Teks -- Lamentations 2:3 (NET)

2:3 ג(Gimel) In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel. He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked. He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; it consumed everything around it.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Lam 2:3 - The horn

All their beauty and strength.

Wesley: Lam 2:3 - Drawn back

God hath drawn back his assistance which he was wont to give the Jews against their enemies.

Wesley: Lam 2:3 - Round about

God consumed them, not in this or that part, but round about, as a fire seizing an house at once on all sides.

JFB: Lam 2:3 - horn

Worn in the East as an ornament on the forehead, and an emblem of power and majesty (1Sa 2:10; Psa 132:17; see on Jer 48:25).

JFB: Lam 2:3 - drawn back . . . fight hand

(Psa 74:11). God has withdrawn the help which He before gave them. Not as HENDERSON, "He has turned back his (Israel's) right hand" (Psa 89:43).

Clarke: Lam 2:3 - The horn of Israel

The horn of Israel - His power and strength. It is a metaphor taken from cattle, whose principal strength lies in their horns

Clarke: Lam 2:3 - Hath drawn back his right hand

Hath drawn back his right hand - He did not support us when our enemies came against us.

Calvin: Lam 2:3 - NO PHRASE

Jeremiah expresses the same thing in various ways; but all that he says tends to shew that it was an evidence of God’s extreme vengeance, when the people, the city, and the Temple, were destroyed. But it ought to be observed, that God is here represented as the author of that calamity: the Prophet would have otherwise lamented in vain over the ruin of his own country; but as in all adversities he acknowledged the hand of God, he afterwards added, that God had a just reason why he was so grievously displeased with his own people.

He then says, that every horn had been broken by God. We know that by horn is meant strength as well as excellency or dignity and I am disposed to include both here, though the word breaking seems rather to refer to strength or power. But the whole clause must be noticed, that God had broken every horn of Israel in the indignation of his wrath. The Prophet intimates that God had not been angry with his people as though he had been offended by slight transgressions, but that the measure of his wrath had been unusual, even because the impiety of the people had so burst forth, that the offense given to God could not have been slight. Then, by indignation of wrath the Prophet does not mean an excess, as though God had through a violent impulse rushed forth to take vengeance; but he rather intimates that the people had become so wicked, that it did not behoove God to punish in an ordinary way an impiety so inveterate.

He then adds, that God had withdrawn, his right hand from before the enemy, and that at the same time he had burned like a fire, the flame of which had devoured all around. The Prophet here refers to two things; the first is, that though God had been accustomed to help his people, and to oppose their enemies, as they had experienced his aid in the greatest dangers, yet now his people were forsaken and left destitute of all hope. The first clause, then, declares, that God would not be the deliverer of his people as formerly, because they had forsaken him. But he speaks figuratively, that God had drawn back his right hand; and God’s right hand means his protection, as it is well known. But the Prophet’s meaning is by no means obscure, even that there was hereafter no hope that God would meet the enemies of his people, and thus preserve them in safety, for he had drawn back his hand. ¹⁴⁹ But there is a second thing added, even that God’s hand burned like fire. Now it was in itself a grievous thing that the people had been so rejected by God, that no help could be expected from him; but it was still a harder thing, that he went forth armed to destroy his people. And the metaphor of fire ought to be noticed; for had he said that God’s right hand was against his people, the expression would not have been so forcible; but when he compared God’s right hand to fire which burned, and whose flame consumed all Israel, it was a much more dreadful thing. ¹⁵⁰

Moreover, by these words the Israelites were reminded that they were not to lament their calamities in an ordinary way, but ought, on the contrary, to have seriously considered the cause of all their evils, even the provoking of God’s wrath against themselves; and not only so, but that God was angry with them in an unusual degree, and yet justly, so that they had no reason to complain. It follows, —

TSK: Lam 2:3 - the horn // he hath // he burned

the horn : Job 16:15; Psa 75:5, Psa 75:10, Psa 89:24, Psa 132:17; Jer 48:25; Luk 1:69

he hath : Psa 74:11

he burned : Deu 32:22; Psa 79:5, Psa 89:46; Isa 1:31, Isa 42:25; Jer 4:4, Jer 7:20; Mal 4:1; Luk 3:17

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Lam 2:3 - He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel // He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy // He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about

He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel that is, the beauty and strength of Israel, so horn signifieth by a usual metaphor in Scripture, Psa 74:4 Jer 48:25 , &c., the horn being much the beauty of the beast, as also that member by which the beast puts forth its strength in assaulting its adversary.

He hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy either God hath drawn back his assistance which he was wont to give the Jews against their enemies; or Israel, through God’ s leaving of them, hath drawn back his right hand; but it seems rather to be understood of God’ s weakening the Israelites’ right hands, so as they were not able to hold them up (as before) against their enemies.

He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about God had consumed them, not in this or that part, but round about, as a fire seizing a house or heap of combustible matter at once, on all sides.

Haydock: Lam 2:3 - Horn // Hand

Horn: beauty and power, (Haydock) the two kingdoms, the fortresses, (Calmet) and all their strength, denoted by horns. (Worthington) ---

Hand; refusing us protection, and aiding the Chaldeans.

Gill: Lam 2:3 - He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel // he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy // and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about

He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel,.... All its power and strength, especially its kingly power, which is often signified by a horn in Scripture; see Dan 7:24; this the Lord took away in his fierce anger, and left the land destitute of all relief, help, defence and protection; whether from its king and princes, or from its men of war or fortified places; all being cut off and destroyed:

he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy; either his own right hand, with which he had used to fight for his people, and protect them, but now withdrawing it, left them to the mercy of their enemies; or Israel's right hand, which he so weakened, that they had no power to resist the enemy, and defend themselves:

and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about; that is, his wrath was like a burning flaming fire, which consumes all around, wherever it comes; thus the Lord in his anger consumed Jacob, and left neither root nor branch.