Lamentations 2:12

Lamentations 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers’ bosom.
• New International Version (NIV)They say to their mothers, “Where is bread and wine?” as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their lives ebb away in their mothers’ arms.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They cry to their mothers, "Where is bread and wine?" as they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers' bosom.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They say to their mothers, “Where is grain and wine?” As they swoon like the wounded In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out In their mothers’ bosom.

Context of Lamentations 2:12

10The respected leaders of Zion’s people sit silently on the ground. They throw dirt on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem bow their heads to the ground. 11My eyes are worn out with tears. My stomach is churning. My heart is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people. Little children and infants faint in the city streets. They’re asking their mothers for some bread and wine as they faint like wounded people in the city streets. Their lives dwindle away in their mothers’ arms. 13“What example can I give you? What parallel can I show you, people of Jerusalem? What comparison can I make that will comfort you, beloved people of Zion? Your wounds are as deep as the sea. Who can heal you? 14Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn’t expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.

Lamentations 2:12 word by word

לְאִמֹּתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה דָּגָ֣ן וָיָ֑יִן בְּהִֽתְעַטְּפָ֤ם כֶּֽחָלָל֙ בִּרְחֹב֣וֹת עִ֔יר בְּהִשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשָׁ֔ם אֶל־חֵ֖יק אִמֹּתָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to their mothersאֵם'êm · motherH517
• cornדָּגָןdâgân · grainH1715
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• when they swoonedעָטַף‛âţaph · be feebleH5848
• as the woundedחָלָלchâlâl · slain: woundedH2491
• in the streetsרְחוֹבrechôb rechôb · street/plazaH7339
• of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• when their soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• was poured outשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
• bosomחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436

Cross-references for Lamentations 2:12

• Ezekiel 30:24I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh’s arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying.
• Isaiah 53:12So I will give him a share among the mighty, and he will divide the prize with the strong, because he poured out his life in death and he was counted with sinners. He carried the sins of many. He intercedes for those who are rebellious.

Commentaries on Lamentations 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12When their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom - When, in endeavoring to draw nourishment from the breasts of their exhausted mothers, they breathed their last in their bosoms! How dreadfully afflicting was this!Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12They say - Or, “They keep saying:” it was an oft-repeated cry, even while expiring upon their mother‘s bosom.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 Causes for lamentation are described. Multitudes perished by famine. Even little children were slain by their mother's hands, and eaten, according to the threatening, Deut. 28:53. Multitudes fell by the sword. Their false prophets deceived them. And their neighbours laughed at them. It is a great sin to jest at others' miseries, and adds much affliction to the afflicted. Their enemies triumphed over them. The enemies of the church are apt to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22This chapter vividly shows the Lord acting as the one who destroys Jerusalem.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. as the wounded--famine being as deadly as the sword (Jr 52:6). soul ... poured ... into ... mothers bosom--Instinctively turning to their mother's bosom, but finding no milk there, they breathe out their life as it were "into her bosom." Mem.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 2:12

• Fainting
• Famine

In the dictionaries

• Bosom
• Cord
• Corn
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Wine; Wine Press

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