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Under the Wrath of the Lord[a]

How the Lord, in his anger, has covered the daughter of Zion with a dark cloud!

    He threw down the beauty of Israel from heaven to earth.
    He did not remember his footstool[b] in the day of his anger.
The Lord swallowed up and did not spare the pastures[c] of Jacob.
    In his fury he tore down the fortifications of the daughter of Judah.
    He brought them down to the ground. He brought dishonor to the kingdom and its officials.
He completely chopped off the horn[d] of Israel in burning anger.
    He withdrew his right hand in the presence of the enemy.
    He burned in Jacob like a flaming fire, which consumed all around.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 2:1 This chapter is an alphabetic acrostic. The 22 successive verses begin with the 22 successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Lamentations 2:1 That is, the Ark of the Covenant
  3. Lamentations 2:2 Or dwelling places
  4. Lamentations 2:3 The horn is a symbol of power and often refers to the king.

[a]How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion
    with the cloud of his anger[b]!(A)
He has hurled down the splendor of Israel
    from heaven to earth;
he has not remembered his footstool(B)
    in the day of his anger.(C)

Without pity(D) the Lord has swallowed(E) up
    all the dwellings of Jacob;
in his wrath he has torn down
    the strongholds(F) of Daughter Judah.
He has brought her kingdom and its princes
    down to the ground(G) in dishonor.

In fierce anger he has cut off
    every horn[c][d](H) of Israel.
He has withdrawn his right hand(I)
    at the approach of the enemy.
He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire
    that consumes everything around it.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 2:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Lamentations 2:1 Or How the Lord in his anger / has treated Daughter Zion with contempt
  3. Lamentations 2:3 Or off / all the strength; or every king
  4. Lamentations 2:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.