Lamentations 2:20

Arabic Bible ERV 2009

انظُرْ يا اللهُ وَلاحِظْ مَنِ الَّذِي عامَلْتَهُ هَكَذا. أيَجُوزُ أنْ تَأْكُلَ الأُمُّ أبناءَها الَّذِينَ احتَضَنَتْهُمْ؟ أكانَ يَنْبَغِي أنْ يُقتَلَ الكَهَنَةُ وَالأنبِياءُ فِي مَقْدِسِ رَبِّي؟

What Does This Mean?

This verse is a plea to God from someone who is deeply distressed. They are questioning how God could allow such terrible things to happen, like mothers eating their children out of desperation, and priests and prophets being killed in the sanctuary.

Explained for Children

Imagine if you saw something really bad happen to your friends, like them being hurt when they were just trying to help others. You might ask God why this happened. That's what this verse is doing, but it's talking about very sad things that happened to God's people.

Historical Background

The Book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah, probably after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. The audience was the Jewish people who were devastated by the loss of their city and temple. This verse reflects the shock and despair of that time.

Living It Out Today

In modern life, this verse can remind us to seek comfort and understanding from God during times of extreme hardship. For example, if someone loses their home and community due to a disaster, they might feel like the person in the verse, questioning why such things happen.

Topics

• suffering
• prayer
• justice
• Jerusalem
• prophets
• disaster

Related Verses

• Jeremiah 52:1-11
• Ezekiel 5:10
• Hosea 9:14
• Matthew 24:9
• Revelation 6:10

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the verse mention women eating their fruit?

The phrase 'women eat their fruit' refers to a desperate act of survival during a famine. It's a stark image meant to convey the extreme conditions of the time.

What does it mean by 'children of a span long'?

This likely refers to very young children, indicating the extent of the tragedy, where even the youngest were affected.

How does this verse relate to the destruction of Jerusalem?

This verse reflects the deep sorrow and questioning of the people after Jerusalem was destroyed, as they saw their leaders and innocent children suffer.

What can we learn from Lamentations 2:20?

We can learn to seek God's comfort and justice in times of great suffering and to question the harsh realities of life, while still seeking God's guidance and support.