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 He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy.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• English Standard Version (ESV)He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.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

1The Lord was very angry. He wanted Zion's people to be ashamed. Zion was the most beautiful city in Israel. But he has put it down to the ground from its high place. Zion was like a place where he had rested his feet. Now that he is angry, he has forgotten about that. 2The Lord has destroyed all the houses where Jacob's people lived. He decided that he must punish them. Because he is angry, he has destroyed all Judah's strong towns. Yes, he has destroyed all the buildings, and he has killed the rulers and all the people. Yes, because he is very angry, he has destroyed Israel's whole army. He did not help them when they were fighting the enemy. He was like a big hot fire that burned Jacob's people from all sides. 4He prepared his bow and his arrows, like an enemy ready to kill people. Like an enemy, he has killed all our strong men that once we were proud of. He has shown how angry he was. He has sent a fire to destroy all Zion's houses. 5The Lord has become like an enemy. He has destroyed Israel and all the beautiful houses there. He has destroyed all the strong towns that had walls. He has caused Judah's people to weep. They are very sad.

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 used sackcloth to make my clothes. I am no longer proud of my strength, and I sit in the dust.
• Psalms 75:5Do not boast against God. Do not speak with such proud words.’
• Psalms 89:24I will always be faithful and show him my faithful love. By my name he will win against his enemies.
• Psalms 132:17In Zion I will give strength to King David's family. My chosen king will continue to rule well, like a light that shines brightly.
• Jeremiah 48:25Moab has lost its power. Its strength has finished.’ That is what the Lord says.
• Luke 1:69He has sent a very strong person who will save us. This person comes from the family of his servant, King David.
• Psalms 74:11Why do you do nothing to help us? Use your power now to punish them!
• Deuteronomy 32:22I will become so angry that I punish them very much. I will destroy them like a hot fire. It will be like a fire that reaches deep down into the place of dead people. It will destroy the ground and everything that grows on it. It will burn deep down to the foundations of the mountains.
• Psalms 79:5Lord, how long will this continue? Will you be angry with us for ever? Will you always be angry, like a fire that continues to burn?
• Psalms 89:46Lord, how long will this continue? Will you hide yourself from us for ever? Will your anger continue to burn like a fire?
• Isaiah 1:31Even your most powerful men will disappear. They will be like a piece of string that burns in a fire. Their sins will be the fire that destroys them. They and their sins will burn together, and nobody will put out the fire.
• Isaiah 42:25So the Lord was very angry with them. He punished them with a cruel war. His anger was like a fire all round them, but they did not understand what he was doing. His anger burned them, but they did not learn their lesson.
• Jeremiah 4:4Give yourselves to me, the Lord, and agree to serve me faithfully. Remove from your lives everything that is not right, so that you obey my covenant. If you do not do that, I will be very angry with you. I will punish you like a hot fire that destroys things. Nobody will be able to stop my anger. People of Judah and Jerusalem, if you continue to do wicked things, I will certainly punish you.’
• Jeremiah 7:20The Lord God says, ‘Because I am so angry, I will punish this land very much. It will be like a fire that nobody can stop. My punishment will destroy people, animals, trees and crops.’
• Malachi 4:1‘The great day when I come to judge people will certainly happen. Punishment will come like the great fire of a hot oven. It will destroy all the proud people who do evil things. It will completely destroy them, like a fire that destroys dry grass. Nothing will remain.’ That is what the Lord Almighty says.
• Luke 3:17He is like a farmer that brings the wheat home from his field. He uses a special tool to throw the wheat up in the air. He does this to make the wheat seeds separate from what remains. Then he cleans his yard. He carefully stores all the seeds to keep them safe. But he burns everything else in a great fire that nobody can put 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