Lamentations 2:12-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Lamentations 2:10-22

Justly are these called Lamentations, and they are very pathetic ones, the expressions of grief in perfection, mourning and woe, and nothing else, like the contents of Ezekiel's roll, Ezek. 2:10. I. Copies of lamentations are here presented and they are painted to the life. 1. The judges and magistrates, who used to appear in robes of state, have laid them aside, or rather are stripped of them, and put on the habit of mourners (Lam. 2:10); the elders now sit no longer in the judgment-seats,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 2:12

They say to their mothers, where is corn and wine ?.... Not the sucklings who could not speak, nor were used to corn and wine, but the children more grown; both are before spoken of, but these are meant, even the young men of Israel, as the Targum; and such as had been brought up in the best manner, had been used to wine, and not water, and therefore ask for that as well as corn; both take in all the necessaries of life; and which they ask of their mothers, who had been used to feed them,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 2:13

What thing shall I take to witness for thee ?.... What argument can be made use of? what proof or evidence can be given? what witnesses can be called to convince thee, and make it a clear case to time, that ever any people or nation was in such distress and calamity, what with sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity, as thou art? what thing shall I liken thee to, O daughter of Jerusalem ? what kingdom or nation ever suffered the like? no example can be given, no instance that comes up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 2:14

Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee ,.... Not the prophets of the Lord; but false prophets, as the Targum; which were of the people's choosing, and were acceptable to them; prophets after their own hearts, because they prophesied smooth things, such as they liked; though in the issue they proved "vain" and "foolish", idle stories, impertinent talk, the fictions of their own brains; and yet they pretended to have visions of them from the Lord; as that within two years... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Lamentations 2:15

All that pass by clap their hands at thee ,.... Travellers that passed by, and saw Jerusalem in ruins, clapped their hands at it, by way of rejoicing, as well pleased at the sight. This must be understood, not of the inhabitants of the land, but of strangers, who had no good will to it; though they seem to be distinguished from their implacable enemies in Lamentations 2:16 , they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem ; by way of scorn and derision; hereby expressing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 2:12

When their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom - When, in endeavoring to draw nourishment from the breasts of their exhausted mothers, they breathed their last in their bosoms! How dreadfully afflicting was this! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 2:13

What thing shall I take - Or, rather, as Dr. Blayney, "What shall I urge to thee?" How shall I comfort thee? Thy breach is great like the sea - Thou hast a flood of afflictions, a sea of troubles, an ocean of miseries. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 2:14

They have not discovered thine iniquity - They did not reprove for sin, they flattered them in their transgressions; and instead of turning away thy captivity, by turning thee from thy sins, they have pretended visions of good in thy favor, and false burdens for thy enemies. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 2:15

The perfection of beauty - This probably only applied to the temple. Jerusalem never was a fine or splendid city; but the temple was most assuredly the most splendid building in the world. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Lamentations 2:12

Verse 12 There is either a personification in the words of the Prophet, or he speaks now of another party, for he cannot refer now to children sucking their mothers’ breasts, for they could not have expressly said, Where is corn and wine? and the use of wine is not allowed to infants. Then the words of the Prophets extend further, for not infants, but children somewhat grown up, could have thus spoken. And in this view there is nothing unreasonable or forced, for he spoke of little children,... read more

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