All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
LAMENTATIONS 2:15KJVWhat does Lamentations 2:15 mean?
Lamentations 2:15 describes how people passing by Jerusalem react with mocking gestures and scornful words, amazed that the city once called beautiful and joyful now lies in ruin. The verse shows outsiders expressing disbelief and contempt, highlighting Jerusalem’s dramatic fall from honor to disgrace.
The speaker is the narrator of Lamentations, likely the prophet Jeremiah, describing the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction by Babylon. The “daughter of Jerusalem” refers to the city and its people. Passersby clap, hiss, and wag their heads—common gestures of ridicule in the ancient world—while sarcastically questioning how such a ruined place could ever have been called “the perfection of beauty” and “the joy of the whole earth.”
The Hebrew behind Lamentations 2:15
- “Clap” (סָפַק, saphaq): This word means to clap or strike, often used in the Bible as a gesture of mockery or derision, not applause. Here, it emphasizes the scorn outsiders show toward Jerusalem.
- “Hiss” (שָׁרַק, sharaq): To hiss in this context is a way of expressing contempt or astonishment. In the ancient Near East, hissing was a sign of ridicule or shock at someone’s downfall.
- “Perfection” (כְּלִיל, kelil): This word means completeness or wholeness. Calling Jerusalem “the perfection of beauty” underscores how highly the city was once regarded, making its destruction even more tragic.
- “Joy” (מָשׂוֹשׂ, masos): This word means joy or delight. The phrase “the joy of the whole earth” shows that Jerusalem was once seen as a source of happiness and pride for many, not just its own people.
Why Lamentations 2:15 matters
- Lamentations 2:15 clears up that the gestures described—clapping, hissing, wagging heads—are not signs of sympathy but of ridicule and disbelief at Jerusalem’s downfall.
- The verse emphasizes the depth of Jerusalem’s humiliation by showing that even outsiders, who once admired the city, now mock its destruction.
- This verse connects to the wider theme of Lamentations: the sorrow and shock over Jerusalem’s fall, and the reversal of its former glory and reputation.