Lamentations 2 8

Lamentations 2:8 kjv

The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together.

Lamentations 2:8 nkjv

The LORD has purposed to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line; He has not withdrawn His hand from destroying; Therefore He has caused the rampart and wall to lament; They languished together.

Lamentations 2:8 niv

The LORD determined to tear down the wall around Daughter Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withhold his hand from destroying. He made ramparts and walls lament; together they wasted away.

Lamentations 2:8 esv

The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of the daughter of Zion; he stretched out the measuring line; he did not restrain his hand from destroying; he caused rampart and wall to lament; they languished together.

Lamentations 2:8 nlt

The LORD was determined
to destroy the walls of beautiful Jerusalem.
He made careful plans for their destruction,
then did what he had planned.
Therefore, the ramparts and walls
have fallen down before him.

Lamentations 2 8 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Lam 2:7He has rejected His altar; He has scorned His sanctuary...Old Testament (Rejection)
Lam 2:20Have you not considered this, that even now...?Old Testament (Questions of God)
Ps 44:9But now You have cast us off and disgraced us and do not go out...Old Testament (Abandonment)
Ps 74:1-3O God, why have you cast us off forever? ... Remember your congregation...Old Testament (God's Remnant)
Ps 78:59-60When God heard this, He was full of wrath and greatly abhorred Israel. ... He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh...Old Testament (God's Wrath)
Jer 3:11And Jeremiah said, Israel has behaved more faithlessly than the treacherous...Old Testament (Unfaithfulness)
Jer 14:8-9O hope of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble... You are like a stranger...Old Testament (Hope in God)
Jer 32:29-30I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever... But they did not obey...Old Testament (Disobedience)
Ezek 8:6Then he said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they are doing...Old Testament (Abominations)
Ezek 11:22-23Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them... And the glory of the God of Israel was over them.Old Testament (Glory Depart)
Amos 5:2-3"Fallen, fallen is the virgin Israel; no longer does she rise...Old Testament (Judgment)
Matt 27:46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)New Testament (Suffering)
Mark 15:34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”New Testament (Suffering)
Heb 10:37"...“Yet a little while, and the coming one will arrive and will not delay."New Testament (Patience)
Heb 12:29"for our God is a consuming fire."New Testament (God's Nature)
Rev 18:4-5"...“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive her plagues..."New Testament (Separation)
John 15:4-5"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself... I am the vine; you are the branches..."New Testament (Union with Christ)
2 Cor 6:17“Therefore go out from among them, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord...”New Testament (Separation)
Ps 36:7How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of man take refuge in the shadow of your wings.Old Testament (God's Shelter)
Jer 5:11For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly treacherous to me, declares the Lord.Old Testament (Treachery)

Lamentations 2 verses

Lamentations 2 8 Meaning

The Lord has completely abandoned His stronghold, Jerusalem. His gaze, once protective, has turned away in His anger, abandoning the city.

Lamentations 2 8 Context

Chapter 2 of Lamentations vividly describes the devastation of Jerusalem after its conquest by the Babylonians. This verse is a direct reflection of God's judgment upon the city for its sins. The historical context is the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE, a catastrophic event for the people of Judah. This abandonment by God was perceived as a consequence of their persistent disobedience and idolatry, a theme strongly present throughout the Old Testament.

Lamentations 2 8 Word Analysis

  • Shad (שַׁד): Abandoned, left. This strong term conveys a complete desertion, not a temporary absence.
  • Yhwh (יהוה): The LORD. The personal covenantal name of God.
  • Soddo (סוּדוֹ): His tent, His pavilion, His booth. In this context, it refers to the tabernacle or temple, God's dwelling place. The plural form 'sodot' (סוּדוֹת) implies God's dwelling, His presence.
  • 'Iyr (עִיר): City. Referring specifically to Jerusalem.
  • Hû’ (הוּא): He. Emphasizes the agent of abandonment.
  • Panāw (פָּנָיו): His face. Metaphorically, His presence and favor.
  • Pâraś (פָּרַשׂ): Turned away, extended, stretched out. Suggests a deliberate withdrawal of divine attention.
  • Lo' (לֹא): Not. Absolute negation.
  • Dôrôw (דּוֹרוֹ): Its dwelling, its place. In this context, referring to the stronghold, Jerusalem itself, or God's designated place. The specific grammatical form points to the place from which God withdraws.
  • Yaḏ Yô hô wāh (יָד יְהוָה): The hand of the LORD. Symbolizes God's power and action.
  • Tô ḵ Hô yô wāh (תּוֹךְ יְהוָה): In the midst of. Indicates the locality of God's presence and withdrawal.

Lamentations 2 8 Bonus Section

The concept of God withdrawing His presence from His people or His sanctuary is a recurring theme. In Ezekiel chapters 8-11, the prophet witnesses the glory of God departing from the temple due to the abominations committed within its walls. This act signifies not a complete absence of God from the world, but a withdrawal of His manifest, dwelling presence from the place defiled by sin. While this verse marks a devastating point of judgment for Jerusalem, it also anticipates a future restoration, as seen in passages promising God's renewed presence and dwelling with His people. Jesus' cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" echoes this theme of divine abandonment, although it is understood within the salvific act of atonement, ultimately leading to reconciliation.

Lamentations 2 8 Commentary

This verse highlights the severest aspect of divine judgment: abandonment. God, who had established His dwelling in Jerusalem and pledged His presence, now actively withdraws from His chosen city. The imagery of turning away one's face signifies the cessation of favor and protection. For Israel, God’s presence was the guarantee of security and prosperity. His departure signifies their utter vulnerability and the end of His protective regard. This judgment is not arbitrary but a direct consequence of their collective sin and unfaithfulness, making the abandonment deeply profound. The 'hand of the LORD' that once delivered is now absent, and His gaze, once benevolent, is turned away in wrath, leaving the city to its destruction.