Lamentations 2:20

Translations

Modern

Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Traditional

Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Literal

See, O YHWH, and consider! To whom have You dealt this way? Shall women eat their own fruit, the infants of the tender care? Shall he be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord—priest and prophet?

Latin

Vide, Domine, et considera quem vindemiaveris ita. Ergone comedent mulieres fructum suum, parvulos ad mensuram palmæ? si occiditur in sanctuario Domini sacerdos et propheta?

Original

Hebrew

English

Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Notes

Lamentations 2:20

Jeremiah had warned that the same cannibalism (people eating human flesh during extreme hunger) that happened during the siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:28–29) would also happen in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 19:9; see also Lamentations 4:10; Ezekiel 5:10; compare Deuteronomy 28:53–57).

Lamentations 2:1–22

This chapter vividly shows the Lord acting as the one who destroys Jerusalem.

Theme notes and profiles

Famine

Related verses

Lamentations 4:10
The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Jeremiah 19:9
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’
Psalm 78:64
His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.
Deuteronomy 9:26
And I prayed to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, Your inheritance, whom You redeemed through Your greatness and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Lamentations 4:13
But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
Exodus 32:11
But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
Ezekiel 9:5–6
And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone!
2 Kings 6:28–29
Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’
Lamentations 1:19
I called out to my lovers, but they have betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.
Jeremiah 14:15–18
Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
Leviticus 26:29
You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.
Lamentations 4:16
The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.

People

LORD: Names or title used to refer to God

Glossary

Acrostic Lamentations, Book of Poetry, Biblical Priests and Levites

Topics

Cannibalism: General Scriptures Concerning Church: Sanctuary Famine: Described Measure: A Span Nation: Prayer For Priests: Generally Participated in Punishment of the People Sanctuary: The Holy Place in the Temple The Anger of God: Manifested in Terrors

Lamentations 2:20

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