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נ (Nun)

14 Your prophets saw visions for you
that were worthless whitewash.[a]
They failed to expose your sin
so as to restore your fortunes.[b]
They saw oracles for you
that were worthless[c] lies.

ס (Samek)

15 All who passed by on the road
clapped their hands to mock you.[d]
They sneered and shook their heads
at Daughter Jerusalem.
“Ha! Is this the city they called[e]
‘the perfection of beauty,[f]
the source of joy of the whole earth!’?”[g]

פ (Pe)

16 All your enemies
gloated over you.[h]
They sneered and gnashed their teeth;
they said, “We have destroyed[i] her!
Ha! We have waited a long time for this day.
We have lived to see it!”[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 2:14 tn Heb “worthless and whitewash.” The words שָׁוְא וְתָפֵל (shavʾ vetafel) form a nominal hendiadys, meaning “worthless whitewash” or “worthless deceptions.” The noun תָּפֵל (tafel, “whitewash”) is used literally in reference to a white-washed wall (Ezek 13:10, 11, 14, 15) and figuratively in reference to false prophets (Ezek 22:28).
  2. Lamentations 2:14 tc The Kethib שְׁבִיתֵךְ (shevitekh) and the Qere שְׁבוּתֵךְ (shevutekh), which is preserved in many medieval Hebrew mss here and elsewhere (Ps 85:1 [85:2 HT]; 126:4; Job 42:10), are struggling with the root. The ancient versions take it from שָׁבָה (shavah), meaning “captivity.” Such a meaning is not tenable for the Job passage, which suggests, along with a similar phrase in the Sefire inscription, that the proper meaning is “to restore someone’s fortunes.” See HALOT 1386 s.v. שְׁבוּת.
  3. Lamentations 2:14 tn Heb “worthless and enticements.” The words שָׁוְא וּמַדּוּחִים (shavʾ umaddukhim) form a nominal hendiadys meaning “worthless enticements” or “misleading falsehoods.” The noun מַדּוּחַ (madduakh), meaning “enticement” or “transgression,” is a hapax legomenon (term that appears only once in the Hebrew OT). It is related to the verb נָדָח (nadakh, “to entice, lead astray”), which often refers to idolatry.
  4. Lamentations 2:15 tn Heb “clap their hands at you.” Clapping hands at someone was an expression of malicious glee, derision, and mockery (Num 24:10; Job 27:23; Lam 2:15).
  5. Lamentations 2:15 tn Heb “of which they said.”
  6. Lamentations 2:15 tn Heb “perfection of beauty.” The noun יֹפִי (yofi, “beauty”) functions as a genitive of respect in relation to the preceding construct noun: Jerusalem was perfect in respect to its physical beauty.
  7. Lamentations 2:15 tn Heb “the joy of all the earth.” This is similar to statements found in Pss 48:2 and 50:2.
  8. Lamentations 2:16 tn Heb “they have opened wide their mouth against you.”
  9. Lamentations 2:16 tn Heb “We have swallowed!”
  10. Lamentations 2:16 tn Heb “We have attained; we have seen!” The verbs מָצָאנוּ רָאִינוּ (matsaʾnu raʾinu) form a verbal hendiadys in which the first retains its full verbal sense and the second functions as an object complement. It forms a Hebrew idiom that means something like, “We have lived to see it!” The three asyndetic first person common plural statements in 2:16 (“We waited; we destroyed; we saw!”) are spoken in an impassioned, staccato style reflecting the delight of the conquerors.

14 The visions of your prophets
    were false(A) and worthless;
they did not expose your sin
    to ward off your captivity.(B)
The prophecies they gave you
    were false and misleading.(C)

15 All who pass your way
    clap their hands at you;(D)
they scoff(E) and shake their heads(F)
    at Daughter Jerusalem:(G)
“Is this the city that was called
    the perfection of beauty,(H)
    the joy of the whole earth?”(I)

16 All your enemies open their mouths
    wide against you;(J)
they scoff and gnash their teeth(K)
    and say, “We have swallowed her up.(L)
This is the day we have waited for;
    we have lived to see it.”(M)

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