What does Lamentations 2:12 mean?
"They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom." - Lamentations 2:12
Lamentations 2:12 in the King James Version reads, "They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom." This verse is part of the book of Lamentations, which is a collection of poetic laments over the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people. The book is traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah, who witnessed the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.
The verse in question paints a vivid and heartbreaking picture of the suffering of the people of Jerusalem. The imagery of children asking their mothers for food and drink while they lie wounded in the streets is deeply poignant and speaks to the desperate and tragic circumstances they find themselves in. The use of the word "swooned" evokes the idea of a loss of consciousness or strength, emphasizing the extremity of their suffering.
One of the central themes in Lamentations is the idea of divine judgment and the consequences of disobedience to God. The destruction of Jerusalem is seen as a result of the people's sin and rebellion against God. In this verse, the suffering of the people is portrayed as a direct result of their disobedience. The fact that they are asking their mothers for basic necessities such as food and drink highlights the utter devastation and deprivation they are experiencing as a result of their sin.
Another important theme in Lamentations is the idea of communal lament and mourning. The book gives voice to the collective grief of the people of Jerusalem as they mourn the loss of their city and the suffering of their people. This verse captures the intimate and personal nature of this grief, as it depicts the individual suffering of a child and their desperate plea to their mother. The image of a child pouring out their soul into their mother's bosom conveys a sense of vulnerability and helplessness, as well as the depth of the pain and sorrow they are experiencing.
The verse also contains rich symbolism. The mention of "corn and wine" is significant, as these are staple foods in the biblical world and are often associated with abundance, prosperity, and divine blessings. The fact that the people are asking for these basic necessities emphasizes the extent of the deprivation and suffering they are enduring. The image of the wounded and dying in the streets of the city is a powerful symbol of the destruction and desolation that has befallen Jerusalem.
In the broader context of the book of Lamentations, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the profound suffering that results from disobedience to God. It also highlights the deeply personal and intimate nature of human suffering, as it captures the individual experiences of the people of Jerusalem as they endure the horrors of the destruction of their city.
In conclusion, Lamentations 2:12 is a powerful and poignant verse that captures the depth of human suffering and grief in the face of destruction and despair. It speaks to the consequences of sin and disobedience, as well as the intimate and personal nature of human suffering. The rich imagery and symbolism in this verse make it a profound expression of the collective lament and mourning of the people of Jerusalem.
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Lamentations 2:12 - "They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom."
"They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom." - Lamentations 2:12
Lamentations 5:12 - "Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured."
Lamentations 3:12 - "He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow."
Lamentations 2:1
Lamentations 2:1
Lamentations 2:1
2 Chronicles 35:25 - "¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations."
Lamentations 4:12 - "The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem."
Lamentations 5:2 - "Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens."
Lamentations 3:2 - "He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light."
"Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not honoured." - Lamentations 5:12
"He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow." - Lamentations 3:12
Ezekiel 2:10 - "And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe."
Lamentations 2:5 - "The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation."
Ezekiel 27:2 - "Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;"
"He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor." Lamentations 2:2
Lamentations 4:2 - "The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!"
"He has brought her kingdom and its princes down to the ground in dishonor." Lamentations 2:2
2 Samuel 1:17 - "¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:"
Lamentations 1:12 - "¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger."
Acts 8:2 - "And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him."
"Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens." - Lamentations 5:2
"He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light." - Lamentations 3:2
Ezekiel 28:12 - "Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty."
"¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations." - 2 Chronicles 35:25
Lamentations 2:1 He has hurled down the splendor of Israel from heaven to earth;
Matthew 2:18 - "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
Lamentations 2:15 - "All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?"
Lamentations 2:20 - "¶ 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?"