Lamentations 2:16
Lamentations 2:16 in Multiple Translations
All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!”
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.
All thine enemies have opened their mouth wide 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.
All your haters are opening their mouths wide against you; making hisses and whistling through their teeth, they say, We have made a meal of her: certainly this is the day we have been looking for; it has come, we have seen it.
All your enemies open their mouths at you, hissing and gnashing their teeth, “We've swallowed her up! This is the day we've been waiting for. Now it's here and we've seen it happen!”
All thine enemies haue opened their mouth against thee: they hisse and gnashe the teeth, saying, Let vs deuoure it: certainely this is the day that we looked for: we haue founde and seene it.
Opened against thee their mouth have all thine enemies, They have hissed, yea, they gnash the teeth, They have said: 'We have swallowed [her] up, Surely this [is] the day that we looked for, We have found — we have seen.'
All your enemies have opened their mouth wide against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, “We have swallowed her up. Certainly this is the day that we looked for. We have found it. We have seen it.”
All thy 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 .
Phe. All thy enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they have hissed, and gnashed with the teeth, and have said: We will swallow her up: lo, this is the day which we looked for: we have found it, we have seen it.
Now all our enemies scoff [IDM] at you; they hiss/sneer at you and gnash their teeth to show that they hate you. They say, “We have destroyed them! This is what we longed/waited for, and now it has happened!”
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 2:16
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Lamentations 2:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
פָּצ֨וּ
עָלַ֤יִ/ךְ
פִּי/הֶם֙
כָּל
א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִ/ךְ
שָֽׁרְקוּ֙
וַ/יַּֽחַרְקוּ
שֵׁ֔ן
אָמְר֖וּ
בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ
אַ֣ךְ
זֶ֥ה
הַ/יּ֛וֹם
שֶׁ/קִּוִּינֻ֖/הוּ
מָצָ֥אנוּ
רָאִֽינוּ
פָּצ֨וּ
pâtsâh
H6475
to open
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
עָלַ֤יִ/ךְ
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep | Suff
פִּי/הֶם֙
peh
H6310
lip
N-ms | Suff
כָּל
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms
א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִ/ךְ
ʼôyêb
H341
enemy
V-Qal | Suff
שָֽׁרְקוּ֙
shâraq
H8319
to whistle
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
וַ/יַּֽחַרְקוּ
châraq
H2786
to grind
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
שֵׁ֔ן
shên
H8127
tooth
N-cs
אָמְר֖וּ
ʼâmar
H559
to say
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ
bâlaʻ
H1104
to swallow up
V-Piel-Perf-1cp
אַ֣ךְ
ʼak
H389
surely
DirObjM
זֶ֥ה
zeh
H2088
this
Pron
הַ/יּ֛וֹם
yôwm
H3117
day
Art | N-ms
שֶׁ/קִּוִּינֻ֖/הוּ
qâvâh
H6960
to await
Rel | V-Piel-Perf-1cp | Suff
מָצָ֥אנוּ
mâtsâʼ
H4672
to find
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
רָאִֽינוּ
râʼâh
H7200
Provider
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 2:16
פָּצ֨וּ
pâtsâh
H6475
"to open"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
This Hebrew word means to open or set free, often used to describe speaking or uttering something. It can also mean to deliver or rescue someone, and is used in various ways in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to part, open, separate, set free 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to open (mouth), utter 1a2) to snatch away, set free
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: deliver, gape, open, rid, utter. See also: Genesis 4:11; Psalms 66:14; Psalms 22:14.
עָלַ֤יִ/ךְ
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
פִּי/הֶם֙
peh
H6310
"lip"
N-ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
כָּל
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
א֣וֹיְבַ֔יִ/ךְ
ʼôyêb
H341
"enemy"
V-Qal | Suff
This Hebrew word means enemy or adversary, referring to someone who hates or opposes another person or nation. It is used to describe personal or national enemies in the Bible.
Definition: 1) (Qal) enemy 1a) personal 1b) national
Usage: Occurs in 275 OT verses. KJV: enemy, foe. See also: Genesis 22:17; 2 Samuel 22:1; Psalms 3:8.
שָֽׁרְקוּ֙
shâraq
H8319
"to whistle"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
To whistle or hiss is the meaning of this Hebrew word, used to express scorn or call out to someone. In the Bible, it appears in books like Job and Jeremiah, often as a sign of derision or warning.
Definition: 1) to hiss, whistle, pipe 1a) (Qal) to hiss (as a signal)
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: hiss. See also: 1 Kings 9:8; Jeremiah 50:13; Isaiah 5:26.
וַ/יַּֽחַרְקוּ
châraq
H2786
"to grind"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
To grind or gnash means to rub teeth together, often in anger or frustration. In the Bible, this word is used to describe the action of grinding teeth in pain or anger, like in Job 16:9.
Definition: (Qal) to gnash, grind (the teeth)
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: gnash. See also: Job 16:9; Psalms 37:12; Psalms 35:16.
שֵׁ֔ן
shên
H8127
"tooth"
N-cs
The Hebrew word for tooth can also mean ivory or a sharp cliff. It is used in the Bible to describe the teeth of humans and animals, as well as sharp rocks, and is often translated as tooth or ivory.
Definition: : tooth 1) tooth, ivory 1a) tooth 1a1) of man, lex talionis, beast 1b) tooth, tine (of fork) 1c) ivory 1c1) as material 1c2) of commerce 1d) sharp pointed rock
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: crag, [idiom] forefront, ivory, [idiom] sharp, tooth. See also: Genesis 49:12; Psalms 57:5; Psalms 3:8.
אָמְר֖וּ
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ
bâlaʻ
H1104
"to swallow up"
V-Piel-Perf-1cp
This word means to swallow or destroy something completely. It can be used to describe something being eaten up or destroyed, like in a natural disaster or a strong storm. The Bible uses it to convey total destruction.
Definition: 1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to swallow down 1a2) to swallow up, engulf 1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to swallow 1c2) to swallow up, engulf 1c3) squandering (fig.) 1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up 1e) (Hithpael) to be ended
Usage: Occurs in 48 OT verses. KJV: cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up). See also: Genesis 41:7; Psalms 106:17; Psalms 21:10.
אַ֣ךְ
ʼak
H389
"surely"
DirObjM
This Hebrew word is used to emphasize something, like saying 'surely' or 'certainly'. It can also be used to limit or restrict something, like saying 'only' or 'but'.
Definition: 1) indeed, surely (emphatic) 2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)
Usage: Occurs in 157 OT verses. KJV: also, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but). See also: Genesis 7:23; 2 Kings 23:35; Psalms 23:6.
זֶ֥ה
zeh
H2088
"this"
Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Definition: 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Usage: Occurs in 1061 OT verses. KJV: he, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus, very, which. Compare H2063 (זֹאת), H2090 (זֹה), H2097 (זוֹ), H2098 (זוּ). See also: Genesis 5:1; Exodus 10:17; Numbers 14:16.
הַ/יּ֛וֹם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
Art | N-ms
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
שֶׁ/קִּוִּינֻ֖/הוּ
qâvâh
H6960
"to await"
Rel | V-Piel-Perf-1cp | Suff
This Hebrew word means to collect or gather things together, and can also mean to wait patiently for something. It is used in Psalms and Proverbs to describe waiting on God.
Definition: 1) to wait, look for, hope, expect 1a) (Qal) waiting (participle) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to wait or look eagerly for 1b2) to lie in wait for 1b3) to wait for, linger for
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon). See also: Genesis 1:9; Isaiah 5:2; Psalms 25:3.
מָצָ֥אנוּ
mâtsâʼ
H4672
"to find"
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
Matsa means to find or attain something, whether it is a physical object, a person, or a condition, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in 1b2b) to be in the possession of 1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be 1b2d) to be left (after war) 1b2e) to be present 1b2f) to prove to be 1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to find, attain 1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come 1c3) to cause to encounter 1c4) to present (offering)
Usage: Occurs in 425 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on. See also: Genesis 2:20; Deuteronomy 22:3; 2 Kings 9:35.
רָאִֽינוּ
râʼâh
H7200
"Provider"
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Definition: (Lord will) Provide, cause to be seen. This name means to see, look at, inspect, look after
Usage: Occurs in 1206 OT verses. KJV: advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 41:41; Exodus 33:13.
Study Notes — Lamentations 2:16
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 2:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 2:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 2:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 2:16
- Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 2:16
- Sermons on Lamentations 2:16
Context — God’s Anger over Jerusalem
14The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.
15All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?”
16All your enemies open their mouths against you. They hiss and gnash their teeth, saying, “We have swallowed her up. This is the day for which we have waited. We have lived to see it!”
17The LORD has done what He planned; He has accomplished His decree, which He ordained in days of old; He has overthrown you without pity. He has let the enemy gloat over you and exalted the horn of your foes. 18The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief, and your eyes no rest.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 35:21 | They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!” |
| 2 | Lamentations 3:46 | All our enemies open their mouths against us. |
| 3 | Job 16:9–10 | His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. |
| 4 | Psalms 37:12 | The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, |
| 5 | Psalms 56:2 | My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 51:34 | “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies and vomited me out. |
| 7 | Psalms 22:13 | They open their jaws against me like lions that roar and maul. |
| 8 | Psalms 124:3 | when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, |
| 9 | Psalms 35:16 | Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me. |
| 10 | Psalms 41:8 | “A vile disease has been poured into him; he will never get up from where he lies!” |
Lamentations 2:16 Summary
Lamentations 2:16 describes the enemies of God's people as openly mocking and celebrating their downfall, revealing their hatred and contempt. This verse reminds us that those who oppose God and His people will ultimately face His judgment, as described in Psalm 37:20 and Proverbs 24:17-18. As believers, we can trust in God's sovereignty and timing, knowing that He is always working for our good, even in difficult circumstances (Romans 8:28). By trusting in God's love and mercy, we can overcome the 'enemies' of fear, doubt, and unbelief that seek to 'swallow us up'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the enemies 'hissing and gnashing their teeth' in Lamentations 2:16?
This phrase is an expression of contempt and hatred, similar to what we see in Psalms 35:21, where the enemies of God's people are described as 'opening their mouths wide against' them, revealing their true nature as adversaries of God's people.
Why do the enemies say 'We have swallowed her up' in Lamentations 2:16?
The phrase 'we have swallowed her up' is a metaphor for complete destruction and consumption, implying that the enemies have utterly devastated the city and its people, much like what is described in Jeremiah 51:34, where the enemy is said to have 'swallowed' Judah's land.
What is the 'day' the enemies have 'waited' for in Lamentations 2:16?
The 'day' the enemies have waited for is the day of Jerusalem's downfall, which is also the day of the Lord's judgment, as described in Isaiah 13:6 and Ezekiel 30:3, where the day of the Lord is a time of reckoning and judgment for the nations.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of Lamentations?
This verse highlights the consequences of sin and rebellion against God, as described in Deuteronomy 28:49-57, and serves as a reminder of the importance of repentance and turning to God, as seen in Lamentations 3:40-41, where the prophet calls the people to examine their ways and return to the Lord.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I have seen or experienced the 'hissing and gnashing of teeth' from those who oppose God's people, and how can I respond in a way that honors God?
- In what ways have I allowed the 'enemies' of fear, doubt, or unbelief to 'swallow me up' and consume my thoughts and emotions, and how can I overcome them through faith and trust in God?
- What are some areas in my life where I have been 'waiting' for a breakthrough or a resolution, and how can I trust in God's timing and sovereignty, as described in Psalm 27:14 and Isaiah 40:31?
- How can I balance the reality of God's judgment and wrath, as seen in this verse, with the reality of His love and mercy, as described in John 3:16 and Romans 8:1-2?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 2:16
All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee,.... Or "widened" (x) them; stretched them out as far as they could, to reproach, blaspheme, and insult; or, like gaping beasts, to swallow up
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
As strangers that had no quarrels with nor prejudices against the Jews, passing by their country, and their great city Jerusalem, despised and scorned it; so their enemies with whom they had former quarrels, and who had taker up prejudices against them, they reproached and abused them, and triumphed in their ruin, and in the success of their arms against them, and blessed themselves, as having now seen the day they had looked and wished for.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
Lamentations 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].Ver. 16. All thine enemies opened their mouths against thee.] They speak largely and freely to thy dishonour, the very banks of blasphemy being broken down, as it were. We have swallowed her up.] But shall find her to be hard meat, such as they shall digest in hell. See Lamentations 2:2; Lamentations 2:5. Certainly this is the day that we look for.] Pray we that the Papists may never see here their longlooked for day, as they have long called it.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
(16) All thine enemies.—The exultation of the enemies is expressed by every feature in the physiognomy of malignant hate, the wide mouth, the hissing, the gnashing of the teeth. They exult, as in half-broken utterances, in the thought that they have brought about the misery at which they mock. It is what they had long looked for; they had at last seen it.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 2:16
Verse 16. This is the day that we looked for] Jerusalem was the envy of the surrounding nations: they longed for its destruction, and rejoiced when it took place.
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 2:16
16. For the inverted order of the initial letters in the Heb. of this and the next v., see Intr., p. 321. All thine enemies … against thee] almost identical with Lamentations 3:46. Löhr refers for the expression to Psalms 22:13; Psalms 35:21. gnash the teeth] in fierce hatred. Cp. Psalms 35:16; Psalms 37:12. For a parallel to the last words of this v., see Psalms 35:21.
Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 2:16
Seen it - Omit “it.” The intensity of the enemy’s exultation is shown by the heaping up of unconnected words. We have found what we sought, have seen what we looked for.
Sermons on Lamentations 2:16
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From the Death of Alexander and Aristobulus to the Banishment of Archelaus by Flavius Josephus | Flavius Josephus recounts the tumultuous final days of King Herod, who, afflicted with a severe and painful illness as a divine judgment for his sins, becomes increasingly tyrannic |
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The Fellowship of Christ's Suffering by Carter Conlon | This sermon focuses on the Fellowship of Christ's Suffering as outlined in 1 Peter chapter 5. The speaker emphasizes the need for believers to be sober and vigilant against the adv |
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When God Speaks Discerning the Voice of God - Genesis 20 22 by Shane Idleman | Shane Idleman emphasizes the importance of discerning the voice of God amidst the noise of life, urging believers to cultivate a spiritual appetite through obedience to God's Word. |
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Exposition on Psalm 125 by St. Augustine | St. Augustine preaches on the importance of not fixing our gaze on worldly prosperity but on God, warning against pride and hardness of heart. He emphasizes the eternal stability o |