Lamentations 3 46

Lamentations 3:46 kjv

All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

Lamentations 3:46 nkjv

All our enemies Have opened their mouths against us.

Lamentations 3:46 niv

"All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us.

Lamentations 3:46 esv

"All our enemies open their mouths against us;

Lamentations 3:46 nlt

"All our enemies
have spoken out against us.

Lamentations 3 verses

Lamentations 3 46 Meaning

Lamentations 3:46 vividly portrays the profound humiliation and deep suffering endured by the people of Judah, specifically Jerusalem, in the aftermath of its destruction and exile by Babylon. It describes their enemies as having unrestrained freedom to express their scorn, derision, and malicious intent against them, highlighting the complete vulnerability and lack of defense of the afflicted. This "opening of mouths" signifies public mockery, taunting, accusations, and a predatory desire to utterly consume or annihilate the remaining spirit and existence of the defeated nation.

Lamentations 3 46 Context

Lamentations 3:46 is part of the central, acrostic chapter of the Book of Lamentations. This book grieves the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BCE by the Babylonians, an event seen as divine judgment for Judah's sins. Chapter 3 begins with an individual "man" recounting deep personal suffering and affliction, shifting to a more communal "we" as the chapter progresses. Verse 46 belongs to a section (verses 40-54) where the speaker details the extent of their wretchedness, emphasizing that their desperate state is openly mocked and exploited by their enemies. The chapter itself is a unique blend of profound despair and remarkable expressions of hope in God's unfailing love (vv. 22-24), making the lament even more poignant by highlighting the stark contrast with their current degradation. The context here is not only physical suffering but also immense emotional and spiritual humiliation as they endure the unbridled scorn of their victorious foes.

Lamentations 3 46 Word analysis

• All (כֹּל, kol): This word denotes totality and universality. It emphasizes that all enemies, not just some, or the primary conquering power (Babylon), were involved in this aggressive mockery. It suggests that surrounding nations, often hostile to Israel (e.g., Edom, Moab), also reveled in Judah's downfall.

• our enemies (אֹיְבֵינוּ, ʾoyeveinu): Plural form. These are adversaries, often depicting those who cause distress and harbor ill will. In this context, it refers primarily to the Babylonian invaders and their allied or sympathetic neighbors who would gloat over Judah's downfall. They are not merely opposing forces but sources of deep anguish and contempt.

• have opened (פָּצוּ, patsu): From the Hebrew verb פָּצָה (patzah), meaning "to open wide," "to gape," "to burst open." This is an active, emphatic action, suggesting unhindered, unrestrained expression. It implies a public and aggressive demonstration of scorn rather than mere private thought or utterance. It's a forceful act.

• their mouths (פִּיהֶם, pihem): "Mouth" (פֶּה, peh) is frequently a metonym for speech or utterance in the Bible. The plural pronoun "their" connects it directly to the multitude of enemies. "Opening their mouths" idiomatically denotes speaking with hostile intent: uttering insults, ridicule, accusations, boastful pronouncements, or even the desire to devour and destroy. It signifies verbal abuse and malicious exultation.

• against us (עָלֵינוּ, aleinu): This preposition signifies direction and opposition. It directly points to the suffering people of Judah as the explicit target of this open verbal assault. It underscores their utter helplessness and the direct, confrontational nature of the enemies' taunts.

• words-group: "have opened their mouths against us": This phrase functions as a powerful idiom for unbridled, aggressive verbal hostility. It evokes imagery of wild animals devouring prey or people maliciously shouting curses and boasts. The enemies are not merely whispering behind their backs but openly proclaiming their triumph and the shame of the vanquished. This goes beyond physical violence to include deep psychological and emotional torment, intensifying the degradation and perceived abandonment by God. It emphasizes the total lack of respect and profound contempt felt by their adversaries.

Lamentations 3 46 Bonus section

The open mouths of enemies described in Lamentations 3:46 resonate throughout scripture, often indicating spiritual opposition or blasphemy against God and His people. It points to the reality that affliction for God's chosen often includes enduring unjust and vicious verbal assaults. This imagery prefigures the mocking suffered by Christ on the cross (Pss 22:7; Matt 27:39), illustrating a consistent pattern of enemy behavior towards those connected to God. The experience of the exiled Judah, therefore, offers a historical type of the greater suffering of the Messiah and subsequent persecution of His followers. It also highlights the ultimate reversal of fortunes promised in Scripture, where the mouths of enemies will one day be silenced, and God’s justice will prevail (Isa 25:8).

Lamentations 3 46 Commentary

Lamentations 3:46 captures a specific facet of profound suffering: the torment of public humiliation and relentless mockery by enemies. Beyond the physical devastation of Jerusalem, the constant taunts from their foes ("All our enemies have opened their mouths against us") inflict deep spiritual and emotional wounds. This "opening of mouths" signifies an unrestrained torrent of scorn, accusations, and triumphal boasts, often questioning the power or presence of Judah's God. It is an act of dehumanization, leaving the suffering people completely exposed and without defense against a psychological warfare that compounds their physical anguish. This verse underscores the pervasive nature of their humiliation, showing how adversaries gleefully piled verbal abuse upon the conquered, symbolizing the utter collapse of their nation's dignity and security in the aftermath of divine judgment.