Lamentations 2
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Chapter 2
Chapter Overview:
Verses:
Jeremiah laments the misery of Jerusalem, and its causes, and their enemies derision, ver. 1 - 17.
An exhortation to true sorrow and repentance, and a fervent prayer, ver. 18 - 22.
| 2:1 | His footstool - His temple; but suffered the Chaldeans to destroy it. Cast down - That is, thrown them down from the highest glory and honour, to the meanest degree of servitude. |
| 2:2 | Polluted - Dealt with them as with a polluted thing; cast them off, brake them in pieces. |
| 2:3 | The horn - All their beauty and strength. Drawn back - God hath drawn back his assistance which he was wont to give the Jews against their enemies. Round about - God consumed them, not in this or that part, but round about, as a fire seizing an house at once on all sides. |
| 2:4 | He - That is, God, (whom by their sins they had provoked and made their enemy) behaved himself as an enemy. And slew - All their young men, and maidens who were pleasant to look upon. |
| 2:6 | His tabernacle - His temple. The places - The synagogues.The king - By the king and the priests are meant persons of greatest rank and eminency, though it is thought here is a special reference to Zedekiah the king of Judah, and Seraiah who was the high priest; the former of which was miserably handled, the latter slain. |
| 2:7 | They - The enemies with their triumphs and blasphemies, made as great a noise, as those that sang holy songs, or played on instruments, were wont to make to the glory of God. |
| 2:8 | The wall - The strength and security of the Jews.A line - Artificers used with lines not only to mark out places for building, but also for destruction, to direct them what to cut off; and such a line is here meant. |
| 2:9 | Among the Gentiles - In miserable captivity. The law - Is no more read, opened or observed. Her prophets - They had but very few prophets, from this time to the time of the gospel, and very few of those at this time alive had any revelation from God. |
| 2:10 | The virgins - The whole city is in a mournful posture. |
| 2:11 | Mine eyes - This whole verse is but expressive of the prophets great affliction for the miseries come upon the Jews. He wept himself almost blind. Bowels - His passion had disturbed his bodily humours, that his bowels were troubled. Liver - His gall lying under his liver.All these are expressions of great affliction and sorrow. Swoon - During the famine, occasioned by the long siege. |
| 2:12 | Bosom - When they died in their mother's arms. |
| 2:13 | Who - There was no people whose condition was in any degree parallel to the misery of the Jews: nor was there any cure for them, their breach was like a sea breach where the waters come in with such a torrent, that there is no making any defence against them. |
| 2:14 | The prophets - False prophets told you vain stories.Not discovered - Whereas they ought to have made you sensible of your sins, and this might have prevented your captivity.False burdens - False stories to encourage you in sin, and so cause your banishment. |
| 2:18 | O wall - That is, those that are upon it. |
| 2:20 | Whom - Not the Heathen, but to thy own people.Women - Wilt thou suffer women to satisfy their hunger with the fruit of their own bodies? |
| 2:22 | My terrors - As my people were wont to be called together from all parts in a solemn day, so now my terrible enemies, or terrible things are by thee called together. |