Lamentations 2 16

Lamentations 2:16 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.

Lamentations 2:16 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!"

Lamentations 2:16 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."

Lamentations 2:16 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!"

Lamentations 2:16 nlt

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!"

Lamentations 2 verses

Lamentations 2 16 meaning

Lamentations 2:16 vividly describes the exultant, malicious mockery of Jerusalem's enemies after its devastating destruction. They open their mouths in aggressive, derisive triumph, expressing their contempt and pleasure through hissing and teeth-gnashing. Their declaration, "We have swallowed her up," signifies their belief in their complete victory and annihilation of the city. Their self-congratulatory statement, "certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it," reveals their long-standing desire for Jerusalem's downfall and their gleeful satisfaction in witnessing its collapse, attributing the destruction to their own perceived might rather than the Lord's judgment.

Lamentations 2 16 Context

Lamentations Chapter 2 plunges into the depth of Jerusalem's suffering, portraying the city's ruin as the direct consequence of God's wrath poured out "like fire" (Lam 2:3). The chapter describes the Lord Himself acting as the chief adversary, demolishing His own sanctuary, fortresses, and festivals due to the people's pervasive sin. In this devastating landscape, the prophet portrays Jerusalem personified as a despondent widow. Verse 16 specifically shifts focus to the external response to this divine judgment, highlighting the cruel and self-satisfied reactions of Jerusalem's enemies, who gloat over her downfall, oblivious or uncaring that it is God's doing rather than solely their own military prowess. This verse is immediately followed by a direct acknowledgement of prophetic fulfillment (Lam 2:17), underscoring that the adversaries' contempt was foreseen.

Lamentations 2 16 Word analysis

• All thine enemies: Hebrew: tsarim. Refers to the nations surrounding Judah, particularly Babylon, but also potentially Edom, Ammon, Moab, who historically harbored animosity and now rejoice. Their collective action emphasizes the widespread nature of the mockery and Judah's isolation.
• have opened their mouth against thee: Hebrew: patzu pihem alayikh. Literally, to "open their mouth wide." This phrase denotes not merely speaking but doing so in an aggressive, boastful, or devouring manner, signifying scorn, accusation, and the desire to consume. It is an act of unrestrained malice and triumph.
• they hiss: Hebrew: sharqū. This verb describes a sharp, whistling sound. It is a gesture of derision, scorn, and contempt, often used to express shocking astonishment at another's calamity or malicious satisfaction. It's a vocal expression of utter disdain.
• and gnash the teeth: Hebrew: charoq shen. The act of grinding teeth together. This signifies intense anger, malice, frustration, and often a ravenous desire to consume or destroy. Here, it denotes their furious joy and destructive intent against Jerusalem.
• they say, We have swallowed her up: Hebrew: bilāʿănûhā. To "swallow" or "devour." This is a powerful metaphor for complete and total destruction, suggesting that Jerusalem has been utterly consumed and annihilated by them. It is an arrogant claim of definitive conquest and absorption.
• certainly this is the day that we looked for; Hebrew: yom zeh yihalnu lo. "This day we have hoped for it." "Looked for" (yihalnu) carries a connotation of waiting eagerly or with malicious anticipation. The enemies admit that Jerusalem's destruction was not an unexpected outcome but a long-desired and anticipated event.
• we have found, we have seen it: Hebrew: matza'nu, ra'inu. These verbs convey a sense of accomplishment and confirmation. They have "found" (achieved) what they sought and "seen" (witnessed) its reality, cementing their triumphalist glee. The repetition underscores their self-congratulatory fulfillment.

• "All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth": This collective action portrays a united front of malevolent scorn. The opening of the mouth and the hissing and gnashing are non-verbal expressions, conveying utter disdain, satisfaction, and violent aggression without needing to form full sentences. It suggests an almost bestial joy in Jerusalem's suffering.
• "they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.": This phrase captures the enemies' triumphal declaration. They boast not only of victory ("swallowed her up") but also of the long-awaited fulfillment of their malicious desire. Their self-attribution of agency ("we have swallowed") reveals their pride and ignorance or dismissal of God's role in the city's judgment. The repetition ("found, seen") emphasizes their satisfaction and the perceived finality of their conquest.

Lamentations 2 16 Bonus section

The depiction of enemies opening their mouths wide, hissing, and gnashing their teeth draws on ancient Near Eastern expressions of contempt and predatory aggression. This imagery is not unique to Lamentations, often appearing in Psalms to describe the fervent desire of adversaries to destroy (Ps 35:21). The phrase "swallowed her up" points to the absolute, annihilating intent of these enemies, echoing natural predator behavior. This verse also contains an implicit theological tension: while the enemies attribute Jerusalem's destruction to their own strength and cunning, the preceding verses of Lamentations clearly affirm it as God's deliberate act of judgment. The enemies' jubilation is, therefore, shortsighted, overlooking the divine orchestrator behind the events. Their triumph will eventually turn to judgment for their own cruelty (Eze 25).

Lamentations 2 16 Commentary

Lamentations 2:16 presents a crushing layer of pain added to Jerusalem's destruction: the unbridled glee of her enemies. This verse illustrates the depth of the city's humiliation, as those who always sought her downfall now revel in her demise with shouts, hisses, and gnashing teeth—symbols of scorn and ravenous satisfaction. Their claim, "We have swallowed her up," is a boast of complete victory, revealing their long-held malice and self-congratulation. This malicious triumph fulfills earlier prophetic warnings about Judah becoming a spectacle of contempt (Jer 19:8), highlighting God's judgment using foreign nations as instruments, who nonetheless are wicked in their exultation (Oba 1:12). For believers, this serves as a stark reminder of the painful consequences of straying from God's covenant, yet it also subtly points to God's ultimate justice against those who maliciously rejoice in the suffering of others.