Lamentations 2:3

“He hath cut off in [his] fierce anger all the horn of Israel, etc.] All its power and strength, especially its kingly power, which is often signified by a horn in Scripture; (see <270724>Daniel 7:24); this the Lord took away in his fierce anger, and left the land destitute of all relief, help, defence and protection; whether from its king and princes, or from its men of war or fortified places; all being cut off and destroyed: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy; either his own right hand, with which he had used to fight for his people, and protect them, but now withdrawing it, left them to the mercy of their enemies; or Israel’s right hand, which he so weakened, that…”

“horn--worn in the East as an ornament on the forehead, and an emblem of power and majesty (Sa1 2:10; Psa 132:17; see on Jer 48:25). drawn back . . . fight hand-- (Psa 74:11). God has withdrawn the help which He before gave them. Not as HENDERSON, "He has turned back his (Israel's) right hand" (Psa 89:43).”

“Since the horn is the symbol of power, the cutting off of every horn means the depriving Israel of all power of resistance. The drawing back of God’s right hand signifies the withdrawal of that special Providence which used to protect the chosen people. And he burned ... - Or, “and” he kindled a fire in Jacob: as the active enemy of “Jacob,” Himself applying the torch. return to 'Top of Page'”

“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. Lamentations 2:4”

“2:3-4 bends his bow: In the past, the Lord had been a mighty warrior on Israel’s behalf (see Exod 14:13–15:21; Josh 23:9-11; Judg 7; 2 Kgs 19:32-35); now he waged war against Jerusalem (see Isa 63:10; Ezek 24:25).”

“the horn: Job 16:15; Psa 75:5, Psa 75:10, Psa 89:24, Psa 132:17; Jer 48:25; Luk 1:69 he hath: Psa 74:11 he burned: Deu 32:22; Psa 79:5, Psa 89:46; Isa 1:31, Isa 42:25; Jer 4:4, Jer 7:20; Mal 4:1; Luk 3:17 Lamentations 2:4”

“In Lam 2:3 and Lam 2:4, the writer describes the hostile conduct of the Lord towards Israel, by which the kingdom of Judah was destroyed. Thenius utterly mistakes the poetic character of the description given, and evidently finds in it the several events that occurred up to the taking of the city, all mentioned in their natural order; according to this, the perfects would require to be translated as preterites. But this view can be made out only by giving an arbitrary meaning to the several figures used; e.g., it is alleged that "every horn" means the frontier fortresses, that the expression "before the enemy" refers to the time when the latter turned his face against Jerusalem, and so on.…”