Lamentations 2:4 kjv
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
Lamentations 2:4 nkjv
Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; With His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; On the tent of the daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire.
Lamentations 2:4 niv
Like an enemy he has strung his bow; his right hand is ready. Like a foe he has slain all who were pleasing to the eye; he has poured out his wrath like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion.
Lamentations 2:4 esv
He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe; and he has killed all who were delightful in our eyes in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
Lamentations 2:4 nlt
He bends his bow against his people,
as though he were their enemy.
His strength is used against them
to kill their finest youth.
His fury is poured out like fire
on beautiful Jerusalem.
Lamentations 2 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 2:4 | Has bent His bow like an enemy; He has set His right hand like an adversary. | Divine Judgment |
| Psalm 5:12 | For it is You who blesses the righteous, O LORD; You cover him with favor as with a shield. | God's Protective Favor |
| Psalm 7:12-13 | If a man does not turn back, God sharpens His sword; He has bent and strung His bow; He has prepared for him His deadly weapons, making His arrows fiery shafts. | God's Wrath Prepared |
| Psalm 11:2 | For behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrows to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. | Wickedness of the Enemy |
| Psalm 35:1-3 | Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; battle against those who battle against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin for my pursuit of those who persecute me! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” | God's Defense of the Righteous |
| Isaiah 10:5 | “Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff that is in their eyes is my fury! | God Using Nations as Rods |
| Isaiah 13:3 | I command my consecrated ones; I summon my warriors, my proudly exulting ones, to execute my wrath. | God's Mighty Agents |
| Jeremiah 21:4 | declares the LORD, saying, ‘Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls, and I will gather them into the midst of this city. | Divine Intervention in War |
| Jeremiah 49:35 | “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might. | God Breaking Power |
| Ezekiel 25:13 | therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. | God's Judgment on Nations |
| Amos 3:15 | I will strike the winter house with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end, declares the LORD. | Divine Judgment on Comfort |
| Romans 9:19-23 | You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who resists his will? One day, human questioning. But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— | God's Sovereignty and Wrath |
| Revelation 6:2 | So I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. | Conquering Rider with Bow |
| Revelation 19:11-15 | Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire...From his mouth comes a sharp sword, that with it he might strike the nations...He will rule them with an iron scepter. | Christ as Warrior/Judge |
Lamentations 2 verses
Lamentations 2 4 Meaning
The verse describes God's decisive action, akin to an enemy's harsh judgment, upon Israel. It signifies His complete abandonment and wrath directed at His people for their sins.
Lamentations 2 4 Context
Lamentations 2 describes the utter devastation of Jerusalem and its people following its destruction by the Babylonians. The prophet Jeremiah laments the severe judgment of God that has befallen the city due to its sin and rebellion. Verse 4 specifically paints a picture of God Himself acting as the aggressor, withdrawing His protection and actively bringing about the destruction, much like an enemy soldier preparing to strike. This verse appears within a section that intensifies the expression of God's wrath and the consequences for sin. The historical backdrop is the Babylonian siege and conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC, a catastrophic event for the Davidic kingdom and the Jewish people.
Lamentations 2 4 Word Analysis
- יַד (yad) - hand. "His right hand" signifies His power, authority, and active engagement in judgment.
- Significance: The hand of God often represents His sovereign action and intervention, whether in creation, salvation, or judgment.
- יָמִין (yamin) - right. Refers to the right hand, symbolizing strength, favor, or, as here, decisive action and hostility.
- Significance: In ancient Near Eastern warfare, the right hand was often the one wielding the primary weapon.
- יָצַר (yatsar) - to form, fashion, plot, frame, devise. In this context, "has devised destruction" points to deliberate intent.
- Significance: God is depicted as the divine strategist of Israel's downfall, mirroring His strategic involvement in their salvation.
- חֵמָה (chemah) - heat, wrath, fury. Refers to God's intense anger.
- Significance: Highlights the passionate and righteous nature of God's anger against sin.
- מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) - war, battle.
- Significance: Emphasizes the violent and destructive nature of the judgment.
- קַשַּׁת (qashat) - bow. A primary weapon of war in ancient times, signifying offensive capability.
- Significance: The bow represents precision, power, and the ability to strike from a distance.
- אָיַב (ayav) - enemy. God is presented as acting like Israel's sworn adversary.
- Significance: A stark and painful paradox: the God who is Israel's protector is now depicted as their enemy.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Has bent His bow like an enemy": This powerful simile portrays God not just as permitting disaster but as actively orchestrating it. The "bow" implies readiness for attack and a determined effort to strike down His people. The comparison to an "enemy" underscores the severity of His judgment.
- "He has set His right hand like an adversary": The right hand, usually associated with God's power and blessing, is here aligned with His role as an accuser or opponent. It signifies that God's formidable power has been directed against His own covenant people.
Lamentations 2 4 Bonus Section
The imagery of God bending His bow and setting His hand like an adversary is echoed in prophetic passages where God uses other nations as instruments of His judgment. For example, Assyria is described as "the rod of my anger" (Isaiah 10:5). This verse emphasizes that even when God uses human agents, His ultimate hand is on the bow. The ultimate fulfillment of God's judgment and battle is seen in the imagery of Jesus Christ as the warrior Lamb and Lion who executes righteous judgment against sin and evil, as depicted in Revelation 19. The intentionality of God's action here contrasts with situations where God is portrayed as protecting His people from enemies, highlighting the specific context of covenantal discipline.
Lamentations 2 4 Commentary
This verse is a profound articulation of divine retribution. God is not merely a passive observer of His people's suffering; He is its active cause, depicted as a military aggressor. The imagery of the bent bow and the adversary's hand vividly communicates the comprehensive and intentional nature of the judgment. This verse calls believers to understand that suffering, particularly when it stems from sin, can be a manifestation of God's righteous wrath. It serves as a somber reminder of the seriousness of sin within the covenant relationship. The focus is on God's deliberate action, suggesting a planned and executed judgment rather than a chaotic accident. This speaks to God's absolute sovereignty even in destruction.