Lamentations 2 5

Lamentations 2:5 kjv

The LORD was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Lamentations 2:5 nkjv

The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah.

Lamentations 2:5 niv

The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for Daughter Judah.

Lamentations 2:5 esv

The Lord has become like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel; he has swallowed up all its palaces; he has laid in ruins its strongholds, and he has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Lamentations 2:5 nlt

Yes, the Lord has vanquished Israel
like an enemy.
He has destroyed her palaces
and demolished her fortresses.
He has brought unending sorrow and tears
upon beautiful Jerusalem.

Lamentations 2 verses

Lamentations 2 5 Meaning

Lamentations 2:5 describes God as becoming an enemy to Israel, acting like a hostile adversary who has overwhelmed and destroyed their land. It emphasizes the devastating impact of divine judgment on the people and their sanctuary, leading to immense suffering and loss. The verse highlights the complete reversal of their fortunes, from God's people to His sworn opponent.

Lamentations 2 5 Context

Lamentations chapter 2 continues the theme of deep sorrow and grief over Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians. The preceding verses vividly portray the devastation inflicted upon the city and its inhabitants. Chapter 2 itself focuses on God's direct involvement in this calamity, describing His anger and judgment as the root cause. The verse specifically frames God's actions as those of a formidable enemy, highlighting the totality of the disaster and the feeling of abandonment experienced by the Judean people. This imagery underscores the severe consequences of their disobedience and rebellion against God.

Lamentations 2 5 Word Analysis

• בָּלַע (bālaʿ):

  • Literally: "to swallow."
  • Usage: Extends beyond physical eating to include consuming, devouring, or destroying completely.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the total, annihilating destruction inflicted by the enemy, portrayed here as God's instrument. It signifies an inescapable, overwhelming fate.

• מִרְצֵחַ (mirṣēaḥ):

  • Literally: "slaughter," "massacre," "bloodshed."
  • Usage: Denotes violent death and extreme brutality.
  • Significance: Conveys the horrific violence and widespread death that characterized the fall of Jerusalem. It paints a grim picture of the suffering.

• שָׂכַן (śāḵan):

  • Literally: "to dwell," "to inhabit," "to reside."
  • Usage: Typically used for God dwelling among His people in the sanctuary.
  • Significance: Here, its usage is ironic and reversed. God has not chosen to dwell in their ruined sanctuary but has seemingly abandoned it. The enemy, a foreign invader, has instead "dwelt" in their land. This implies the profanation and defilement of the sacred space.

• כְּמִבְלָע (kəmiḇlāʿ):

  • Literally: "as a swallowing" or "like a swallowing."
  • Usage: Acts as a simile, comparing God's actions to an overwhelming consumption.
  • Significance: Reinforces the completeness of the destruction. God's judgment is presented as an all-encompassing force that has utterly consumed His people and their defenses.

• מִמְּצָפֶיהָ (mim'maṣpēyēha):

  • Literally: "from her watchtowers" or "from her fortifications."
  • Usage: Refers to defensive structures.
  • Significance: Highlights that even the strongest defenses were rendered useless. God, acting as the enemy, has breached and destroyed these protective structures, leaving the city utterly exposed and vulnerable.

• אוֹר (ʾōr):

  • Literally: "light," "splendor," "radiance."
  • Usage: Refers to brilliance, beauty, or splendor.
  • Significance: In this context, it symbolizes the former glory, beauty, and radiance of the sanctuary and the city of Jerusalem. The verse laments the loss of this divine radiance.

• לֹא (lō):

  • Literally: "no," "not."
  • Usage: A strong negation.
  • Significance: Emphatically denies the presence of that former light and splendor. It declares their total disappearance due to divine judgment.

• הֵֵגִירוּ (hēgîrû):

  • Literally: "to overthrow," "to cast down," "to make stand," "to draw up" (in military array).
  • Usage: Contextually, "cast down" or "overthrow."
  • Significance: Indicates that God has not just passively allowed destruction but has actively overthrown and dismantled their fortifications and even their presence in the land, like an invading army making a strategic stand or array.

Lamentations 2 5 Bonus Section

The personification of God as an "enemy" or "adversary" is a consistent theme in the Old Testament when describing divine judgment (e.g., Isaiah 1:7; Jeremiah 30:14). However, Lamentations 2:5 presents this in a particularly visceral way, linking it directly to the physical destruction of the Temple and city. The Hebrew word for "swallowed up" (בָּלַע - bālaʿ) can carry a sense of voracious, insatiable consumption, much like a beast of prey devouring its victim. This evokes a terrifying image of divine wrath consuming the entirety of the nation, leaving nothing behind. The lament highlights the psychological impact of such a judgment, where the source of their protection has become the very force of their destruction, creating a profound sense of despair and bewilderment.

Lamentations 2 5 Commentary

The verse starkly presents God, the covenant protector, as the prime agent of destruction, akin to an invading enemy. This is not a distant or impersonal force, but God Himself who has become the aggressor. He has "swallowed up" (בָּלַע - bālaʿ) Israel, implying complete consumption and obliteration. The imagery of God acting as a formidable foe underscores the severity of the judgment, leaving no escape. The violence is further emphasized by the term "slaughter" (מִרְצֵחַ - mirṣēaḥ). The phrase "cast down" (הֵֵגִירוּ - hēgîrû) from "her watchtowers" (מִמְּצָפֶיהָ - mim'maṣpēyēha) signifies the dismantling of Jerusalem's defenses, including its very foundations and its sanctuary, described as losing its "light" (אוֹר - ʾōr) and splendor. This language serves as a lament for the complete desolation and the tragic reversal of God’s covenantal relationship with His people, highlighting the consequence of their sin and the depth of their loss.