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Selected Verse: Lamentations 2:20 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
La 2:20	Strong Concordance	Behold [07200], O LORD [03068], and consider [05027] to whom thou hast done [05953] this [03541]. Shall the women [0802] eat [0398] their fruit [06529], and children [05768] of a span long [02949]? shall the priest [03548] and the prophet [05030] be slain [02026] in the sanctuary [04720] of the Lord [0136]?
	King James	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?

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
women eat . . . fruit--as threatened (Lev 26:29; Deu 28:53, Deu 28:56-57; Jer 19:9). children . . . span long--or else, "children whom they carry in their arms" [MAURER].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

women eat . . . fruit--as threatened (Lev 26:29; Deu 28:53, Deu 28:56-57; Jer 19:9).

children . . . span long--or else, "children whom they carry in their arms" [MAURER].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
The sense is: "See, Yahweh, and look! whom hast Thou treated thus? Shall women eat their fruit - children whom they must still carry?" the swaddled child being one still needing to be nursed and borne in their arms.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
In Lam 2:20 follows the prayer which the city has been commanded to make. The prayer sets before the mind of the Lord the terrible misery under which Jerusalem suffers. The question, "To whom hast Thou acted thus?" does not mean, "What innocent and godly ones are being sacrificed?" (Thenius), but "to what nation?" - not a heathen one, but the people of thy choice, to whom all Thy blessed promises have been given (Ngelsbach). This is clear from the reasons given in the question, in which the murder of the priests and prophets in the sanctuary of the Lord is brought forward. But first there is mentioned a case of inhuman conduct, prompted by necessity, viz., that women, in the extreme destitution of hunger, have been constrained to eat the fruit of their body, their beloved children. אם...אם does not, in this case, introduce a disjunctive question, but merely an indirect question in two parts. In view of such inhuman cruelties and such desecration of His sanctuary, God cannot remain inactive. The meaning of the question is not: estne hoc unquam fando auditum, quod apud nos factum est, or, quod matres fame eo adactae fuerint, ut suos faetus comederent (C. B. Michaelis, Rosenmller). For in this case, not the imperfect, but the perfect, would be used. It is merely asked whether something could happen in a certain way, while it is implied that it has actually occurred already. פּרים has the masc. instead of the fem. suffix, as pretty frequently happens. The fruit of their bodies is meant, as the lxx have rightly rendered; but there is no reason for making this the ground of alterations in the text. The expression "their fruit," indefinite in itself, is immediately rendered definite by עללי טפּחים. The last word is a verbal noun from טפּח (Lam 2:22), which again is a denominative from טפח, and means to bear on the hands, to care for tenderly. Both words occur only in this passage. The Israelites, moreover, had been threatened with this inhuman outrage as the most extreme form of divine chastisement, Lev 26:26; Deu 28:56; cf. Jer 19:9. While this abomination is opposed to the moral order of the world instituted by God, the other case (the murder of the priests and prophets in the sanctuary) is a violation of the covenant-order which the Lord had given His people. Neither of these arrangements can God consent to abolish. Therein is implicitly contained the request that He would put an end to the misery into which His people have fallen. This request, however, is not expressly stated; there is merely complaint made to God regarding the terrible misery. From the massacre in the temple, the lamentation passes to the bloodshed on the streets of the city, in which neither age nor sex was spared; cf. Jer 6:11. חוּצות is a local accus., "through the streets," along the streets.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

In Lam 2:20 follows the prayer which the city has been commanded to make. The prayer sets before the mind of the Lord the terrible misery under which Jerusalem suffers. The question, "To whom hast Thou acted thus?" does not mean, "What innocent and godly ones are being sacrificed?" (Thenius), but "to what nation?" - not a heathen one, but the people of thy choice, to whom all Thy blessed promises have been given (Ngelsbach). This is clear from the reasons given in the question, in which the murder of the priests and prophets in the sanctuary of the Lord is brought forward. But first there is mentioned a case of inhuman conduct, prompted by necessity, viz., that women, in the extreme destitution of hunger, have been constrained to eat the fruit of their body, their beloved children. אם...אם does not, in this case, introduce a disjunctive question, but merely an indirect question in two parts. In view of such inhuman cruelties and such desecration of His sanctuary, God cannot remain inactive. The meaning of the question is not: estne hoc unquam fando auditum, quod apud nos factum est, or, quod matres fame eo adactae fuerint, ut suos faetus comederent (C. B. Michaelis, Rosenmller). For in this case, not the imperfect, but the perfect, would be used. It is merely asked whether something could happen in a certain way, while it is implied that it has actually occurred already. פּרים has the masc. instead of the fem. suffix, as pretty frequently happens. The fruit of their bodies is meant, as the lxx have rightly rendered; but there is no reason for making this the ground of alterations in the text. The expression "their fruit," indefinite in itself, is immediately rendered definite by עללי טפּחים. The last word is a verbal noun from טפּח (Lam 2:22), which again is a denominative from טפח, and means to bear on the hands, to care for tenderly. Both words occur only in this passage. The Israelites, moreover, had been threatened with this inhuman outrage as the most extreme form of divine chastisement, Lev 26:26; Deu 28:56; cf. Jer 19:9. While this abomination is opposed to the moral order of the world instituted by God, the other case (the murder of the priests and prophets in the sanctuary) is a violation of the covenant-order which the Lord had given His people. Neither of these arrangements can God consent to abolish. Therein is implicitly contained the request that He would put an end to the misery into which His people have fallen. This request, however, is not expressly stated; there is merely complaint made to God regarding the terrible misery. From the massacre in the temple, the lamentation passes to the bloodshed on the streets of the city, in which neither age nor sex was spared; cf. Jer 6:11. חוּצות is a local accus., "through the streets," along the streets.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Whom - Not the Heathen, but to thy own people. Women - Wilt thou suffer women to satisfy their hunger with the fruit of their own bodies?

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Consider to whom thou hast done this - Perhaps the best sense of this difficult verse is this: "Thou art our Father, we are thy children; wilt thou destroy thy own offspring? Was it ever heard that a mother devoured her own child, a helpless infant of a span long?" That it was foretold that there should be such distress in the siege, - that mothers should be obliged to eat their own children, is evident enough from Lev 26:29; Deu 28:53, Deu 28:56, Deu 28:57; but the former view of the subject seems the most natural and is best supported by the context. The priest and the prophet are slain; the young and old lie on the ground in the streets; the virgins and young men are fallen by the sword. "Thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; Thou hast killed, and not pitied." See Deu 4:10.

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⁹ And I will cause them to eat [0398] the flesh [01320] of their sons [01121] and the flesh [01320] of their daughters [01323], and they shall eat [0398] every one [0376] the flesh [01320] of his friend [07453] in the siege [04692] and straitness [04689], wherewith their enemies [0341], and they that seek [01245] their lives [05315], shall straiten [06693] them.

⁵⁶ The tender [07390] and delicate [06028] woman among you, which would not adventure [05254] to set [03322] the sole [03709] of her foot [07272] upon the ground [0776] for delicateness [06026] and tenderness [07391], her eye [05869] shall be evil [03415] toward the husband [0376] of her bosom [02436], and toward her son [01121], and toward her daughter [01323],
⁵⁷ And toward her young one [07988] that cometh out [03318] from between her feet [07272], and toward her children [01121] which she shall bear [03205]: for she shall eat [0398] them for want [02640] of all things secretly [05643] in the siege [04692] and straitness [04689], wherewith thine enemy [0341] shall distress [06693] thee in thy gates [08179].

⁵³ And thou shalt eat [0398] the fruit [06529] of thine own body [0990], the flesh [01320] of thy sons [01121] and of thy daughters [01323], which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath given [05414] thee, in the siege [04692], and in the straitness [04689], wherewith thine enemies [0341] shall distress [06693] thee:

²⁹ And ye shall eat [0398] the flesh [01320] of your sons [01121], and the flesh [01320] of your daughters [01323] shall ye eat [0398].

¹¹ Therefore I am full [04392] of the fury [02534] of the LORD [03068]; I am weary [03811] with holding in [03557]: I will pour it out [08210] upon the children [05768] abroad [02351], and upon the assembly [05475] of young men [0970] together [03162]: for even the husband [0376] with the wife [0802] shall be taken [03920], the aged [02205] with him that is full [04390] of days [03117].

²⁶ And when I have broken [07665] the staff [04294] of your bread [03899], ten [06235] women [0802] shall bake [0644] your bread [03899] in one [0259] oven [08574], and they shall deliver [07725] you your bread [03899] again [07725] by weight [04948]: and ye shall eat [0398], and not be satisfied [07646].

²² Thou hast called [07121] as in a solemn [04150] day [03117] my terrors [04032] round about [05439], so that in the day [03117] of the LORD'S [03068] anger [0639] none escaped [06412] nor remained [08300]: those that I have swaddled [02946] and brought up [07235] hath mine enemy [0341] consumed [03615].

²⁰ Behold [07200], O LORD [03068], and consider [05027] to whom thou hast done [05953] this [03541]. Shall the women [0802] eat [0398] their fruit [06529], and children [05768] of a span long [02949]? shall the priest [03548] and the prophet [05030] be slain [02026] in the sanctuary [04720] of the Lord [0136]?

¹⁰ Specially the day [03117] that thou stoodest [05975] before [06440] the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] in Horeb [02722], when the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Gather [06950] me the people [05971] together [06950], and I will make them hear [08085] my words [01697], that they may learn [03925] to fear [03372] me all the days [03117] that they shall live [02416] upon the earth [0127], and that they may teach [03925] their children [01121].

⁵⁷ And toward her young one [07988] that cometh out [03318] from between her feet [07272], and toward her children [01121] which she shall bear [03205]: for she shall eat [0398] them for want [02640] of all things secretly [05643] in the siege [04692] and straitness [04689], wherewith thine enemy [0341] shall distress [06693] thee in thy gates [08179].

²⁹ And ye shall eat [0398] the flesh [01320] of your sons [01121], and the flesh [01320] of your daughters [01323] shall ye eat [0398].