Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

Lamentations 2:4

He hath bent his bowe like an enemie, he hath fastened his ryght hande as an aduersarie, and euery thyng that was pleasaunt to see, he hath slayne: he hath powred out his wrath like a fire, into the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bow;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fire;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jerusalem;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lamentations, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acrostic;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Arms;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Adversary;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Bent;   Tabernacle;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jerusalem;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Athletes, Athletics, and Field-Sports;   Dove;   Ekah (Lamentations) Rabbati;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He has strung his bow like an enemy;his right hand is positioned like an adversary.He has killed everyone who was the delight to the eye,pouring out his wrath like fireon the tent of Daughter Zion.
Hebrew Names Version
He has bent his bow like an enemy, he has stood with his right hand as an adversary, Has killed all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Tziyon he has poured out his wrath like fire.
King James Version
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
English Standard Version
He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe; and he has killed all who were delightful in our eyes in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
New American Standard Bible
He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand is positioned like an adversary, And He has killed everything that was pleasant to the eye. In the tent of the daughter of Zion He has poured out His wrath like fire.
New Century Version
Like an enemy, he prepared to shoot his bow, and his hand was against us. Like an enemy, he killed all the good-looking people; he poured out his anger like fire on the tents of Jerusalem.
Amplified Bible
He has bent His bow like an enemy; He has set His right hand like an adversary And slain all that were delightful and pleasing to the eye; In the tent of the Daughter of Zion He has poured out His wrath like fire.
World English Bible
He has bent his bow like an enemy, he has stood with his right hand as an adversary, Has killed all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he has poured out his wrath like fire.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He hath bent his bowe like an enemie: his right hand was stretched vp as an aduersarie, and slewe al that was pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he powred out his wrath like fire.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He has bent His bow like an enemy; He has set His right hand like an adversary And slain all that were pleasant to the eye; In the tent of the daughter of Zion He has poured out His wrath like fire.
Legacy Standard Bible
He has bent His bow like an enemy;He has set His right hand like an adversaryAnd killed all that were desirable to the eye;In the tent of the daughter of ZionHe has poured out His wrath like fire.
Berean Standard Bible
He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand is positioned. Like a foe He has killed all who were pleasing to the eye; He has poured out His wrath like fire on the tent of the Daughter of Zion.
Contemporary English Version
He attacked like an enemy with a bow and arrows, killing our loved ones. He has burned to the ground the homes on Mount Zion.
Complete Jewish Bible
He bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe. He killed all who were pleasant to see. In the tent of the daughter of Tziyon, he poured out his fury like fire.
Darby Translation
He hath bent his bow like an enemy; he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and hath slain all that was pleasant to the eye: in the tent of the daughter of Zion, he hath poured out his fury like fire.
Easy-to-Read Version
He bent his bow like an enemy. He held his sword in his right hand. He killed all the good-looking men of Judah. He killed them as if they were the enemy. He poured out his anger like a fire on the tents of Zion.
George Lamsa Translation
He has bent his bow like an oppressor; he has raised his hand like an enemy, and has slain all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
Good News Translation
He aimed his arrows at us like an enemy; He killed all those who were our joy and delight. Here in Jerusalem we felt his burning anger.
Lexham English Bible
He has bent his bow like an enemy; he has set his right hand like a foe, and he has slain all the treasures of the eye; in the tent of the daughter of Zion, he has poured out his anger like fire.
Literal Translation
He trod His bow like an enemy, and set His right hand like a foe; and killed all who were desirable to the eye in the tent of the daughter of Zion. He poured out His fury like fire.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He hath bent his bowe like an enemie, he hath fastened his right honde as an aduersary; and euery thinge that was pleasaut to se, he hath smyten it downe. He hath poured out his wrath like a fyre, in to the tabernacle of the doughter Sion.
American Standard Version
He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, And hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his wrath like fire.
Bible in Basic English
His bow has been bent for the attack, he has taken his place with his hand ready, in his hate he has put to death all who were pleasing to the eye: on the tent of the daughter of Zion he has let loose his passion like fire.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He hath bent His bow like an enemy, standing with His right hand as an adversary, and hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye; in the tent of the daughter of Zion He hath poured out His fury like fire.
King James Version (1611)
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an aduersary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye, in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he powred out his furie like fire.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
DALETH. He has bent his bow as an opposing enemy: he has strengthened his right hand as an adversary, and has destroyed all the desirable things of my eyes in the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion: he has poured forth his anger as fire.
English Revised Version
He hath bent his bow like an enemy, he hath stood with his right hand as an adversary, and hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye: in the tent of the daughter of Zion he hath poured out his fury like fire.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Deleth. He as an enemye bente his bouwe, he as an aduersarie made stidfast his riyt hond; and he killide al thing that was fair in siyt in the tabernacle of the douytir of Sion; he schedde out his indignacioun as fier.
Update Bible Version
He has bent his bow like an enemy, he has stood with his right hand as an adversary, And has slain all that were pleasant to the eye: In the tent of the daughter of Zion he has poured out his wrath like fire.
Webster's Bible Translation
He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
New English Translation

ד (Dalet)

He prepared his bow like an enemy; his right hand was ready to shoot. Like a foe he killed everyone, even our strong young men; he has poured out his anger like fire on the tent of Daughter Zion.
New King James Version
Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; With His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; On the tent of the daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire.
New Living Translation
He bends his bow against his people, as though he were their enemy. His strength is used against them to kill their finest youth. His fury is poured out like fire on beautiful Jerusalem.
New Life Bible
He has pulled back His bow string like one who fights against us. He has set His right hand like one who hates us, and has killed all that we liked to see. He has poured out His anger like fire on the tent of Zion.
New Revised Standard
He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe; he has killed all in whom we took pride in the tent of daughter Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He hath trodden his bow like a foe, his right hand erect as an adversary, and hath slain all them who delighted the eye, - In the home of the daughter of Zion, hath he poured out, as fire, his indignation.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Daleth. He hath bent his bow as an enemy, he hath fixed his right hand as an adversary: and he hath killed all that was fair to behold in the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion, he hath poured out his indignation like fire.
Revised Standard Version
He has bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe; and he has slain all the pride of our eyes in the tent of the daughter of Zion; he has poured out his fury like fire.
Young's Literal Translation
He hath trodden His bow as an enemy, Stood hath His right hand as an adversary, And He slayeth all the desirable ones of the eye, In the tent of the daughter of Zion, He hath poured out as fire His fury.
THE MESSAGE
Like an enemy, he aimed his bow, bared his sword, and killed our young men, our pride and joy. His anger, like fire, burned down the homes in Zion.

Contextual Overview

1 Alas] howe hath the Lorde darckened the daughter of Sion in his wrath? As for the honour of Israel he hath cast it downe fro heauen vnto the earth, and he remembred not his owne footestole when he was angry? 2 The Lorde hath cast out all the habitations of Iacob without any fauour, all the strong places of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath, and throwen them downe to the grounde, her kingdome and her princes hath he prophaned. 3 In the wrath of his indignation he hath broken all the horne of Israel, he hath withdrawen his right hande from the enemie, yea a flambe of fire is kindled in Iacob, and hath consumed vp all rounde about. 4 He hath bent his bowe like an enemie, he hath fastened his ryght hande as an aduersarie, and euery thyng that was pleasaunt to see, he hath slayne: he hath powred out his wrath like a fire, into the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion. 5 The Lorde is become like as it were an enemie, he hath deuoured Israel and all his palaces, yea all his strong holdes hath he destroyed, and fylled the daughter of Iuda with much sorowe and heauinesse. 6 His tabernacle as a garden hath he destroyed, his solempne meetinges hath he put downe: the Lord hath brought it so to passe that the hye solempne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion are cleane forgotten: in his heauy displeasure hath he dispised the kyng and priestes. 7 The Lorde hath forsaken his owne aulter, and hath abhorred his owne sanctuarie, and hath geuen the walles of their towres into the handes of the enemie: their enemies made a noyse in the house of the Lorde, as it had ben in a solempne feast day. 8 The Lorde thought to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Sion, he spread out his line, and drewe not in his hande tyll he had destroyed them: therfore mourne the turrettes, & the broken walles fall downe together. 9 Her gates are suncke downe to the grounde, her barres are broken and smitten in sunder, the kyng and princes are caryed away to the gentiles: they haue neither lawe nor prophetes, nor yet any vision from the Lorde.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bent: Lamentations 2:5, Lamentations 3:3, Lamentations 3:12, Lamentations 3:13, Job 6:4, Job 16:12-14, Isaiah 63:10, Jeremiah 21:5, Jeremiah 30:14

that were pleasant to the eye: Heb. the desirable of the eye, Ezekiel 24:25

he poured: Lamentations 4:1, 2 Chronicles 34:21, 2 Chronicles 34:25, Isaiah 42:25, Isaiah 51:17-20, Isaiah 63:6, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 7:20, Jeremiah 21:5, Jeremiah 21:12, Jeremiah 36:7, Ezekiel 5:13, Ezekiel 6:12, Ezekiel 22:22, Ezekiel 36:18, Nahum 1:2, Nahum 1:6

Reciprocal: Numbers 22:22 - stood Isaiah 28:7 - err in Isaiah 64:10 - General Jeremiah 6:12 - I will Jeremiah 10:20 - tabernacle Jeremiah 42:18 - As mine Lamentations 1:13 - above Ezekiel 7:8 - pour Ezekiel 9:7 - General Ezekiel 20:33 - surely Habakkuk 3:9 - bow

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginnyng GOD created ye heauen and the earth.
Genesis 1:4
And God sawe the lyght that it was good: and God deuided the lyght from the darknes.
Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God sayde vnto them: be fruitefull, & multiplie, and replenishe the earth, & subdue it, and haue dominion of the fisshe of the sea, and foule of the ayre, & of euery lyuing thing that moueth vpon the earth.
Genesis 1:31
And God sawe euery thyng that he had made: and beholde, it was exceedyng good. And the euenyng & the mornyng were the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1
The heauens also & the earth were finisshed, & all the hoast of them.
Genesis 2:2
And in the seuenth day God ended his worke whiche he had made. And the seueth day he rested from all his worke which he had made.
Genesis 5:1
This is the booke of the generations of Ada. In the day that God created man, in the lykenesse of God made he hym.
Genesis 10:1
These are the generations of the sonnes of Noah, Sem, Ham, and Iapheth: and vnto them were chyldren borne after the fludde.
Genesis 11:10
These are the generations of Sem: Sem was an hundreth yere old, and begat Arphaxad two yeres after the flood.
Genesis 25:12
These are the generations of Ismael Abrahams sonne, whiche Hagar the Egyptian Saraes handmayde bare vnto Abraham.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He hath bent his bow like an enemy,.... God sometimes appears as if he was an enemy to his people, when he is not, by his conduct and behaviour; by the dispensations of his providence they take him to be so, as Job did, Job 16:9; he bends his bow, or treads it, for the bending or stretching the bow was done by the foot; and as the Targum,

"and threw his arrows at me:''

he stood with his right hand as an adversary; with arrows in it, to put into his bow or with his sword drawn, as an adversary does. The Targum is,

"he stood at the right hand of Nebuchadnezzar and helped him, when he distressed his people Israel:''

and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye; princes and priests, husbands and wives, parents and children, young men and maids; desirable to their friends and relations, and to the commonwealth:

in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion he poured out his fury like fire; that is, either in the temple, or in the city of Jerusalem, or both, which were burnt with fire, as the effect of divine wrath and fury; and which itself is comparable to fire; like a burning lamp of fire, as the Targum; or rather like a burning furnace or mountain; see Nahum 1:6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He stood with his right hand ... - i. e. that right hand so often stretched out to help now grasped a weapon ready for Judah’s destruction.

Were pleasant - Or, was “pleasant.” Put full stop after “eye.” Begin the third distich thus:

In the tabernacle - (or, tent) of the daughter of Zion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Lamentations 2:4. He hath bent his bow - he stood with his right hand — This is the attitude of the archer. He first bends his bow; then sets his arrow upon the string; and, lastly, placing his right hand on the lower end of the arrow, in connexion with the string, takes his aim, and prepares to let fly.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile