Lamentations 2:20 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Lamentations 2:20 kjv
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
Lamentations 2:20 nkjv
"See, O LORD, and consider! To whom have You done this? Should the women eat their offspring, The children they have cuddled? Should the priest and prophet be slain In the sanctuary of the Lord?
Lamentations 2:20 niv
"Look, LORD, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
Lamentations 2:20 esv
Look, O LORD, and see! With whom have you dealt thus? Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of their tender care? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
Lamentations 2:20 nlt
"O LORD, think about this!
Should you treat your own people this way?
Should mothers eat their own children,
those they once bounced on their knees?
Should priests and prophets be killed
within the Lord's Temple?
Lamentations 2 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:29 | "You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters." | Prophecy of cannibalism during severe judgment |
| Deut 28:53 | "You shall eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and daughters..." | Detailed covenant curse for disobedience |
| Jer 19:9 | "...I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters..." | Jeremiah's prophecy confirming the curse |
| Ezek 5:10 | "Therefore fathers among you shall eat their sons, and sons shall eat their fathers..." | Ezekiel's prophecy of internal cannibalism |
| Lam 4:10 | "The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children..." | Actual fulfillment of famine-induced cannibalism |
| 2 Kgs 6:28-29 | Account of mothers eating children during siege of Samaria. | Historical precedent of extreme famine-cannibalism |
| Bar 2:2-3 | "and brought upon them evils such as never happened under the whole heaven..." mentioning eating children. | Post-exilic reflection on the curses |
| Ezek 9:6 | "Strike... begin at My sanctuary." Then they began with the elders who were before the temple. | Judgment commencing with religious leaders in the Temple |
| 2 Chr 36:17 | "...killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary..." | Babylonians desecrating Temple with slaughter |
| Jer 26:20-23 | Prophet Uriah killed by King Jehoiakim. | Killing of God's prophets (outside Temple) |
| Matt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets..." | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's history of killing prophets |
| Acts 7:52 | "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced..." | Stephen's indictment on the murder of prophets |
| Ps 79:1-3 | "...they have defiled Your holy temple... They have given the bodies of Your servants as food..." | Lament over the desecration of Jerusalem and God's servants' death |
| Exod 3:7 | "I have surely seen the affliction of My people... and have heard their cry..." | God's compassionate seeing and knowing of suffering |
| Ps 25:19 | "Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me." | Plea for God to see the depth of hostility |
| Ps 31:7 | "...You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul." | Trust in God's prior knowledge of suffering |
| Ps 94:10 | "He who disciplines the nations... He who teaches man knowledge—does he not know?" | Affirmation of God's all-knowing perception |
| Isa 63:15 | "Look down from heaven and see... where are Your zeal and Your might?" | Similar desperate plea for God to observe and act |
| Lam 1:9 | "O LORD, look at my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!" | Another appeal to God's vision within Lamentations |
| Jer 13:14 | "...I will not pity or spare or have compassion, but I will destroy them." | God's declared refusal of pity in severe judgment |
| Isa 1:7 | "Your country is desolate; your cities are burned with fire..." | Description of national desolation from sin's consequences |
| Judg 10:16 | "...he became grieved over the misery of Israel." | God's potential for grief and compassion for suffering Israel |
Lamentations 2 verses
Lamentations 2 20 meaning
Lamentations 2:20 is a deeply impassioned and shocking plea to God, made by the personified city of Jerusalem, or the prophet on its behalf. It implores the Lord to fully witness and contemplate the unparalleled horrors that have befallen His people. The verse highlights two of the most egregious atrocities resulting from the Babylonian siege and divine judgment: the unimaginable act of mothers eating their own children due to extreme famine, and the sacrilegious killing of priests and prophets within the hallowed sanctuary of the Lord. It questions the extent of God's severe dealings, implying such devastation is beyond measure and appeals for divine intervention or compassion.
Lamentations 2 20 Context
Lamentations 2:20 occurs within a deeply mournful chapter that describes in graphic detail the extent of God's judgment upon Jerusalem, equating His anger with that of an enemy. The chapter vividly portrays the utter destruction and humiliation of the city by Babylon, focusing on the famine, death, and desecration of holy things, all attributed to the Lord's own doing because of Jerusalem's sins. Verse 20 comes as an intense cry for God to "look and consider" the unprecedented calamities. The historical context is the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 587/586 BC, where famine was so severe it led to acts of cannibalism, and the Temple, priests, and prophets were targets of violence and desecration, fulfilling ancient covenant curses found in the Torah.
Lamentations 2 20 Word analysis
- Look (`רְאֵה` - re'eh): An imperative verb, an urgent command for God to open His eyes and directly witness the unfolding suffering. It implies a demand for divine attention and comprehension of the catastrophe.
- O Lord (`יְהוָה` - YHWH): The sacred covenant name of God, indicating a deeply personal and relational appeal, acknowledging His sovereign authority even amidst the pain and questioning.
- and consider! (`וְהַבִּיטָה` - w'habbiṭah): A second imperative, paired with "Look," emphasizing not just seeing but contemplating, deeply perceiving, and acting upon what is observed. It's a call for divine empathy and intervention.
- To whom (`לְמִי` - lemi): A challenging rhetorical interrogative, expressing shock and the perceived unparalleled nature of their suffering, implying such severity has never been directed by God towards any other nation.
- have You done (`הֵעֵלַלְתָּ` - he'elalta): A Piel verb indicating active and intentional causation. It directly attributes the extreme calamity, the "such a thing," to God's deliberate action as judgment.
- such a thing?: Refers to the shocking atrocities immediately following in the verse: cannibalism and sacrilege. It highlights the unprecedented nature of the suffering experienced.
- Should women eat (`הַתֹּאכַלְנָה נָשִׁים` - hattōʾḵalnâ nāšim): An interrogative introducing a rhetorical question, expressing incredulity and horror. It signifies a profound violation of natural order and maternal love.
- their offspring, (`פִּרְיָם` - piryam): Literally "their fruit" or "their produce," referring to the children born of their womb. It underlines the biological bond being horrifically broken.
- the children of their tender care? (`עֹלְלֵי טִפֻּחִים` - ‘olĕlê ṭippuḥim): Literally, "children they have nursed" or "nursed children." It evokes the intimate, protective, and loving bond between a mother and her young, intensifying the horror of their consumption.
- Should priest and prophet (`אִם יֵהָרֵג כֹּהֵן וְנָבִיא` - ‘im yehareg kōhēn wənāvi): Another rhetorical question implying "surely not," highlighting the second unconscionable act of violence against consecrated figures.
- be slain (`יֵהָרֵג` - yehareg): A passive verb meaning "should be killed." It emphasizes the defenselessness of these sacred persons and the brutality of their demise.
- in the sanctuary (`בְּמִקְדַּשׁ` - b'mikdash): Refers to the Holy Temple, God's dwelling place. The location of the killings underscores the ultimate desecration and profanation of all that is sacred.
- of the Lord? (`אֲדֹנָי` - ʾAdonai): A title for God, "my Lord" or "Sovereign Master." Its use alongside YHWH reinforces reverence for God's ultimate authority, even in questioning His methods regarding His holy place.
- "Look, O Lord, and consider!": A direct, desperate double imperative plea for divine attention and deep contemplation. It suggests a desperate hope that seeing the suffering might move God to compassion or change His actions.
- "To whom have You done such a thing?": This challenging rhetorical question expresses unparalleled shock and dismay. It queries the extremity of God's judgment, suggesting Jerusalem's fate is unique in its severity, implicitly appealing to God's sense of justice and mercy.
- "Should women eat their offspring, the children of their tender care?": This group of words describes the ultimate abomination and violation of natural parental love. It vividly illustrates the extreme degradation and suffering inflicted by famine, directly referencing ancient covenant curses and pushing the limits of lamentation by presenting such a horrifying scene to God.
- "Should priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?": This phrase points to the profound desecration of both the holy space (the Temple) and the holy office (priest and prophet). It signifies the complete breakdown of order and sanctity, demonstrating that God's judgment spared nothing, even the most revered individuals and sacred locations.
Lamentations 2 20 Bonus section
The rhetorical questions in Lamentations 2:20 are not merely inquiries but accusations and protests. They push the boundaries of Israelite theology concerning God's holiness and covenant relationship, daring to suggest that even in divine wrath, certain lines of abomination might seem unjust to humanity. This bold approach in lament, where the afflicted questions God's ways, is a consistent feature of biblical wisdom and prophetic literature, often leading to deeper understanding or divine reassurance. The use of "Adonai" in the final phrase regarding the sanctuary, after "YHWH" earlier, could signify a shift from an intimate, covenantal appeal to a more reverent acknowledgment of His universal lordship over the desecrated holy place, reinforcing His ultimate ownership even in destruction. The dual abominations highlighted—breakdown of family and sacred order—illustrate the total collapse of Jewish society under God's severe judgment, demonstrating that every fundamental pillar of their existence had crumbled.
Lamentations 2 20 Commentary
Lamentations 2:20 functions as the raw, visceral peak of lament and a direct, daring appeal to God's own character. It isn't just a factual report but an anguished cry questioning the unprecedented severity of divine judgment. By presenting the most profound violations—cannibalism as the ultimate act against nature and parental love, and the slaying of religious leaders within the sanctuary as the ultimate act against sacred order and God's own house—the lamenter forces God to "look and consider" if His punishment has exceeded all bounds, even for a sinful people. This challenges God's justice and compassion, demanding a response. The rhetoric aims to provoke divine pity and remember the covenant relationship, implying that even these atrocities are consequences directly brought about by God.