Lamentations 2:15 kjv
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?
Lamentations 2:15 nkjv
All who pass by clap their hands at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city that is called 'The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth'?"
Lamentations 2:15 niv
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?"
Lamentations 2:15 esv
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?"
Lamentations 2:15 nlt
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'?"
Lamentations 2 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 2:15 | "All who pass by clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the ruined Jerusalem." | Lamentations 2:15 (The verse itself) |
| Psalm 55:12-14 | "If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if one who hated me were rising against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend..." | Psalm 55:12-14 (Betrayal and mockery) |
| Isaiah 54:11-12 | "Afflicted city, storm-battered and unconsoled, I will lay your foundations with sapphires, your foundations with lapis lazuli..." | Isaiah 54:11-12 (Contrast with future restoration) |
| Jeremiah 18:16 | "They will make their land an object of horror and an everlasting hiss; all who pass by will be shocked and will shake their heads." | Jeremiah 18:16 (Prophecy of desolation) |
| Matthew 27:39-40 | "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads..." | Matthew 27:39-40 (Mockery of Christ on the cross) |
| Luke 18:32 | "He will be delivered over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and insulted and spat upon." | Luke 18:32 (Jesus' suffering predicted) |
| Psalm 79:4 | "We have become a reproach to our neighbors, scorned and ridiculed by those around us." | Psalm 79:4 (General lament of national shame) |
| Psalm 44:13-14 | "You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us." | Psalm 44:13-14 (National shame and mockery) |
| Lamentations 1:1-3 | "How lonely lies the city once so full of people! She who was great among the nations, now like a widow..." | Lamentations 1:1-3 (Similar depiction of ruin) |
| Lamentations 4:1-2 | "How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold changed! How the stones of the sanctuary are scattered among all the street corners!" | Lamentations 4:1-2 (Loss of former glory) |
| Psalm 38:11 | "My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away." | Psalm 38:11 (Personal suffering and isolation) |
| Jeremiah 2:36-37 | "Why do you stray so far? You are disgraced by Egypt as you were disgraced by Assyria." | Jeremiah 2:36-37 (Shame due to foreign alliances) |
| Zephaniah 3:19 | "At that time I will deal with all who oppress you, I will rescue the lame; I will gather scattered people. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame." | Zephaniah 3:19 (Promise of future vindication) |
| Romans 9:33 | "...the stone I lay in Zion for a foundation, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” | Romans 9:33 (Fulfillment in Christ) |
| 1 Peter 2:6 | "For it stands in Scripture: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, my chosen precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'" | 1 Peter 2:6 (Quoting Isaiah 28:16, applied to Christ) |
| Proverbs 10:7 | "The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." | Proverbs 10:7 (Contrast of outcomes) |
| Lamentations 5:18 | "Mount Zion is desolate; foxes prowl over it." | Lamentations 5:18 (Description of desolation) |
| Ezekiel 22:4-5 | "You have become guilty because of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled by the idols you have made." | Ezekiel 22:4-5 (Reasons for judgment) |
| Isaiah 3:18 | "In that day the Lord will take away their finery: the bangles and forehead bells..." | Isaiah 3:18 (Judgment affecting outward adornment) |
| Revelation 18:7 | "Give her glory and luxury as much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury. In her heart she says, ‘I sit on a throne as queen; I am no widow, and will never mourn.’" | Revelation 18:7 (Parallel judgment on Babylon) |
Lamentations 2 verses
Lamentations 2 15 Meaning
The people of Judah are a spectacle of scorn and mockery. Their suffering is so profound that all who see them turn away in pity or revulsion. This verse paints a grim picture of their ruined state, drawing parallels to the past devastation of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 2 15 Context
Chapter 2 of Lamentations details the devastation of Jerusalem following its conquest by the Babylonians. The prophet Jeremiah, mourning the destruction of his city and nation, personifies Jerusalem and its people. Verse 15 specifically addresses the widespread scorn and mockery directed at the city's inhabitants. This imagery evokes the profound shame and public humiliation experienced by the survivors, mirroring the prophecies of doom laid out by Jeremiah and other prophets against Israel and Judah for their sin and unfaithfulness. The context is one of divine judgment, resulting in the utter ruin of the Holy City, which becomes a stark warning to onlookers.
Lamentations 2 15 Word Analysis
- כָּל־ (kol) - "All" - A universal quantifier, emphasizing that every passerby is involved in the mocking.
- הָעֹבְרִים (ha‘obrim) - "those who pass by" - Refers to people moving through or observing the ruins, highlighting the public nature of the humiliation.
- עַלַּיִךְ (‘allayik) - "at you" - Directed specifically at Jerusalem (or its people).
- תָּקָעוּ (tāqʻu) - "clap" - In this context, not an applause, but a gesture of astonishment, contempt, or derision.
- כַּף (kaf) - "hand" (palm) - Part of the idiom for clapping in derision.
- וַתָּקַע (wə-tāqaʻ) - "and you clap" (imperfect plural with "and") - Connects this action directly to the subject.
- קֹולֵלָּה (qolellāh) - "her voice" (used in feminine singular for Jerusalem) - Refers to Jerusalem's previous praise or status. This is a rhetorical reference to the past contrast.
- בָּז (baz) - "scorn" or "contempt" - The emotion conveyed by the passersby.
- תִּתֵּן (tittēn) - "you give" (feminine singular imperfect) - Jerusalem itself seems to elicit or present the reason for the scorn.
- וְרוֹמָמָה (wə-romammāh) - "and exaltation" or "loftiness" - This phrase signifies Jerusalem's former pride or exalted status which now fuels the scorn. It can also imply her downfall from that height.
- לֹא (lo) - "not" - A negative particle.
- רוֹמְמָה (romemah) - "raised" or "exalted" - The opposite of what has happened.
- שְׂרוּק (śərūq) - "whistling" or "hissing" - A sound of mockery or astonishment, often implying disbelief at the extent of ruin.
- הִרְעִישׁוּ (hir‘îšu) - "they shake" (Hiphil perfect) - The active causative verb describing their action.
- רֹאשׁ (roš) - "head" - Part of the idiomatic gesture of shaking one's head.
- לָהּ (lāh) - "her" (feminine singular pronoun) - Referring back to Jerusalem.
- אֹיֵב (‘ōyēv) - "enemy" - The ultimate cause of her present state.
- נַחֲלָה (naḥălāh) - "inheritance" or "possession" - God's people were his possession, now brought low.
Group Analysis:
- "All who pass by clap their hands at you": This signifies universal and public scorn. The actions are gestural, expressing contempt or shock at the sight of utter devastation. It echoes prophecies like Jeremiah 18:16.
- "they hiss and wag their heads": These are further specific actions of mockery and disbelief. Hissing was a sign of intense contempt or amazement at something awful, while shaking the head was a universal gesture of derision.
- "O city destroyed, she who was perfect in beauty": This juxtaposes the current ruin with Jerusalem's former glory. The pronoun "she" is used for the city, personifying it. "Perfect in beauty" (תִּפְאֶרֶת) signifies not just outward appearance but completeness and desirability, which has been utterly lost.
- "has made you desolate, like Sodom": Though "like Sodom" is not in this specific verse, the concept of desolation likened to ancient judgment sites is a consistent theme in the Old Testament. The crushing downfall from a place of renown to one of utter desolation is the core of the message.
- "at the ruined Jerusalem": A clear statement of the subject – the utterly destroyed state of the capital.
Lamentations 2 15 Bonus Section
The theme of God's people becoming a public mockery due to their sin is a recurring motif in Scripture. This verse resonates with the prophetic pronouncements that judgment would lead to national disgrace. It also foreshadows the mockery Christ endured, aligning his suffering with the suffering of his people. The desolation described reflects a world turned upside down by sin's consequences. The ultimate irony is that those who now mock the ruins will themselves face judgment if they continue in their wickedness. Furthermore, this verse highlights the importance of national repentance and turning back to God to avert such widespread shame.
Lamentations 2 15 Commentary
The verse vividly portrays the psychological and public dimension of Jerusalem's fall. It wasn't just physical destruction; it was a profound national humiliation. The enemies' actions – clapping, hissing, shaking heads – were deliberate gestures intended to maximize the pain and shame of the survivors. The loss of Jerusalem, God's chosen dwelling place, was a scandal among the nations. It made God himself appear weak or defeated to pagan observers. This verse speaks to the devastating consequences of national sin and rebellion against God, resulting in a public spectacle of divine judgment. The humiliation is so complete that even neutral observers are moved to express their contempt or astonishment.