Lamentations 2:3

Lamentations 2:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
• New International Version (NIV)In fierce anger he has cut off every horn of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy. He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything around it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He has cut off in fierce anger Every horn of Israel; He has drawn back His right hand From before the enemy. He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire Devouring all around.

Context of Lamentations 2:3

1How the Lord has overshadowed Daughter Zion with his anger! He has thrown down Israel’s glory from heaven to earth. He did not acknowledge his footstool in the day of his anger. 2Without compassion the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob. In his wrath he has demolished the fortified cities of Daughter Judah. He brought them to the ground and defiled the kingdom and its leaders. He has cut off every horn of Israel in his burning anger and withdrawn his right hand in the presence of the enemy. He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything. 4He has strung his bow like an enemy; his right hand is positioned like an adversary. He has killed everyone who was the delight to the eye, pouring out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion. 5The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all its palaces and destroyed its fortified cities. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation within Daughter Judah.

Lamentations 2:3 word by word

גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He hath cut offגָּדַעgâda‛ · to cut down/offH1438
• fierceחֳרִיchŏrîy · burningH2750
• angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• all the hornקֶ֫רֶןqeren · hornH7161
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• he hath drawnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• backאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
• his right handיָמִיןyâmîyn · rightH3225
• from beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• and he burnedבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
• against Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• like a flamingלֶהָבָהlehâbâh lahebeth · flameH3852
• fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• devourethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439

Cross-references for Lamentations 2:3

• Job 16:15I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my strength in the dust.
• Psalms 75:5Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak arrogantly.’”
• Psalms 89:24My faithfulness and love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted.
• Psalms 132:17There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.
• Jeremiah 48:25Moab’s horn is chopped off; his arm is shattered.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Luke 1:69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
• Psalms 74:11Why do you hold back your hand? Stretch out your right hand and destroy them!
• Deuteronomy 32:22For fire has been kindled because of my anger and burns to the depths of Sheol; it devours the land and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.
• Psalms 79:5How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy keep burning like fire?
• Psalms 89:46How long, Lord? Will you hide forever? Will your anger keep burning like fire?
• Isaiah 1:31The strong one will become tinder, and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to extinguish the flames.
• Isaiah 42:25So he poured out his furious anger and the power of war on Jacob. It surrounded him with fire, but he did not know it; it burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.
• Jeremiah 4:4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of your evil deeds.
• Jeremiah 7:20Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “Look, my anger — my burning wrath — is about to be poured out on this place, on people and animals, on the tree of the field, and on the produce of the land. My wrath will burn and not be quenched.”
• Malachi 4:1“For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the Lord of Armies, “not leaving them root or branches.
• Luke 3:17His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”

Commentaries on Lamentations 2:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The horn of Israel - His power and strength. It is a metaphor taken from cattle, whose principal strength lies in their horns. Hath drawn back his right hand - He did not support us when our enemies came against us.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Since the horn is the symbol of power, the cutting off of every horn means the depriving Israel of all power of resistance. The drawing back of God‘s right hand signifies the withdrawal of that special Providence which used to protect the chosen people. And he burned … - Or, “and” he kindled a fire in Jacob: as the active enemy of “Jacob,” Himself applying the torch.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4bent His bow: In the past, the Lord had been a powerful warrior for Israel (see Exodus 14:13–15:21; Joshua 23:9–11; Judges 7; 2 Kings 19:32–35). Now he waged war against Jerusalem (see Isaiah 63:10; Ezekiel 24:25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. horn--worn in the East as an ornament on the forehead, and an emblem of power and majesty (1Sa 2:10; Psa 132:17; see on Jr 48:25). drawn back ... fight hand--(Psa 74:11). God has withdrawn the help which He before gave them. Not as Henderson, "He has turned back his (Israel's) right hand" (Psa 89:43). Daleth.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 2:3

• Anger

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jacob
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Bosom
• Cord
• Horn
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet

Commentaries on Lamentations 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings