Bible/Lamentations/2

Lamentations 2:17

2:16 All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

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Yahweh has done that which he purposed; he has fulfilled his word that he commanded in the days of old; He has thrown down, and has not pitied: He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you; he has exalted the horn of your adversaries.

The Lord hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

The LORD has done that which he had devised; he has fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he has thrown down, and has not pitied: and he has caused your enemy to rejoice over you, he has set up the horn of your adversaries.

2:18 Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.

What does Lamentations 2:17 mean?

Lamentations 2:17 is a verse in the book of Lamentations, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh), זָמַם (zâmam). It connects to 7 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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The
LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
hath
doneעָשָׂהʻâsâh/aw-saw'/H6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
that
which
he
had
devised;זָמַםzâmam/zaw-mam'/H2161to plan, usually in a bad sense
he
hath
fulfilledבָּצַעbâtsaʻ/baw-tsah'/H1214figuratively, to finish, or (intransitively) stop
his
wordאִמְרָהʼimrâh/im-raw'/H565{something said}
that
he
had
commandedצָוָהtsâvâh/tsaw-vaw'/H6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoin
in
the
daysיוֹםyôwm/yome/H3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
of
old:קֶדֶםqedem/keh'-dem/H6924the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)
he
hath
thrown
down,הָרַסhâraç/haw-ras'/H2040to pull down or in pieces, break, destroy
and
hath
not
pitied:חָמַלchâmal/khaw-mal'/H2550to commiserate; by implication, to spare
and
he
hath
caused
thine
enemyאֹיֵבʼôyêb/o-yabe'/H341hating; an adversary
to
rejoiceשָׂמַחsâmach/saw-makh'/H8055probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome
over
thee,
he
hath
set
upרוּםrûwm/room/H7311to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)
the
hornקֶרֶןqeren/keh'-ren/H7161a horn (as projecting); by implication, a flask, cornet; by resemblance. an elephant's tooth (i.e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); figuratively, power
of
thine
adversaries.צַרtsar/tsar/H6862narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ; (transitive) an opponent (as crowding)

Commentary on Lamentations 2:17

HENRY_FULL · Lamentations 2:17
, ver. 3, 4 . II. Let them not think to make idols of their own, images of the God of Israel, by them to worship him, as the Babylonians worship their gods, ver. 5-7 . Let them not be so sottish ( ver. 8 ), but have an eye to God in his word, not in an image; let them depend upon that, and upon the promises and predictions of it, and God's power to accomplish them all, ver. 9-11 . And let them know that the unbelief of man shall not make the word of God of no effect, ver. 12, 13 . The Folly of Idolatry. ( b. c. 708.) 1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. 2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. 3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are bo

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Judges 18:17

And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

Judges 18:18

And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?

Judges 18:24

And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?

2 Samuel 5:21

And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. burned: or, took them away

Jeremiah 43:12

And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.

Jeremiah 43:13

He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire. images: Heb. statues, or, standing images Bethshemesh: or, The house of the sun

Jeremiah 48:7

For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

Topics

Afflictions Made BeneficialFamine

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Lamentations 2:17.

Isaiah 48:5

I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

Isaiah 51:13

And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? were: or, made himself ready

Isaiah 58:13

If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Jeremiah 11:4

Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:

Jeremiah 7:22

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: concerning: Heb. concerning the matter of

Frequently asked questions

What does Lamentations 2:17 say?

Lamentations 2:17 (King James Version) reads: "The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries."

Is Lamentations 2:17 in the Old or New Testament?

Lamentations 2:17 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Lamentations.

Reflect

As you read Lamentations 2:17, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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2:16Read all of Lamentations 22:18