Lamentations 2:20 “Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Shou…”

Lamentations 2:20

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?

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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?

World English Bible

“Look, LORD, and see to whom you have done thus! Should the women eat their offspring, the children that they held and bounced on their knees? Should the priest and the prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

American Standard Version

See, O Jehovah, and behold to whom thou hast done thus! Shall the women eat their fruit, the children that are dandled in the hands? Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Geneva Bible 1599

Beholde, O Lord, and consider to whome thou hast done thus: shall the women eate their fruite, and children of a spanne long? shall the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord?

Darby Translation

See, Jehovah, and consider to whom thou hast done this! Shall the women eat their fruit, the infants that they nursed? Shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

Young's Literal Translation

See, O Jehovah, and look attentively, To whom Thou hast acted thus, Do women eat their fruit, infants of a handbreadth? Slain in the sanctuary of the Lord are priest and prophet?

Bible in Basic English

Look! O Lord, see to whom you have done this! Are the women to take as their food the fruit of their bodies, the children who are folded in their arms? are the priest and the prophet to be put to death in the holy place of the Lord?

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Cross references

“consider”

Exodus 32:11 Deuteronomy 9:26 Isaiah 63:16–19 Isaiah 64:8–12 Jeremiah 14:20–21

Exodus 32:11 · BSB

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?

Deuteronomy 9:26 · BSB

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.

Isaiah 63:16–19 · BSB

Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

Isaiah 64:8–12 · BSB

But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

Jeremiah 14:20–21 · BSB

We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.

“Shall the women”

Lamentations 4:10 Jeremiah 19:9 Leviticus 26:29 Deuteronomy 28:53–57 Ezekiel 5:10 2 Kings 6:28

Lamentations 4:10 · BSB

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 · BSB

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.’

Leviticus 26:29 · BSB

You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.

Deuteronomy 28:53–57 · BSB

Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

Ezekiel 5:10 · BSB

As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’

2 Kings 6:28 · BSB

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.’

“shall the priest”

Psalm 78:64 Lamentations 4:13 Lamentations 1:19 Lamentations 4:16 Isaiah 9:14–17 Jeremiah 5:31

Psalm 78:64 · BSB

His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament.

Lamentations 4:13 · BSB

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.

Lamentations 1:19 · BSB

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.

Lamentations 4:16 · BSB

The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.

Isaiah 9:14–17 · BSB

So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day.

Jeremiah 5:31 · BSB

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

19Arise, cry out in the night from the first watch of the night. Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children who are fainting from hunger on the corner of every street.

21Both young and old lie together in the dust of the streets. My young men and maidens have fallen by the sword. You have slain them in the day of Your anger; You have slaughtered them without compassion.

Read Lamentations 2