God’s Word Translation
Lamentations 2:3
3In his burning anger he cut off all of Israel’s strength. He withdrew his right hand when they faced their enemy. He burned like a raging fire in ⌞the land of⌟ Jacob, destroying everything around him.
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 He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy.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- English Standard Version (ESV)He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.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
1“Look how the Lord has covered the people of Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has thrown down Israel’s beauty from heaven to earth. He didn’t ⌞even⌟ remember his footstool on the day of his anger. 2The Lord swallowed up all of Jacob’s pastures without any pity. He tore down the fortified cities of Judah in his fury. He brought the kingdom ⌞of Judah⌟ and its leaders down to the ground in dishonor. In his burning anger he cut off all of Israel’s strength. He withdrew his right hand when they faced their enemy. He burned like a raging fire in ⌞the land of⌟ Jacob, destroying everything around him. 4Like an enemy he bent his bow. Like an opponent his right hand held the arrow steady. He killed all the beautiful people. He poured out his fury like fire on the tent of Zion’s people. 5The Lord became an enemy. He swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all of its palaces. He destroyed its strongholds. He made the people of Judah mourn and moan.
Read all of Lamentations 2Lamentations 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 16:15“I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and I have thrown my strength in the dust.
- Psalms 75:5Don’t raise your weapons so proudly or speak so defiantly.”
- Psalms 89:24My faithfulness and mercy will be with him, and in my name he will be victorious.
- Psalms 132:17There I will make a horn sprout up for David. I will prepare a lamp for my anointed one.
- Jeremiah 48:25“Moab’s horn is cut off, and its arm is broken,” declares the Lord.
- Luke 1:69He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the family of his servant David.
- Psalms 74:11Why do you hold back your hand, especially your right hand? Take your hands out of your pockets. Destroy your enemies!
- Deuteronomy 32:22My anger has started a fire that will burn to the depths of hell. It will consume the earth and its crops and set the foundations of the mountains on fire.
- Psalms 79:5How long, O Lord? Will you remain angry forever? Will your fury continue to burn like fire?
- Psalms 89:46How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger continue to burn like fire?
- Isaiah 1:31Strong people will become tinder for a fire, and their work will be the spark. Both of them will burn together, and there will be no one to put out the fire.
- Isaiah 42:25So he poured out his burning anger and the horrors of war on them. It engulfed them in flames, but they did not understand. It burned them, but they did not take it to heart.
- Jeremiah 4:4Be circumcised by the Lord, and get rid of the foreskins of your hearts, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you don’t, my fury will flare up like a fire. It will burn, and no one will be able to put it out, because of the evil you do.
- Jeremiah 7:20“This is what the Almighty Lord says: My anger and fury will be poured out on this place, on humans and animals, and on trees and crops. My anger and fury will burn and not be put out.
- Malachi 4:1“Certainly the day is coming! It will burn like a furnace. All arrogant people and all evildoers will be ⌞like⌟ straw. The day that is coming will burn them up completely,” says the Lord of Armies. “It won’t leave a single root or branch.
- Luke 3:17His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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