Lamentations 2:20 akjv — Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long?…

American King James Version

"Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have 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? "

— Lamentations 2:20, American King James Version

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Lamentations 2:20 in Other Translations

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Lamentations 2 — Context

17

The LORD has done that which he had devised; he has fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he has thrown down, and has not pitied: and he has caused your enemy to rejoice over you, he has set up the horn of your adversaries.

18

Their heart cried to the LORD, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give yourself no rest; let not the apple of your eye cease.

19

Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out your heart like water before the face of the LORD: lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street. ¶

20

Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have 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?

21

The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; you have slain them in the day of your anger; you have killed, and not pitied.

22

You have called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the LORD’s anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled and brought up has my enemy consumed.

Lamentations 2:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Lamentations 2:20 say?
Lamentations 2:20 in the American King James Version reads: “Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have 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? ”
Where is Lamentations 2:20 in the Bible?
Lamentations 2:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Lamentations, chapter 2, verse 20.
Who wrote Lamentations?
Lamentations is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah (traditional). It was written c. 586–575 BC.
What is the book of Lamentations about?
Lamentations is a series of five funeral poems over the fallen Jerusalem — raw grief, honest confession, and at the very center, an astonishing confession of hope: "his compassions fail not… they are new every morning."
What are the major themes of Lamentations?
Lamentations explores themes including Grief, Judgment, Mercy, Hope, Repentance. These themes shape the meaning and context of Lamentations 2:20.
What translation should I read Lamentations 2:20 in?
Lamentations 2:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Lamentations 2:20?
Lamentations 2:20 reads (AKJV): “Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have 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? ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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