What does Lamentations 2:16 mean?
"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." - Lamentations 2:16
Lamentations 2:16 (KJV): "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 book of Lamentations is a profoundly emotional and mournful collection of poems attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. The lamentations express extreme sorrow and anguish over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The verses are filled with pain, grief, repentance, and a searching for hope in the midst of tragedy. Lamentations 2:16 is a poignant example of the despair and suffering described in the book.
This verse speaks about the enemies of Jerusalem rejoicing in their victory over the city. The image of the enemies opening their mouths against Jerusalem signifies their taunting and mockery. The hissing and gnashing of teeth depict their hostility and triumph over the once-mighty city of Jerusalem. The enemies are gloating over their perceived victory, claiming that they have thoroughly defeated Jerusalem, and this is the day they had been waiting for.
The themes of destruction, despair, and the triumph of enemies are prevalent in this verse. The destruction of Jerusalem and the resulting suffering of its people are central to the book of Lamentations. The city, once a symbol of God's presence and protection, has been devastated by the Babylonian army. This verse captures the sense of hopelessness and devastation that the people of Jerusalem experienced, as they witnessed the triumph of their enemies and the physical and spiritual desolation of their city.
The context of Lamentations enhances the meaning of this verse. The destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people were seen as a result of their disobedience to God and their rejection of His covenant. The suffering described in Lamentations is not just physical, but spiritual as well. The defeat of Jerusalem by its enemies was seen as a punishment from God for the people's unfaithfulness. The verse reflects the despair of the people as they grapple with the consequences of their sin and the loss of their homeland.
Symbolism is also prevalent in this verse. The enemies' taunting and gloating are symbolic of the triumph of evil over good, and the victory of sin over righteousness. The image of the enemies hissing and gnashing their teeth is a powerful representation of the malevolent forces that have brought about the destruction of Jerusalem. The swallowing up of Jerusalem by the enemies is a symbolic act of conquest and domination. The verse serves as a poignant depiction of the suffering and humiliation experienced by the people of Jerusalem in the face of their enemies' triumph.
In conclusion, Lamentations 2:16 is a powerful and evocative portrayal of the suffering and despair experienced by the people of Jerusalem in the face of their enemies' triumph. The verse captures the sense of hopelessness and devastation that the people experienced as they witnessed the destruction of their city and the gloating of their enemies. The verse is a poignant reminder of the consequences of sin and the suffering that comes from disobedience to God. Through its vivid imagery and emotional depth, Lamentations 2:16 stands as a testament to the enduring themes of suffering, despair, and the search for hope in the midst of tragedy.
Have questions about Lamentations 2:16?
Dive deeper into this scripture with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, get context, and grow in your understanding of the Bible.
Get Our Apps
Lamentations 2:16 Artwork
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."
"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." - Lamentations 2:16
Lamentations 5:16 - "The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!"
Lamentations 2:1
Lamentations 2:1
Lamentations 2:1
Lamentations 3:16 - "He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes."
Lamentations 4:16 - "The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders."
2 Chronicles 35:25 - "¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations."
Lamentations 5:2 - "Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens."
Lamentations 3:2 - "He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light."
Ezekiel 2:10 - "And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe."
Lamentations 2:5 - "The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation."
"The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!" - Lamentations 5:16
Ezekiel 27:2 - "Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;"
"He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor." Lamentations 2:2
Lamentations 1:16 - "For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed."
Lamentations 4:2 - "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!"
"He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor." Lamentations 2:2
Ezekiel 32:16 - "This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD."
2 Samuel 1:17 - "¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:"
Acts 8:2 - "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him."
"Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens." - Lamentations 5:2
Lamentations 2:12 - "They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom."
"He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes." - Lamentations 3:16
Amos 5:16 - "Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing."
"He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light." - Lamentations 3:2
"The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders." - Lamentations 4:16
"¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations." - 2 Chronicles 35:25
Lamentations 2:1 He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth;