New English Translation
Lamentations 2:3
3In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel. He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked. He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; it consumed everything around it. ד (Dalet)
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 He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy.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- English Standard Version (ESV)He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.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
1Alas! The Lord has covered Daughter Zion with his anger. He has thrown down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he did not protect his temple when he displayed his anger. ב (Bet) 2The Lord destroyed mercilessly all the homes of Jacob’s descendants. In his anger he tore down the fortified cities of Daughter Judah. He knocked to the ground and humiliated the kingdom and its rulers. ג (Gimel) In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel. He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked. He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; it consumed everything around it. ד (Dalet) 4He prepared his bow like an enemy; his right hand was ready to shoot. Like a foe he killed everyone, even our strong young men; he has poured out his anger like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion. ה (He) 5The Lord, like an enemy, destroyed Israel. He destroyed all her palaces; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament. ו (Vav)
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 16:15I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and buried my horn in the dust;
- Psalms 75:5Do not be so certain you have won! Do not speak with your head held so high!
- Psalms 89:24He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love, and by my name he will win victories.
- Psalms 132:17There I will make David strong; I have determined that my chosen king’s dynasty will continue.
- Jeremiah 48:25Moab’s might will be crushed. Its power will be broken. I, the Lord, affirm it!
- Luke 1:69For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
- Psalms 74:11Why do you remain inactive? Intervene and destroy him!
- Deuteronomy 32:22For a fire has been kindled by my anger, and it burns to lowest Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
- Psalms 79:5How long will this go on, O Lord? Will you stay angry forever? How long will your rage burn like fire?
- Psalms 89:46How long, O Lord, will this last? Will you remain hidden forever? Will your anger continue to burn like fire?
- Isaiah 1:31The powerful will be like a thread of yarn, their deeds like a spark; both will burn together, and no one will put out the fire.
- Isaiah 42:25So he poured out his fierce anger on them, along with the devastation of war. Its flames encircled them, but they did not realize it; it burned against them, but they did notice.
- Jeremiah 4:4Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment, you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the Lord and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you do not, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you that no one will be able to extinguish. That will happen because of the evil you have done.”
- Jeremiah 7:20So,” the Lord God says, “my raging fury will be poured out on this land. It will be poured out on human beings and animals, on trees and crops. And it will burn like a fire which cannot be extinguished.”
- Malachi 4:1(3:19) “For indeed the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant evildoers will be chaff. The coming day will burn them up,” says the Lord who rules over all. “It will not leave even a root or branch.
- Luke 3:17His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.”
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
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