Berean Standard Bible

Lamentations 2

1HowH349 1 the LordH136 has coveredH5743 the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726 with the cloud of His angerH639! He has castH7993 the gloryH8597 of IsraelH3478 from heavenH8064 to earthH776. He has abandonedH3808 H2142 His footstoolH1916 H7272 in the dayH3117 of His angerH639.

2WithoutH3808 pityH2550 the LordH136 has swallowed upH1104allH3605 the dwellingsH5116 of JacobH3290.In His wrathH5678 He has demolishedH2040the fortified citiesH4013 of the DaughterH1323 of JudahH3063.He broughtH5060 to the groundH776 and defiledH2490her kingdomH4467 and its princesH8269.

3In fierceH2750 angerH639 He has cut offH1438everyH3605 hornH7161 2 of IsraelH3478and withdrawnH7725 H268 His right handH3225at the approachH6440 of the enemyH341.He has burnedH1197 in JacobH3290 like a flamingH3852 fireH784that consumesH398 everything around itH5439.

4He has bentH1869 His bowH7198 like an enemyH341;His right handH3225 is positionedH5324.Like a foeH6862 He has killedH2026allH3605 who were pleasingH4261 to the eyeH5869;He has poured outH8210 His wrathH2534 like fireH784on the tentH168 of the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726.

5The LordH136 isH1961 like an enemyH341;He has swallowed upH1104 IsraelH3478.He has swallowed upH1104 allH3605 her palacesH759and destroyedH7843 her strongholdsH4013.He has multipliedH7235 mourningH8386 and lamentationH592for the DaughterH1323 of JudahH3063.

6He has laid wasteH2554 His tabernacleH7900 like a garden boothH1588;He has destroyedH7843 His place of meetingH4150.The LORDH3068 has made Zion forgetH7911 H6726her appointed feastsH4150 and SabbathsH7676.In His fierce angerH2195 H639He has despisedH5006 both kingH4428 and priestH3548.

7The LordH136 has rejectedH2186 His altarH4196;He has abandonedH5010 His sanctuaryH4720;He has deliveredH5462 the wallsH2346 of her palacesH759into the handH3027 of the enemyH341.They have raisedH5414 a shoutH6963 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068as on the dayH3117 of an appointed feastH4150.

8The LORDH3068 determinedH2803 to destroyH7843the wallH2346 of the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726.He stretched outH5186 a measuring lineH6957and did notH3808 withdrawH7725 His handH3027 from destroyingH1104.He made the rampartsH2426 and wallsH2346 lamentH56;togetherH3162 they waste awayH535.

9Her gatesH8179 have sunkH2883 into the groundH776;He has destroyedH6 and shatteredH7665 their barsH1280.Her kingH4428 and her princesH8269 are exiled among the nationsH1471,the lawH8451 is no moreH369,and evenH1571 her prophetsH5030findH4672 noH3808 visionH2377 from the LORDH3068.

10The eldersH2205 of the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726sitH3427 on the groundH776 in silenceH1826.They have thrownH5927 dustH6083 onH5921 their headsH7218and put onH2296 sackclothH8242.The young womenH1330 of JerusalemH3389have bowedH3381 their headsH7218 to the groundH776.

11My eyesH5869 failH3615 from weepingH1832;I am churningH2560 withinH4578.My heartH3516 is poured outH8210 in griefH776overH5921 the destructionH7667 of the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971,because childrenH5768 and infantsH3243 faintH5848in the streetsH7339 of the cityH7151.

12They cry outH559 to their mothersH517:“WhereH346 is the grainH1715 and wineH3196?”as they faintH5848 like the woundedH2491in the streetsH7339 of the cityH5892,as their livesH5315 fade awayH8210inH413 the armsH2436 of their mothersH517.

13WhatH4100 can I say for youH5749?To whatH4100 can I compare youH1819,O DaughterH1323 of JerusalemH3389?To whatH4100 can I liken youH7737,that I may console youH5162,O VirginH1330 DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726?ForH3588 your woundH7667 is as deepH1419 as the seaH3220.WhoH4310 can ever healH7495 you?

14The visionsH2372 of your prophetsH5030were emptyH7723 and deceptiveH8602;they did notH3808 exposeH1540 H5921 your guiltH5771to ward offH7725 your captivityH7622.The burdensH4853 they envisionedH2372 for youwere emptyH7723 and misleadingH4065.

15AllH3605 who pass byH5674 H1870clapH5606 their handsH3709 at youH5921 in scorn.They hissH8319 and shakeH5128 their headsH7218atH5921 the DaughterH1323 of JerusalemH3389:“Is thisH2063 the cityH5892 that was calledH559the perfectionH3632 of beautyH3308,the joyH4885 of allH3605 the earthH776?”

16AllH3605 your enemiesH341openH6475 their mouthsH6310 against youH5921.They hissH8319 and gnashH2786 their teethH8127,sayingH559, “We have swallowed her upH1104 H389.ThisH2088 is the dayH3117 for which we have waitedH6960.We have livedH4672 to see itH7200!”

17The LORDH3068 has doneH6213 whatH834 He plannedH2161;He has accomplishedH1214 His decreeH565,whichH834 He ordainedH6680 in daysH3117 of oldH6924;He has overthrown youH2040 withoutH3808 pityH2550.He has let the enemyH341 gloatH8055 over youH5921and exaltedH7311 the hornH7161 3 of your foesH6862.

18The heartsH3820 of the peoplecry outH6817 toH413 the LordH136.4O wallH2346 of the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726,let your tearsH1832 run downH3381 like a riverH5158dayH3119 and nightH3915.GiveH5414 yourself noH408 reliefH6314,and your eyesH5869 H1323 noH408 restH1826.

19AriseH6965, cry outH7442 in the nightH3915from the firstH7218 watch of the nightH821.5Pour outH8210 your heartH3820 like waterH4325inH5227 the presenceH6440 of the LordH136.Lift upH5375 your handsH3709 to HimH413forH5921 the livesH5315 of your childrenH5768who are faintingH5848 from hungerH7458on the cornerH7218 of everyH3605 streetH2351.

20LookH7200, O LORDH3068, and considerH5027:WhomH4310 have You ever treatedH5953 like thisH3541?ShouldH518 womenH802 eatH398 their offspringH6529,the infantsH5768 they have nurturedH2949?Should priestsH3548 and prophetsH5030 be killedH2026in the sanctuaryH4720 of the LordH136 H518?

21Both youngH5288 and oldH2205 lie togetherH7901in the dustH776 of the streetsH2351.My young menH970 and maidensH1330have fallenH5307 by the swordH2719.You have slainH2026 them in the dayH3117 of Your angerH639;You have slaughteredH2873 them withoutH3808 compassionH2550.

22You summonedH7121 my terrorsH4032 on every sideH5439,as for the dayH3117 of an appointed feastH4150.In the dayH3117 of the LORD’sH3068 angerH639noH3808 H1961 one escapedH6412 or survivedH8300;my enemyH341 has destroyedH3615thoseH834 I nurturedH2946 and rearedH7235.

Notes

1. Lamentations 2:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. ↩
2. Lamentations 2:3 Or all the strength ↩
3. Lamentations 2:17 Or the strength ↩
4. Lamentations 2:18 Literally Their heart cries out to the Lord. ↩
5. Lamentations 2:19 That is, between six and nine at night ↩