He has cut off all the horn of Israel in fierce anger. He has drawn back his right hand from before the enemy. He has burned up Jacob like a flaming fire, which devours all around.
Parallel Translations
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He has cut off all the horn of Israel in fierce anger. He has drawn back his right hand from before the enemy. He has burned up Jacob like a flaming fire, which devours all around.
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He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
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He 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 in Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.
Cross-references (19)
Passages linked to Lamentations 2:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 74:11 Why do you draw back your hand, even your right hand? Take it from your chest and consume them!
- Psalms 75:5 Don’t lift up your horn on high. Don’t speak with a stiff neck.”
- Psalms 75:10 I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
- Isaiah 42:25 Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle. It set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know. It burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”
- Psalms 79:5 How long, Yahweh? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
- Psalms 89:46 How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?
- Jeremiah 48:25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken,” says Yahweh.
- Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire is kindled in my anger, that burns to the lowest Sheol, devours the earth with its increase, and sets the foundations of the mountains on fire.
- Job 16:15 I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, and have thrust my horn in the dust.
- Psalms 89:24 But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.
- Psalms 132:17 I will make the horn of David to bud there. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
- Isaiah 1:31 The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”
- Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
- Jeremiah 7:20 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man, on animal, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and will not be quenched.”
- Jeremiah 21:4-5 ‘Yahweh, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city. I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation.
- Jeremiah 21:14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says Yahweh; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is around her.’ ”
- Malachi 4:1 “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,” says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
- Luke 1:69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
- Luke 3:17 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain Jeremiah expresses the same thing in various ways; but…
Jeremiah expresses the same thing in various ways; but all that he says tends to shew that it was an evidence of God’s extreme vengeance, when the people, the city, and the Temple, were destroyed. But it ought to be observed, that God is here represented as the author of that calamity: the Prophet would have otherwise lamented in vain over the ruin of his own country; but as in all adversities he acknowledged the hand of God, he afterwards added, that God had a just reason why he was so grievously displeased with his own people.
He then says, that every horn had been broken by God. We know that by horn is meant strength as well as excellency or dignity and I am disposed to include both here, though the word breaking seems rather to refer to strength or power. But the whole clause must be noticed, that God had broken every horn of Israel in the indignation of his wrath. The Prophet intimates that God had not been angry with his people as though he had been offended by slight transgressions, but that the measure of his wrath had been unusual, even because the impiety of the people had so burst forth, that the offense given to God could not have been slight. Then, by indignation of wrath the Prophet does not mean an excess, as though God had through a violent impulse rushed forth to take vengeance; but he rather intimates that the people had become so wicked, that it did not behoove God to punish in an ordinary way an impiety so inveterate.
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He then adds, that God had withdrawn, his right hand from before the enemy, and that at the same time he had burned like a fire, the flame of which had devoured all around. The Prophet here refers to two things; the first is, that though God had been accustomed to help his people, and to oppose their enemies, as they had experienced his aid in the greatest dangers, yet now his people were forsaken and left destitute of all hope. The first clause, then, declares, that God would not be the deliverer of his people as formerly, because they had forsaken him. But he speaks figuratively, that God had drawn back his right hand; and God’s right hand means his protection, as it is well known. But the Prophet’s meaning is by no means obscure, even that there was hereafter no hope that God would meet the enemies of his people, and thus preserve them in safety, for he had drawn back his hand. But there is a second thing added, even that God’s hand burned like fire. Now it was in itself a grievous thing that the people had been so rejected by God, that no help could be expected from him; but it was still a harder thing, that he went forth armed to destroy his people. And the metaphor of fire ought to be noticed; for had he said that God’s right hand was against his people, the expression would not have been so forcible; but when he compared God’s right hand to fire which burned, and whose flame consumed all Israel, it was a much more dreadful thing.
Moreover, by these words the Israelites were reminded that they were not to lament their calamities in an ordinary way, but ought, on the contrary, to have seriously considered the cause of all their evils, even the provoking of God’s wrath against themselves; and not only so, but that God was angry with them in an unusual degree, and yet justly, so that they had no reason to complain. It follows, —
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Meaning, the glory and strength, as 1 Sam. 2:1.
Meaning, the glory and strength, as 1 Sam. 2:1.
That is, his succor which he was wont to send us, when our enemies oppressed us.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Lam 2:3 He hath cut off in [his] fierce…
Lam 2:3 He hath cut off in [his] fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, [which] devoureth round about.
Ver. 3. He hath cut off in his anger all the horn of Israel,] i.e., All the strength and beauty, the royal majesty especially. {Psa 89:24; Psa 132:17}
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He hath drawn back his right hand.] Wherewith he was wont to shelter them and to fight for them. Or, Israel’s right hand - scil., by disabling them; for it is God that strengtheneth and weakeneth the arm of either party. {Eze 30:24}
And he burned against Jacob.] Or, In Jacob - i.e., He declareth his displeasure among his people as clearly as a flame of fire that is easily discerned.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He hath cut off in his fierce anger all…
He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel; that is, the beauty and strength of Israel, so horn signifieth by a usual metaphor in Scripture, Psa 74:4; Jer 48:25, &c., the horn being much the beauty of the beast, as also that member by which the beast puts forth its strength in assaulting its adversary.
He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy; either God hath drawn back his assistance which he was wont to give the Jews against their enemies; or Israel, through God’s leaving of them, hath drawn back his right hand; but it seems rather to be understood of God’s weakening the Israelites’ right hands, so as they were not able to hold them up (as before) against their enemies.
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He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about; God had consumed them, not in this or that part, but round about, as a fire seizing a house or heap of combustible matter at once, on all sides.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain He hath cut off in his fierce anger all…
He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel,.... All its power and strength, especially its kingly power, which is often signified by a horn in Scripture; see Dan 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 they had no power to resist the enemy, and defend themselves:
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and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about; that is, his wrath was like a burning flaming fire, which consumes all around, wherever it comes; thus the Lord in his anger consumed Jacob, and left neither root nor branch.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The horn - All their beauty and strength. Drawn…
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.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 3. The horn of Israel] His power and…
Verse 3. The horn of Israel] His power and strength. It is a metaphor taken from cattle, whose principal strength lies in their horns.
Hath drawn back his right hand] He did not support us when our enemies came against us.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Since the horn is the symbol of power, the…
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.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Horn: beauty and power, (Haydock) the two kingdoms, the…
Horn: beauty and power, (Haydock) the two kingdoms, the fortresses, (Calmet) and all their strength, denoted by horns. (Worthington) --- Hand; refusing us protection, and aiding the Chaldeans.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain horn--worn in the East as an ornament on the…
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).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 3. Cut off… the horn — Symbolizing all offensive…
3. Cut off… the horn — Symbolizing all offensive and defensive power. Among a people so simple and so near to nature “the horn” would be a most natural and expressive symbol of dominion and power. In drawing back his right hand from before the enemy he withdrew his providence and help, while the following clause implies that he had become the “archenemy of Jacob.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 3. Jehovah has (a) cut off the mighty ones…
3. Jehovah has (a) cut off the mighty ones of Israel, (b) withdrawn His own protection from His people, (c) taken the offensive against them.
all the horn] mg. every horn, the horn being the symbol of power.
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burned up Jacob] He has carried destruction into the heart of the nation.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (3) All the horn of Israel . . .—The…
(3) All the horn of Israel . . .—The horn, as elsewhere (1Sa_2:1; Psa_92:10; Psa_112:9), is the symbol of strength, aggressive or defensive, and may therefore stand here for every element of strength, warriors, rulers, fortresses.
He burned against Jacob.—Better, And He kindled a burning; i.e., was as one who applies the torch.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain All the horn; rather, every horn; i.e. all the…
All the horn; rather, every horn; i.e. all the means of defence, especially the fortresses. He hath drawn back his right hand; i.e. he hath withdrawn his assistance in war. He burned against; rather, he burned up.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 General Information:
General Information:
The author continues the use of metaphors to express how the Lord opposed Judah.
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he has cut off every horn of Israel
This speaks of the Lord taking away Israel's strength as if he were cutting off its horns. The word "horn" refers to an animal horn, not a musical instrument. AT: "he has taken away all of Israel's strength" (See: Metaphor)
withdrawn his right hand from before the enemy
Here the Lord's protection is represented by his "right hand." AT: "stopped protecting us from our enemies" (See: Metonymy)
He has burned up Jacob like a blazing fire that devours everything around it
This speaks of how the Lord has destroyed Jacob as if a fire has completely burned it. AT: "He has destroyed Jacob like a blazing fire destroys everything"
Jacob
Here "Jacob" refers to the places where his descendants lived. AT: "Israel" (See: Metonymy)
Like an enemy he has bent his bow toward us, with his right is ready to shoot
A soldier has to bend his bow in order to shoot an arrow from it. This speaks of the Lord preparing to attack Israel as if he were an enemy about to shoot them with a bow and arrow. AT: "He has prepared to kill us, like an enemy who has made his bow ready to shoot us" (See: Simile)
in the tent of the daughter of Zion
The "daughter of Zion" is a poetic name for Jerusalem, which is spoken of here as if it were a woman. The phrase "tent of the daughter of Zion" speaks of Jerusalem as a "tent" emphasizing that it is the home of those who live there. AT: "who live in Jerusalem" (See: Personification and Metaphor)
he has poured out his wrath like fire
This speaks of the Lord's wrath as if it were a liquid that he were pouring out on the people. His wrath is also compared to a "fire" to emphasize how destructive it is. AT: "in his anger he has destroyed everything like a blazing fire" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
cut off
right hand
adversary
fire
devour
bow and arrow
slaughter
people group
precious
tent
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 2:3-4 bends his bow: In the past, the Lord…
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).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.