Lamentations 2:20 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The city pleads with the LORD to consider the horrors of the siege, where mothers and even priests have perished in unspeakable ways.
What Does Lamentations 2:20 Mean?
'Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this.' The prayer presses God to look at the specific, named horrors of the siege. It is a bold plea, almost an argument: see what your judgment has come to. The faithful are permitted to bring even their hardest questions directly to God rather than turning them over in silence.
The horrors are real and dreadful: famine driving mothers to unthinkable acts, priest and prophet slain in the very sanctuary that should have been a refuge. The poet names them without flinching. This is the unvarnished cost of a city's fall, and Scripture records it so that no reader will imagine sin a small thing or judgment a light one. The prayer asks God to weigh what has happened, trusting that he does not look away.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lamentations 2:20
What does Lamentations 2:20 mean?
The city pleads with the LORD to consider the horrors of the siege, where mothers and even priests have perished in unspeakable ways.