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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He has cut down in fierce anger all the might of Israel; he has withdrawn from them his right hand in the face of the enemy; he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob, consuming all around.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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)All the strength of Israel vanishes beneath his fierce anger. The Lord has withdrawn his protection as the enemy attacks. He consumes the whole land of Israel like a raging fire.

Context of Lamentations 2:3

1How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth; he has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger. 2Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of Daughter Judah. He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor. 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 He has withdrawn his right hand at the approach of the enemy.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. 4Like an enemy he has strung his bow; his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion. 5The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for 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 16:15“I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust.
• Psalms 75:5Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’ ”
• Psalms 89:24My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted.
• Psalms 132:17“Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
• Jeremiah 48:25Moab’s horn is cut off; her arm is broken,” declares the Lord.
• 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, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
• Deuteronomy 32:22For a fire will be kindled by my wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains.
• Psalms 79:5How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
• Psalms 89:46How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?
• Isaiah 1:31The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.”
• Isaiah 42:25So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.
• Jeremiah 4:4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it.
• Jeremiah 7:20“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: My anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.
• Malachi 4:1“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
• Luke 3:17His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable 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

• 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