Lamentations 2:17

“YHWH has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his saying that he commanded from the days of old; he has torn down and has not pitied; and he has made the enemy rejoice over you; he has raised the horn of your adversaries.”

Lamentations 2:17 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

17

Lamentations 2:17, word by word

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
has doneעָשָׂהasa

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “asa” appears
he plannedזָמָםzamam

resolve

To make up one's mind.

Where else “zamam” appears
he has fulfilledבִּצַּעbitsa

finish

To carry something through to the end, completing what was begun or said.

Where else “bitsa” appears
his sayingאֶמְרָתemrat

word, saying

Saying, spoken word.

Where else “emrat” appears
he commandedצִוָּהtsiva

command

To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".

Where else “tsiva” appears
from the daysימֵיyme

time

Literally "the days": a period, an age, or the span of someone's life.

Where else “yme” appears
of oldקֶדֶםkedem

of old

Times long ago, from far back.

Where else “kedem” appears
he has torn downהָרַסharas

tear down; break through

Tear down, throw down; also break through by force.

Where else “haras” appears
pitiedחָמָלchamal

have pity, spare

Feel pity, want to save someone; spare.

Where else “chamal” appears
and he has madeיְשַׂמַּחyesamach

gladden

To make someone feel glad and cheered.

Where else “yesamach” appears
the enemyאוֹיֵבoyev

enemy

Enemy, foe: one who hates and opposes another.

Where else “oyev” appears
he has raisedהֵרִיםherim

lift up

To put on high: to raise the voice, praise God, or be God lifting up the lowly.

Where else “herim” appears
the hornקֶרֶןkeren

strength

Strength, power: "the horn of my salvation".

Where else “keren” appears
of your adversariesצָרָיִtsarayi

adversary

Someone who oppresses and attacks another; the adversary.

Where else “tsarayi” appears

The context

16They have opened their mouth against you, all your enemies; they hiss and grind their teeth; they say, “We have swallowed her up! Surely this is the day that we hoped for; we have found it, we have seen it.”

17 · This verse (above)

18Their heart cried out to Adonai. “Wall of the daughter of Zion, shed tears like a torrent day and night; do not grant yourself relief; do not let the pupil of your eye be still.

Read all of Lamentations 2

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