacob when it was reported to him that Joseph had been devoured by wild beasts...

  • WINE; WINE PRESS

    [isbe] WINE; WINE PRESS - win, win'-pres: I. Terms. 1. Wine: (1) (~yayin), apparently from a non-Tsere root allied to Greek oinos, Latin vinum, etc. This is the usual word for "wine" and is found 141 times in Massoretic Text. (2) c...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The poet promised to remember Jerusalem forever. He called down imprecations on himself if he ever forgot the city that had been the scene of so much joyful worship in the past. The hand and tongue stand for all action and sp...
  • God now turned the tables on His people and called on them to awake (cf. v. 1). They needed to wake up to the fact that He would comfort them and punish their oppressors (cf. 40:2; Lam. 1-2). The fact that the Babylonian capt...
  • This book does not identify its writer. The common view that Jeremiah wrote it rests on a preface in the Greek Septuagint, which the Latin Vulgate adopted and elaborated on. The Septuagint version of Lamentations begins, "And...
  • The book consists of five laments (funeral or mourning songs, elegies). All but the third of these describe the Babylonians' destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and its aftermath. Each chapter exhibits its own special qualit...
  • The church at the beginning of the twenty-first century is very similar to Judah at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. Our times are very similar to Jeremiah's times. We minister in a cultural context that is remarkably ...
  • I. The destruction and misery of Jerusalem (the first lament) ch. 1A. An observer's sorrow over Jerusalem's condition 1:1-11B. Jerusalem's sorrow over her own condition 1:12-22II. The divine punishment of Jerusalem (the secon...
  • Jeremiah first viewed Jerusalem's destruction as an outsider looking in. Verses 1-7 describe the extent of the desolation and verses 8-11 its cause.1:1 Jeremiah bewailed the abandoned city of Jerusalem that had once been so g...
  • "There are about forty descriptions of divine judgment, which fell upon every aspect of the Jews' life: home, religion, society, physical, mental and spiritual. Some of the blackest phrases of the book appear here . . ."272:1...
  • This section contains five pictures of Jerusalem's condition.302:11-12 Jeremiah had exhausted his capacity for weeping and sorrowing over the destruction of his people; he felt drained emotionally. He observed small children ...
  • As mentioned previously, this lament is an acrostic in triplets; the same succeeding Hebrew consonant begins three verses instead of just one, as in the previous chapters. The verses are about one third as long as most of tho...
  • This section of the poem consists of two parallel parts (vv. 1-6, 7-11). The Judahites had become despised (vv. 1-2, 7-8), and both children and adults (everyone) suffered (vv. 3-5, 9-10). This calamity was the result of Yahw...
  • This poem, like the one in chapter 3, contains verses of only two lines each. It is the only non-acrostic chapter in the book, though like chapters 1, 2, and 4, it consists of 22 verses. The doleful qinahmeter is also absent ...
  • 3:16 Habakkuk trembled all over as he awaited the day of Babylon's invasion of Judah, the day of her distress. He could do nothing but wait patiently for the Babylonians to grow stronger and for judgment to come on Israel. It...
  • The importance of this incident in Jesus' ministry is evident from the fact that all four Gospel evangelists recorded it. Matthew and Mark placed this event before Mary's anointing of Jesus in Simon's house (vv. 1-8). However...
  • 11:1 "And"(Gr. kai) ties this chapter closely to the previous one. John's first prophetic assignment after receiving his fresh commission was to provide this information.Again John became an active participant in his vision (...
  • Three groups of people mourn Babylon's destruction in these verses: kings (vv. 9-10; cf. Ezek. 26:15-18), merchants (vv. 11-13, 15-17a; cf. Ezek. 27:36), and sea people (vv. 17b-19; cf. Ezek. 27:29-36).18:9 World government l...
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