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Lamentations 2:4

Old Testament Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Lamentations 2:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, And hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his wrath like fire.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, And hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his wrath like fire.
Lamentations 2:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Lamentations 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger! He hath cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, And hath not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.
2The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: He hath thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He hath brought them down to the ground; he hath profaned the kingdom and the princes thereof.
3He hath cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel; He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy: And he hath burned up Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
4He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, And hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his wrath like fire.
5The Lord is become as an enemy, he hath swallowed up Israel; He hath swallowed up all her palaces, he hath destroyed his strongholds; And he hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
6And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden; he hath destroyed his place of assembly: Jehovah hath caused solemn assembly and sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, And hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
7The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary; He hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces: They have made a noise in the house of Jehovah, as in the day of a solemn assembly.
← Lamentations 2:3Lamentations 2:5 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“He hath bent his bow like an enemy, etc.] God sometimes appears as if he was an enemy to his people, when he is not, by his conduct and behaviour; by the dispensations of his providence they take him to be so, as Job did, (<181609>Job 16:9,10,13,14); he bends his bow, or treads it, for the bending or stretching the bow was done by the foot; and as the Targum, “and threw his arrows at me:” he stood with his right hand as an adversary; with arrows in it, to put into his bow or with his sword drawn, as an adversary does. The Targum is, “he stood at the right hand of Nebuchadnezzar and helped him, when he distressed his people Israel:” and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye; princes and…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“(Isa 63:10). stood with . . . right hand--He took His stand so as to use His right hand as an adversary. HENDERSON makes the image to be that of an archer steadying his right hand to take aim. Not only did He withdraw His help, but also took arms against Israel. all . . . pleasant to . . . eye-- (Eze 24:25). All that were conspicuous for youth, beauty, and rank. in . . . tabernacle--the dwellings of Jerusalem.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“He stood with his right hand ... - i. e. that right hand so often stretched out to help now grasped a weapon ready for Judah’s destruction. Were pleasant - Or, was “pleasant.” Put full stop after “eye.” Begin the third distich thus: In the tabernacle - (or, tent) of the daughter of Zion. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“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. Lamentations 2:6”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“bent: Lam 2:5, Lam 3:3, Lam 3:12, Lam 3:13; Job 6:4, Job 16:12-14; Isa 63:10; Jer 21:5, Jer 30:14 that were pleasant to the eye: Heb. the desirable of the eye, Eze 24:25 he poured: Lam 4:1; Ch2 34:21, Ch2 34:25; Isa 42:25, Isa 51:17-20, Isa 63:6; Jer 4:4, Jer 7:20; Jer 21:5, Jer 21:12, Jer 36:7; Eze 5:13, Eze 6:12, Eze 22:22, Eze 36:18; Nah 1:2, Nah 1:6 Lamentations 2:5”
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Related study paths

Read Lamentations 2 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification