Logos Bible Study

Lamentations 2:14–17

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נ (Nun)

2:14Your prophets saw visions for you

that were worthless lies.74

They failed to expose your sin

so as to restore your fortunes.75

They saw oracles for you

that were worthless76 lies.

ס (Samek)

2:15All who passed by on the road

clapped their hands to mock you.77

They sneered and shook their heads

at Daughter Jerusalem.

“Ha! Is this the city they called78

‘The perfection of beauty,79

the source of joy of the whole earth!’?”80

פ (Pe)

2:16All your enemies

gloated over you.81

They sneered and gnashed their teeth;

they said, “We have destroyed82 her!

Ha! We have waited a long time for this day.

We have lived to see it!”83

ע (Ayin)

2:17The Lord has done what he planned;

he has fulfilled84 his promise85

that he threatened86 long ago:87

He has overthrown you without mercy88

and has enabled the enemy to gloat over you;

he has exalted your adversaries’ power.89

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Footnotes

  1. 74 Heb “emptiness and whitewash.” The nouns שָׁוְא וְתָפֵל (shv’ vétafel) form a nominal hendiadys. The first noun functions adjectivally, modifying the second noun that retains its full nominal sense: “empty whitewash” or “empty deceptions” (see following translation note on meaning of תָּפֵל [tafel]). The noun תָּפֵל (tafel, “whitewash”) is used literally in reference to a white-washed wall (Ezek 13:10, 11, 14, 15) and figuratively in reference to false prophets (Ezek 22:28).
  2. 75 The Kethib שְׁבִיתֵךְ (shévitekh) and Qere שְׁבוּתֵךְ (shévutekh), which is preserved in many medieval Hebrew here and elsewhere (Ps 85:1 Heb 85:2; 126:4; Job 42:10), are struggling with the root. The ancient versions take it from שׁבָהָ (shavah) meaning “captivity.” Such a meaning is not tenable for the Job passage, which along with a similar phrase in the Sefire inscription suggest that the proper meaning is “to restore someone’s fortunes.”
  3. 76 The nouns שָׁוְא וּמַדּוּחִים (shav’ umaddukhim, lit., “emptiness and enticements”) form a nominal hendiadys. The first functions adjectivally, modifying the second noun that retains its nominal sense: “empty enticements” or “false deceptions.” The noun מַדּוּחַ (madduakh), meaning “enticement” or “transgression” is a (term that appears only once in the Hebrew OT). It is related to the verb נָדָח (nadakh, “to entice, lead astray”) which is often used in reference to idolatry.
  4. 77 Heb “clap their hands at you.” Clapping hands at someone was an expression of malicious glee, derision and mockery (Num 24:10; Job 27:23; Lam 2:15).
  5. 78 Heb “of which they said.”
  6. 79 Heb “perfection of beauty.” The noun יֹפִי (yofi, “beauty”) functions as a genitive of respect in relation to the preceding construct noun: Jerusalem was perfect in respect to its physical beauty.
  7. 80 Heb “the joy of all the earth.” This is similar to statements found in Pss 48:2 and 50:2.
  8. 81 Heb “they have opened wide their mouth against you.”
  9. 82 Heb “We have swallowed!”
  10. 83 Heb “We have attained, we have seen!” The verbs מָצָאנוּ רָאִינוּ (matsa’nu ra’inu) form a verbal hendiadys in which the first retains its full verbal sense and the second functions as an object complement. It forms a Hebrew idiom that means something like, “We have lived to see it!” The three asyndetic 1st person common plural statements in 2:16 (“We waited, we destroyed, we saw!”) are spoken in an impassioned, staccato style reflecting the delight of the conquerors.
  11. 84 The verb בָּצַע (batsa’) has a broad range of meanings: (1) “to cut off, break off,” (2) “to injure” a person, (3) “to gain by violence,” (4) “to finish, complete” and (5) “to accomplish, fulfill” a promise.
  12. 85 Heb “His word.” When used in collocation with the verb בָּצַע (batsa’, “to fulfill,” see previous ), the accusative noun אִמְרָה (’imrah) means “promise.”
  13. 86 Heb “commanded” or “decreed.” If a reference to prophetic oracles is understood, then “decreed” is preferable. If understood as a reference to the warnings in the covenant, then “threatened” is a preferable rendering.
  14. 87 Heb “from days of old.”
  15. 88 Heb “He has overthrown and has not shown mercy.” The two verbs חָרַס וְלֹא חָמָל (kharas vélo’ khamal) form a verbal hendiadys in which the first retains its verbal sense and the second functions adverbially: “He has overthrown you without mercy.” וְלֹא חָמָל (vélo’ khamal) alludes to 2:2.
  16. 89 Heb “He has exalted the horn of your adversaries.” The term “horn” (קֶרֶן, qeren) normally refers to the horn of a bull, one of the most powerful animals in ancient Israel. This term is often used figuratively as a symbol of strength, usually in reference to the military might of an army (Deut 33:17; 1 Sam 2:1, 10; 2 Sam 22:3; Pss 18:3; 75:11; 89:18, 25; 92:11; 112:9; 1 Chr 25:5; Jer 48:25; Lam 2:3; Ezek 29:21), just as warriors are sometimes figuratively described as “bulls.” To lift up the horn often means to boast and to lift up someone else’s horn is to give victory or cause to boast.

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Your prophets have seen for you

false and deceptive visions;

they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes,

but have seen for you oracles

that are false and misleading.

All who pass along the way

clap their hands at you;

they hiss and wag their heads

at the daughter of Jerusalem:

“Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of all the earth?”

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!”

The Lord has done what he purposed;

he has carried out his word,

which he commanded long ago;

he has thrown down without pity;

he has made the enemy rejoice over you

and exalted the might of your foes.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The visions of your prophets

were false and worthless;

they did not expose your sin

to ward off your captivity.

The prophecies they gave you

were false and misleading.

All who pass your way

clap their hands at you;

they scoff and shake their heads

at Daughter Jerusalem:

“Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of the whole earth?”

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.”

The Lord has done what he planned;

he has fulfilled his word,

which he decreed long ago.

He has overthrown you without pity,

he has let the enemy gloat over you,

he has exalted the horn of your foes.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Your prophets saw visions for you

that were empty and deceptive;

they did not reveal your iniquity

and so restore your fortunes.

They saw pronouncements for you

that were empty and misleading.

All who pass by

scornfully clap their hands at you.

They hiss and shake their heads

at Daughter Jerusalem:

Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of the whole earth?

All your enemies

open their mouths against you.

They hiss and gnash their teeth,

saying, “We have swallowed her up.

This is the day we have waited for!

We have lived to see it.”

The Lord has done what he planned;

he has accomplished his decree,

which he ordained in days of old.

He has demolished without compassion,

letting the enemy gloat over you

and exalting the horn of your adversaries.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

Your 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.

All 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!”

But 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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Your prophets had a vision for you,

false and worthless;

they have not exposed your sin,

to restore your fortune;

they have seen oracles for you,

false and misleading.

They clap hands over you,

all who pass along the way;

they hiss and they shake their head,

at the daughter of Jerusalem.

Is this the city of which it is said,

“A perfection of beauty, a joy for all the earth?”

They have opened their mouths against you,

all your enemies.

They hiss and gnash a tooth,

and they say, “We have destroyed her!

Surely this is the day we have hoped for;

we have found it, we have seen it!”

Yahweh has done what he has planned;

he has fulfilled his promise

that he ordained from the days of old;

he has demolished and not shown mercy;

he has made an enemy rejoice over you,

he has exalted the might of your foes.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee:

And they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity;

But have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

All that pass by clap their hands at thee;

They hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying,

Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

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.

The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old:

He hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee,

He hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

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