Lamentations 2 15

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 verses

Lamentations 2 15 meaning

Lamentations 2:15 graphically depicts the utter humiliation and scorn suffered by Jerusalem after its destruction. Onlookers, both strangers and former admirers, express their profound astonishment and derision through gestures of contempt like clapping, hissing, and shaking their heads. They sarcastically question if this devastated ruin is truly the renowned city that was once celebrated as the "perfection of beauty" and the "joy of the whole earth," highlighting the catastrophic reversal of its fortune from unparalleled glory to abysmal shame. This scene encapsulates the public disgrace brought about by God's severe judgment.

Lamentations 2 15 Context

Lamentations 2 continues the mournful cry for Jerusalem following its catastrophic destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The chapter vividly details the Lord's active role in bringing about this devastation as a divine judgment against His people's persistent sin. God is portrayed as an adversary, having "poured out his wrath like fire," breaking down the city's defenses and even its sacred temple (Lam 2:4-7). This specific verse, Lamentations 2:15, amplifies the deep sense of shame and loss by portraying Jerusalem's public humiliation. Its previous glorious status, universally admired, is now mockingly contrasted with its desolate state, highlighting the completeness of God's judgment which extends beyond physical destruction to public degradation and loss of honor. The city, once the pride of the world, has become a spectacle of derision, a stark testament to the consequences of forsaking the covenant.

Lamentations 2 15 Word analysis

• "All who pass by" (כָּל-עֹבְרֵי, kol-overei): Signifies the universal scope of Jerusalem's humiliation. The destruction is not a private sorrow but a public spectacle witnessed and judged by all observers, emphasizing the profundity of its fall.
• "clap their hands" (סָפְקוּ כַף, safku kaph): An ancient gesture expressing malicious pleasure, scorn, derision, or triumph over an enemy. It is a sign of gloating, intensifying the city's abasement, implying not just observation but active participation in the mockery.
• "at you" / "at the daughter of Jerusalem" (עָלַיִךְ, alayikh / עַל-בַּת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם, al-bat Yerushalayim): "Daughter of Jerusalem" is a poetic personification. It renders the city as a vulnerable female figure, once honored but now exposed to public shame, deepening the emotional weight of her disgrace and violation. The direct address underscores the personal impact of the derision.
• "they hiss" (שָׁרְקוּ, shar'qu): A sound signifying utter contempt, disgust, and derision. This vocal expression complements the physical gestures, adding a layer of scornful verbal abuse to the public humiliation, marking Jerusalem as repulsive.
• "and wag their heads" (וַיָּנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ, vayyani'u rosh): A common gesture of mockery, scornful disbelief, or sometimes a mocking pity. It implies that the observers are in disbelief at the magnitude of the disaster and simultaneously reviling Jerusalem's fallen state.
• "saying" (לֵאמֹר, le'mor): Introduces the direct, rhetorical question, revealing the content of the observers' scornful dialogue.
• "Is this the city that was called" (הֲזֹאת הָעִיר שֶׁאָמְרוּ, hazo't ha'ir she'ameru): A rhetorical question that conveys profound astonishment, incredulity, and sarcastic disbelief at the stark contrast between Jerusalem's former and present states. It highlights the drastic reversal of its fortune.
• "the perfection of beauty" (כְּלִילַת יֹפִי, kelilat yofi): Refers to the city being the culmination, crown, or absolute embodiment of beauty and splendor. This title from Psalm 48:2 and 50:2 underscores Jerusalem's divinely given aesthetic and spiritual preeminence, now shattered.
• "the joy of the whole earth" (מָשׂוֹשׂ לְכָל-הָאָרֶץ, masos lekhol-ha'aretz): Also from Psalm 48:2, signifies Jerusalem's universal renown and spiritual significance as the dwelling place of God and the center of divine worship. Its destruction thus negated a source of joy and hope for all peoples, making its downfall even more profound.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "All who pass by clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem": This sequence of actions presents a composite picture of comprehensive, collective derision. It demonstrates that Jerusalem's humiliation is not only internal but public and universally recognized, transforming its revered status into an object of widespread scorn, signifying total disgrace. These hostile gestures are expressions of malicious joy, disgust, and mocking disbelief at the extent of the city's fall.
• "Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?": This rhetorical question is potent with irony and pathos. It highlights the drastic, almost unbelievable contrast between Jerusalem's once universally acclaimed glory and its present desolation. The questioning nature serves to mock the very idea that this ruined city could ever have held such magnificent titles, underscoring the completeness of its judgment and the depth of its degradation.

Lamentations 2 15 Bonus section

• The prophetic fulfillment in this verse is profound, echoing warnings given centuries earlier in Deut 28:37 and repeated by Jeremiah, that Judah would become a "horror, a proverb, and a byword."
• The dramatic irony is thick, as the very terms used by the scornful observers—"perfection of beauty" and "joy of the whole earth"—are titles previously bestowed upon Jerusalem in the Psalms, likely celebrating its divine protection and sacredness (Psa 48:2, 50:2). This memory sharpens the sting of the current derision.
• The act of public shaming was a severe form of punishment in the ancient Near East, designed to break the spirit of the defeated. For a city that embodied the presence of God among His people, this scorn was the ultimate indignity.
• This verse contributes to the deep emotional and psychological aspect of the lament, showing that the pain was not just physical or material loss, but also immense psychological anguish due to the loss of reputation and sacred honor.

Lamentations 2 15 Commentary

Lamentations 2:15 provides a piercing image of Jerusalem's profound disgrace following its destruction. The verse details a scene of public scorn where passersby actively mock the once-revered city with derisive claps, hisses, and head-shakes. Their rhetorical question sarcastically draws attention to the stark contrast between Jerusalem's past glory—its divine titles as the "perfection of beauty" and the "joy of the whole earth"—and its present ruin. This public humiliation underscores that the judgment for the city's sins extended beyond physical desolation to an agonizing loss of honor and respect, reflecting the covenant curses. It signifies that what was once a source of admiration had become an object lesson in God's unwavering justice, an enduring spectacle of divine judgment.