Lamentations 2

1. Look at each verse and identify: the speaker, the central image or images, whom the speaker is addressing, which other characters appear in the vese, what the tone of the speaker is, and what the speaker might be trying to accomplish.

little) עולל ,(wipe out) שחת ,(swallow up ) בלע ,(nose) אף ,(hand) יד Look at the words .2 appointed time.) Who uses each of) מועד ,(destroy) שבר ,(pour) שפך ,(faint) עתף ,(one these words? How do their meanings develop? Why might they repeat?

3. What are the first speaker’s central concerns here? How does the first speaker characterize themself? What might the first speaker be trying to accomplish? What might the first speaker’s tone be? How does the first speaker think and speak about God? About Jerusalem? About the destruction? Does the first speaker develop over the course of the chapter? How does the first speaker compare to themself as presented in Lamentations 1?

4. What are Jerusalem’s central concerns here? How does Jerusalem characterize herself? What words are used to refer to Jerusalem? What groups of people constitute Jerusalem? What places, objects, and buildings constitute Jerusalem? What might Jerusalem be trying to accomplish? What might Jerusalem’s tone be? How does Jerusalem think and speak about God? About the first speaker? About the destruction? Does Jerusalem develop over the course of the chapter? How does Jeruaslem compare to herself as presented in Lamentations 1?

5. What occasion might this Lamentation describe? What images are used? How vivid are they? Does it seem to describe a specific historical moment or a generalized recounting of destruction? When might this Lamentation have been written? Who might have been reciting it? 2

איכה פרק ב Lamentations 2 א ֵאיָכה֩ יִָע֨יב ְבּאַפּ֤וֹ ׀ ֲאדֹנָי֙ ֶאת־ַבּת־ִציּ֔וֹן Alas/how can the lord cover Daughter Zion .1 in a cloud (of anger) from his nose? ִהְשִׁל֤יְך ִמָשַּׁמ֨יִם֙ ֶאֶ֔רץ ִתְּפֶאֶ֖רת יְִשָׂרֵא֑ל He sent from the heavens to earth the splendor וְֽלֹא־זַָ֥כר ֲהדֹם־ַרְגָל֖יו ְבּי֥וֹם אַֽפּוֹ׃ ,of Israel And he did not remember his footstool on the day of (the anger) of his nose.

1. How does the start of Lamentations 2 compare to the start of Lamentations 1? How is Jerusalem presented in each? What words are used to describe her? What is the focal point in each?

ב ִבַּלּ֨ע ֲאדֹ ֜נָי וְלֹ֣א ָחַמ֗ל ֵא֚ת ָכּל־נְא֣וֹת The lord has swallowed up and not had pity .2 for all the pastures of Jacob. יֲַֽעקֹ֔ב He has overthrown in his overflowing, the ָהַר֧ס ְבֶּעְבָרת֛וֹ ִמְבְצֵ֥רי ַבת־יְהוָּד֖ה fortified cities of Daughter Judah He has brought to the earth. He has defiled the ִהִ֣גּיַע ָלאֶָ֑רץ ִחֵלּ֥ל ַמְמָלָ֖כה וְָשֶֽׂריָה׃ .kingdom and her princes

1. What are the objects of the lord’s wrath in this verse? What sorts of things is the lord interested in destroying? What might be the link between these things?

in the BDB. What other contexts is it used in? What meanings are חלל Look up .2 appropriate here?

ג ָגַּד֣ע ָבֳּחִרי־אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רן יְִשָׂרֵא֔ל He has hewn down in fierce nose all the .3 ֽ ֶ .horn of Israel ֵהִשׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְִמינ֖וֹ ִמְפּ ֣נֵי אוֹ ֑יֵב He has returned back his right hand from וַיְִּבַע֤ר ְבּיֲַֽעקֹב֙ ְכֵּ֣אשׁ ֶלָהָב֔ה ֽאְָכָל֖ה ָסִֽביב׃ .before the enemy ֽ He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire, consuming all around.

1. Where in Lamentations 1 have you seen “return back?” What are your connotations for these words? How are they being used here?

ד ָדַּר֨ך קְשׁתּ֜וֹ ְכּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִָ֤צּב יְִמינוֹ֙ ְכָּ֔צר He has bent (trodden) his bow like an .4 ְ ַ enemy, standing his right hand like an וַֽיֲַּהרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל ַֽמֲחַמֵדּי־ָ֑עיִן .adversary ְבּאֶֹ֨הל֙ ַבּת־ִציּ֔וֹן ָשַׁ֥פְך ָכֵּ֖אשׁ ֲחָמֽתוֹ׃ And he killed all the precious things of the eye In the tent of Daughter Zion he poured out like fire his rage.

1. Who were the enemies and adversaries in Lamentations 1? Who spoke about them? Who is the enemy and adversary now? Where else have we send a simile, someone being like something? Why might the speaker use a simile now?

2. What is his right hand doing here? What was it doing in verse 3?

ה ָהיָ֨ה ֲאדֹנָ֤י ׀ ְכּאוֹיֵב֙ ִבַּלּ֣ע יְִשָׂרֵא֔ל The lord has become like an enemy, he .5 swallowed up Israel. ִבַּלּע֙ ָכּל־אְַרְמנוֶֹ֔תיָה ִשֵׁ֖חת ִמְבָצָ֑ריו He has swallowed up all her palaces, he וַיֶֶּ֨רב֙ ְבַּבת־יְהוָּד֔ה ַֽתֲּאנִיָּ֖ה וֲַֽאנִיָּֽה׃ .wiped out his fortified cities And he has made great in Daughter Judah moaning and lamenting.

1. Compare this verse to verse 2. Who is doing the destroying? What verbs are used? What are the objects of destruction?

ו וַיְַּחמֹ֤ס ַכַּגּן֙ ֻשׂכּ֔וֹ ִשֵׁח֖ת ֽמֲֹעד֑וֹ -He has done violence as if it were a garden .6 his booth, he has wiped out its appointed time. ִשַׁ֨כּח יְהוָ֤ה ׀ ְבִּציּוֹן֙ מוֵֹ֣עד וְַשָׁבּ֔ת YHWH has made Zion forget appointed time וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ ְבּזַַֽעם־אַפּ֖וֹ ֶ֥מֶלְך וְכֵֹהן׃ .and Shabbat ֽ And he has spurned, in the indignation of his nose, king and priest.

1. What might the purpose of the garden be here? Think of a few possible explanations. Where else do gardens appear in the Bible? (Look in a BDB) Who is the one injured here?

2. God is mentioned by name here for the first time. Why might God be mentioned here by name? Why might God not have been mentioned by name before this?

ז זָנַ֨ח ֲאדֹ ֤נָי ׀ ִמזְְבּחוֹ֙ נִֵא֣ר ִמקָדּשׁ֔וֹ The lord has rejected his altar, he has .7 ְ .abhorred his sanctuary ִהְסִגּיר֙ ְבּיַד־אוֹ ֔יֵב חוֹמֹ֖ת אְַרְמנוֶֹ֑תיָה He has delivered up, into the hand of the ק֛וֹל נְָתנ֥וּ ְבֵּבית־יְהוָ֖ה ְכּי֥וֹם מוֵֹעד׃ .enemy, the walls of her palaces ֽ ֽ They have given (their) voice in the house of YHWH like on the day of an appointed time.

1. Who is the enemy here? Who is causing the destruction? What is God’s role in this verse?

ח ָחַשׁ֨ב יְה ֤וָה ׀ ְלַהְשִׁחית֙ חוַֹ֣מת ַבּת־ִציּ֔וֹן YHWH has planned to wipe out the wall of .8 ֹ .Daughter Zion נָָ֣טה ָק֔ו ֽלא־ֵהִ ֥שׁיב יָד֖וֹ ִמַבֵּלַּ֑ע He has extended a (measuring) line, he has וַיֲַּֽאֶבל־ֵח֥ל וְחוָֹ֖מה יְַחָדּ֥ו ֻאְמָללוּ׃ .not returned his hand from swallowing up ֽ And he has caused rampart and wall to mourn, together they have withered.

1. Why does God destroy here? What are his motives? What is his method? How do they compare to his method and motives earlier in Lamentations 2?

ט ָטְבע֤וּ ָבאֶָ֨רץ֙ ְשָׁעֶר֔יָה ִאַבּ֥ד וְִשַׁבּ֖ר Her gates have sunk into the earth, he has .9 ֽ .made perish and destroyed her bars ְבִּריֶח֑יָה ,Her king and princes are among the nations ַמְלָ֨כּהּ וְָשֶׂר֤יָה ַבגּוֹיִם֙ ֵא֣ין תּוָֹר֔ה .there is no Torah ֹ Also her prophets do not find revelation from ַגּם־נְִביֶ֕איָה ֽלא־ָמְצא֥וּ ָחז֖וֹן ֵֽמיְהוָֽה׃ .YHWH

1. Who is mentioned in this verse? Have they been mentioned before? What is their traditional role? What is their role here?

י יְֵשׁב֨וּ ָלאֶָ֤רץ יְִדּמוּ֙ זִק ֣נֵי ַבת־ִציּ֔וֹן The elders of Daughter Zion have sat on .10 ֽ ְ .the earth and been silent ֶֽהֱעל֤וּ ָעָפר֙ ַעל־רֹאָשׁ֔ם ָֽחְגר֖וּ ַשִׂקּ֑ים They have raised up dust upon their head הוִֹר֤ידוּ ָלאֶָ֨רץ֙ רֹאָשׁ֔ן ְבּתוּלֹ֖ת יְֽרוָּשָׁלם׃ masc.), they have girded themselves with) ִ .sackcloth They have brought down to earth their head (fem), the maidens of Jerusalem.

2. Who is mentioned in this verse? Have they been mentioned before? What is their traditional role? What is their role here?

יא ָכּל֨וּ ַבְדָּמע֤וֹת ֵעינַי֙ ֳחַמְרְמר֣וּ ֵמַ֔עי My eyes are finished by tears, my insides .11 churn. נְִשַׁ֤פְּך ָלאֶָ֨רץ֙ ְכֵּבִד֔י ַעל־ֶשֶׁ֖בר ַבּת־ַעִ֑מּי My liver is poured to the earth over the ֵֽבָּעֵ֤טף עוֵֹלל֙ וְיוֹ ֔נֵק ִבְּרחֹב֖וֹת ִקְריָֽה׃ ,destruction of the Daughter of My People By the little one and the infant becoming faint in the squares of the metropolis.

1. Why might Jerusalem begin to speak here? Is she responding to the first speaker? What might have prompted her to speak? How does her description of the situation compare to the first speaker’s description? Whom does she mention?

יב ְלִאמָֹּתם֙ יֹֽאְמר֔וּ אַיֵּ֖ה ָדָּ֣גן וָ ֑יָיִן To their mothers they say, “where is the .12 grain and wine?’ ְבִּֽהְתַעְטָּפ֤ם ֶֽכָּחָלל֙ ִבְּרחֹב֣וֹת ִ֔עיר While they are becoming faint like one ְבִּהְשַׁתֵּ֣פְּך נְַפָשׁ֔ם ֶאל־ֵ֖חיק ִאמָֹּתם׃ ,pierced in the square of the city ֽ ’While pouring out their soul in their mothers bosom.

1. What image is painted here? How is the image conveyed? Look at the order of the words in this verse. How might the order contribute to the forming of the image?

יג ָמה־ֲאִעיֵד֞ך ָמ֣ה ֲאַדֶמּה־ָלּ֗ך ַהַבּת֙ What can I bear witness for you? To what .13 ֽ ְ ְ can I make you similar, oh Daughter יְר֣וָּשַׁלִ֔ם ?Jerusalem ָמ֤ה אְַשׁוֶה־ָלְּך֙ וֲַאנֲַֽחֵ֔מְך ְבּתוַּל֖ת ַבּת־ִציּ֑וֹן To what can I compare you so that I might comfort you, Maiden Daughter Zion? ִֽכּי־ָגד֥וֹל ַכּיָּ֛ם ִשְׁבֵ֖רְך ִ֥מי יְִרָפּא־ָֽלְך׃ For large as the sea is your destruction. Who can heal you?

1. The first speaker addresses Jerusalem here. What might the speaker be responding to? ,נחם What is the speaker asking? What might the speaker be trying to do? Where had comfort, appeared in Lamentations 1? What is it doing here? How do the speaker’s questions here compare to the questions with which the speaker has opened each of the laments we’ve read?

יד נְִביאַ֗יְִך ָ֤חזוּ ָלְ֙ך ָשׁ֣וְא וְָתֵפ֔ל Your prophets prophesied to you .14 ֹ ,falsehood and delusion וְֽלא־ִגלּ֥וּ ַעל־ֲעוֺ ֖נְֵך ְלָהִ ֣שׁיב ְשׁבוֵּתְ֑ך And they did not uncover your iniquity to וַ ֣יֱֶּחזוּ ָלְ֔ך ַמְשׂא֥וֹת ָ ֖שׁוְא וַּמדּוִּחים׃ .return your captivity ֽ And they prophesied for you portions, false and deceptive. 6

1. Who does the speaker say is at fault here? What had the speaker said earlier about prophets?

טו ָסְפק֨וּ ָעַל֤יִך ַכַּ֨פּיִם֙ ָכּל־עְֹ֣בֵרי ֶדֶ֔רך All who pass this way slap their palms at .15 ֽ ְ ְ .you ָֽשְׁרקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאָשׁ֔ם ַעל־ַבּ֖ת יְֽרוָּשָׁלִ֑ם They hiss and toss their hand at Daughter ֲהזֹ֣את ָהִע֗יר ֶשׁיֹּֽאְמרוּ֙ ְכִּל֣יַלת יִֹ֔פי ָמשׂ֖וֹשׂ .Jerusalem “Is this the city that they said was the ְלָכל־ָהֽאֶָרץ׃ ”?perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth

1. Look at what Jerusalem said about passerbys in Lamentations 1:12. What is the first speaker adding to that understanding? What might be the tone of the quotation at the end of this verse?

טז ָפּצ֨וּ ָעַל֤יִך ִפּיֶהם֙ ָכּל־אֹ֣יְַב֔יִך They open upon you their mouths, all your .16 ְ ְ .enemies ָֽשְׁרקוּ֙ וַיַַּֽחְרקוּ־ֵשׁ֔ן ֽאְָמר֖וּ ִבָּלְּ֑ענוּ They hiss and gnash tooth, they say, “We אְַ֣ך זֶ֥ה ַהיּ֛וֹם ֶשִׁקּוִּי ֖נֻהוּ ָמָ֥צאנוּ ָרִאינוּ׃ .have swallowed up ֽ Yes this is the day we waited for. We have found (it,) we have seen (it.)”

,בלע How are these people characterized? Is the speaker one of them? Where else has .1 swallow up, appeared?

יז ָעָשׂ֨ה יְה ֜וָה ֲאֶשׁ֣ר זָָמ֗ם ִבַּצּ֤ע ֶאְמָרתוֹ֙ YHWH has done what he devised, he has .17 ֹ ,accomplished what he said ֲאֶשׁ֣ר ִצ ֣וָּה ִֽמיֵמי־ֶקֶ֔דם ָהַר֖ס וְל֣א ָחָמ֑ל ,That which he commanded in the days of old וַיְַשַׂמּ֤ח ָעַל֨יְִך֙ אוֹיֵ֔ב ֵהִר֖ים ֶקֶ֥רן ָצָריְִך׃ .he has overthrown and he has not pitied ֽ ,And he has made the enemy rejoice over you he has exalted the horn of your adversaries.

1. Where else have you seen rejoicing? Who is the responsible party here? How is God portrayed?

יח ָצַע֥ק ִלָ֖בּם ֶאל־ֲאדֹ ֑נָי חוַֹ֣מת ַבּת־ִ֠ציּוֹן Their heart cried out to the lord. The wall .18 of Daughter Zion, הוִֹר֨יִדי ַכ ֤נַַּחל ִדְּמָעה֙ יוָֹ֣מם וַָל֔יְָלה .Let tears fall down like a river, night and day ֽאַל־ִתְּתּ ֤נִי פוַּגת֙ ָלְ֔ך אַל־ִתּדֹּ֖ם ַבּת־ֵעינְֵֽך׃ Do not give yourself numbness, do not let the daughter/pupil of your eye be silent.

1. To whose heart might the speaker be referring to here? Whom does the speaker address? What had Jerusalem said about her tears in verse 11? What does the speaker recommend here?

יט ק֣וִּמי ׀ רֹ֣נִּי ַבַלּ֗יְָלה ְלרֹאשׁ֙ אְַשֻׁמר֔וֹת Get up, shout out in the night, at the head .19 of the night watches. ִשְׁפִכ֤י ַכַ֨מּיִם֙ ִלֵבְּ֔ך נַֹ֖כח ְפּ ֣נֵי ֲאדֹ ֑נָי Pour out like water your heart, before the face ְשִׂ֧אי ֵאָ֣ליו ַכַּפּ֗יְִך ַעל־ ֨נֶֶפשׁ֙ ֽעוָֹלַל֔יְִך .of the lord Raise to him your palms, for the spirit of your ָֽהֲעטוִּפ֥ים ְבָּרָ֖עב ְבּרֹ֥אשׁ ָכּל־חוּֽצוֹת׃ little ones, fainting from hunger at the head of all the streets.

1. What is water doing here? Why might water similes be used?

כ ְרֵ֤אה יְהוָה֙ וְַהִבּ֔יָטה ְלִ֖מי עוַֹלְ֣לָתּ כֹּ֑ה See YHWH and behold to whom you have .20 ֽ .done this ִאם־תֹּאַ֨כְלנָה נִָשׁ֤ים ִפְּריָם֙ ֽעְֹלֵל֣י ִטֻפִּח֔ים Should women eat fruit, the little ones of their ִאם־יֵָֽהֵר֛ג ְבִּמְקַדּ֥שׁ ֲאדֹ ֖נָי כֵֹּה֥ן וְנִָֽביא׃ ?cuddling Should priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the lord?

1. What is it that Jerusalem wants God to see? Why might this be the case? What had she wanted in Lamentations 1?

כא ָֽשְׁכב֨וּ ָלאֶָ֤רץ חוּצוֹת֙ ֣נַַער וְזֵָק֔ן ,They are lying on the earth on the streets .21 ֹ ,young and old ְבּֽתוּלַ֥תי וַּֽבחוַּר֖י נְָֽפל֣וּ ֶבָחֶ֑רב My maidens and my young men have fallen by ָהַרְ֨גָתּ֙ ְבּי֣וֹם אֶַפָּ֔ך ָטַבְ֖חָתּ לֹ֥א ָחָמְלָתּ׃ .the sword ֽ You have killed on the day of your nose, you have slaughtered and not had pity.

1. What might Jerusalem’s tone be here? How does it compare to the speaker’s tone? Whom does each of them hold responsible for the destruction?

כב ִתּקָרא֩ ְכי֨וֹם מוֵֹע֤ד ְמגוַּרי֙ ִמָסִּ֔ביב You proclaimed like on an appointed time .22 ְ ,terrors all around וְלֹ֥א ָהיָ֛ה ְבּי֥וֹם אַף־יְהוָ֖ה ָפִּל֣יט וְָשִׂר֑יד And there was not, on the day of the nose of ֲאֶשׁר־ִטַ֥פְּחִתּי וְִרִבּ֖יִתי ֽאֹיְִ֥בי ִכָלּם׃ .YHWH, refugee or survivor ֽ Those whom I cuddled and made great, my enemy finished them.

1. Who is the enemy?