The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast.
LAMENTATIONS 2:7KJVWhat does Lamentations 2:7 mean?
Lamentations 2:7 describes how the Lord has rejected his own altar and sanctuary, allowing enemies to take over and desecrate what was once sacred, so that the sounds inside the temple are now those of invaders rather than worshippers. The verse paints a picture of total abandonment, where even the holiest places are no longer protected.
In this verse, the writer (traditionally understood as Jeremiah) is lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple after the Babylonian invasion. The verse highlights the depth of the disaster: not only have the city’s defenses and palaces fallen, but the very center of worship—the temple—has been handed over to enemies. The “noise” in the house of the LORD, which once came from joyful feasts, is now the sound of foreign conquerors.
The Hebrew behind Lamentations 2:7
- “Cast off” (זָנַח, zanach): This word means to reject or spurn. The verse emphasizes that the Lord has actively turned away from his own altar, not just passively allowed its destruction.
- “Abhorred” (נָאַל, na'al): This word carries a strong sense of disgust or loathing. It shows that the Lord’s rejection of the sanctuary is complete and emotional, not just a formal decision.
- “Sanctuary” (מִקְדָּשׁ, miqdash): This refers specifically to the most sacred part of the temple, underlining the seriousness of what has been lost.
- “Noise” (קוֹל, qol): The word for “noise” is the same as “voice” or “sound.” The contrast is that the temple, once filled with the joyful sounds of worship, is now filled with the noise of enemies.
Why Lamentations 2:7 matters
- Lamentations 2:7 makes clear that the destruction of Jerusalem was not just a military defeat but a spiritual catastrophe, with God himself withdrawing protection from his own house.
- The verse helps readers understand the depth of grief in Lamentations: the loss is not only physical but also deeply religious and communal, affecting the heart of Israel’s identity.
- By describing the enemy’s noise as replacing the sounds of worship, the verse highlights the complete reversal of what the temple was meant to be, showing the seriousness of the judgment described in this book.