Lamentations 2:16

Lamentations 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
• New International Version (NIV)All your enemies open their mouths wide against you; they scoff and gnash their teeth and say, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day we have waited for; we have lived to see it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)All your enemies rail against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth, they cry: "We have swallowed her! Ah, this is the day we longed for; now we have it; we see it!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)All your enemies have opened their mouth against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day we have waited for; We have found it, we have seen it!”

Context of Lamentations 2:16

14Your prophets have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not save you from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope. 15All who pass by jeer at you. They scoff and insult beautiful Jerusalem, saying, “Is this the city called ‘Most Beautiful in All the World’ and ‘Joy of All the Earth’?” All your enemies mock you. They scoff and snarl and say, “We have destroyed her at last! We have long waited for this day, and it is finally here!” 17But it is the Lord who did just as he planned. He has fulfilled the promises of disaster he made long ago. He has destroyed Jerusalem without mercy. He has caused her enemies to gloat over her and has given them power over her. 18Cry aloud before the Lord, O walls of beautiful Jerusalem! Let your tears flow like a river day and night. Give yourselves no rest; give your eyes no relief.

Lamentations 2:16 word by word

פָּצ֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ פִּיהֶם֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיַּֽחַרְקוּ־שֵׁ֔ן אָמְר֖וּ בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ אַ֣ךְ זֶ֥ה הַיּ֛וֹם שֶׁקִּוִּינֻ֖הוּ מָצָ֥אנוּ רָאִֽינוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• All thine enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• have openedפָּצָהpâtsâh · to openH6475
• their mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• against thee: they hissשָׁרַקshâraq · to whistleH8319
• and gnashחָרַקchâraq · to grindH2786
• the teethשֵׁןshên · toothH8127
• they sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• upבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• certainlyאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
• the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• that we looked forקָוָהqâvâh · to awaitH6960
• we have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• we have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200

Cross-references for Lamentations 2:16

• Lamentations 3:46“All our enemies have spoken out against us.
• Job 16:9God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes.
• Psalms 22:13Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey.
• Psalms 35:21They shout, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we saw him do it!”
• Psalms 109:2while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me.
• Psalms 35:16They mock me and call me names; they snarl at me.
• Psalms 37:12The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
• Psalms 112:10The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.
• Acts 7:54The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.
• Psalms 56:2I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.
• Psalms 57:3He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.
• Psalms 124:3They would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger.
• Isaiah 49:19“Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land will soon be crowded with your people. Your enemies who enslaved you will be far away.
• Jeremiah 50:7All who found them devoured them. Their enemies said, ‘We did nothing wrong in attacking them, for they sinned against the Lord, their true place of rest, and the hope of their ancestors.’
• Jeremiah 51:34“King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has eaten and crushed us and drained us of strength. He has swallowed us like a great monster and filled his belly with our riches. He has thrown us out of our own country.
• Ezekiel 25:3Give the Ammonites this message from the Sovereign Lord: Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord! Because you cheered when my Temple was defiled, mocked Israel in her desolation, and laughed at Judah as she went away into exile,

Commentaries on Lamentations 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16This is the day that we looked for - Jerusalem was the envy of the surrounding nations: they longed for its destruction, and rejoiced when it took place.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Seen it - Omit “it.” The intensity of the enemy‘s exultation is shown by the heaping up of unconnected words. We have found what we sought, have seen what we looked for.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. 16Their enemies were glad that Jerusalem was defeated.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. For the transposition of Hebrew letters (Pe and Ain, La 2:16, 17) in the order of verses, see Introduction. opened ... mouth--as ravening, roaring wild beasts (Job 16:9, 10; Psa 22:13). Herein Jerusalem was a type of Messiah. gnash ... teeth--in vindictive malice. we have seen it--(Psa 35:21). Ain.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 2:16

• Famine
• Gnashing of Teeth
• Teeth

In the dictionaries

• Bosom
• Cord
• Gnash
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Certain; Certainly; Certainty
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of

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