Lamentations 2:14

Arabic Simplified (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

تَنَبَّأ لَكِ أنبِيَاؤُكِ بِرُؤَىً فَارِغَةٍ وَكَاذِبَةٍ. لَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكْشِفُوا إثْمَكِ لِكَي تَتُوبِي وَتُغَيِّرِي مَصِيرَكِ. بَلْ تَنَبَّأُوا لَكِ وَحيًا فَارِغًا وَمُخَادِعًا.

What Does This Mean?

This verse from Lamentations criticizes the prophets of Jerusalem for giving false advice and failing to warn the people about their sins. As a result, the city was captured and its people were taken into exile. The prophets didn't help prevent this because they were dishonest.

Explained for Children

Imagine your friends told you that you could eat as many cookies as you want, but they forgot to mention that eating too many would make you very sick. Later, you get sick because you ate too many cookies, and your friends didn't warn you. That's like what happened to the city in this story.

Historical Background

Lamentations is a poetic book written by the prophet Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The audience were the people of Judah, who were experiencing the pain and confusion of exile. The cultural setting was one of mourning and questioning the reasons for their suffering.

Living It Out Today

In modern times, we can relate this verse to situations where leaders or influencers give bad advice, leading to negative consequences for their followers. For example, a financial advisor who misleads clients about the risks of investments, causing them to lose money.

Topics

• prophecy
• leadership
• sin
• consequences
• advice
• exile

Related Verses

• Jeremiah 23:16-17
• Ezekiel 13:5-10
• Isaiah 30:10
• Matthew 7:15-20
• 2 Peter 2:1-3

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'false burdens' mean in Lamentations 2:14?

'False burdens' refers to the misleading and incorrect messages the prophets gave to the people of Jerusalem, leading them to make wrong decisions that worsened their situation.

How can we avoid false advice today?

We can avoid false advice by critically evaluating the information we receive and seeking guidance from reliable and honest sources, much like the people of Jerusalem needed truthful prophets.

Who wrote Lamentations?

Lamentations is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, who wrote it after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians.

What was the main reason for the prophets' failure?

The prophets failed because they were dishonest and did not warn the people about their sins, which led to the city's downfall and exile.