Lamentations 2 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 2:6, 2:10, 2:13, 2:20, 2:21, 2:22
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 2
Hebrew source [BHS2] • Greek source [LXX2]
The Lord’s anger and the city’s cry (2:1–22)
Verse 2:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:1] How the Lord has covered Daughter Zion with a cloud in His anger!
He cast Israel's splendor from heaven to earth
and did not remember His footstool on the day of His anger.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:1] How the Lord has darkened Daughter Zion in His anger!
He hurled Israel's glory from heaven to earth
and did not remember His footstool on the day of His anger.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The cloud and darkness imagery differs slightly; the divine footstool remains an image rather than an inserted identification.
Verse 2:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:2] The Lord swallowed up without pity all Jacob's dwellings.
In His fury He tore down Daughter Judah's fortresses;
He brought them to the ground and profaned the kingdom and its princes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:2] The Lord drowned without sparing all Jacob's beautiful things.
In His fury He brought down Daughter Judah's strongholds;
He pressed them to the earth and profaned her king and her rulers.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek drowning, beautiful things and king differ from Hebrew swallowing, dwellings and kingdom.
Verse 2:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:3] In burning anger He cut off every horn of Israel.
He drew back His right hand before the enemy
and burned in Jacob like a flaming fire consuming all around.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:3] In His furious anger He broke every horn of Israel.
He turned back His right hand before the enemy
and kindled a flame in Jacob like fire, consuming everything around.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Horn is retained as the image of strength rather than replaced with a list of institutions.
Verse 2:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:4] He bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand stood firm like an adversary.
He killed everything delightful to the eye;
in Daughter Zion's tent He poured out His wrath like fire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:4] He drew His bow like an enemy and made His right hand firm like an opponent.
He killed everything desired by my eyes in Daughter Zion's tent;
He poured out His fury like fire.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds my to eyes and joins the tent more directly to the killing clause. The comparison like an enemy is preserved without erasing its force.
Verse 2:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:5] The Lord has become like an enemy; He swallowed up Israel.
He swallowed all her palaces and destroyed his fortresses;
He multiplied mourning and lamentation in Daughter Judah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:5] The Lord became like an enemy; He drowned Israel.
He drowned all her citadels and destroyed his strongholds;
He multiplied humiliation and abasement for Daughter Judah.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both shift possessive gender with the personified community; Greek humiliation vocabulary differs from Hebrew mourning wordplay.
Verse 2:6 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:6] He tore down His shelter like a garden and destroyed His meeting place.
YHWH caused festival and Sabbath to be forgotten in Zion;
in His angry indignation He spurned king and priest.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:6] He spread out His dwelling like a vine and destroyed His festival.
The Lord forgot what He had made in Zion of festival and Sabbath;
in His angry indignation He provoked king, priest and ruler.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek vine, spreading, divine forgetting, provocation and added ruler materially differ from Hebrew garden, violent removal, caused forgetting and rejection. Greek's compressed what-He-made construction remains provisional.
Verse 2:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:7] The Lord rejected His altar and repudiated His sanctuary.
He delivered the walls of her palaces into the enemy's hand.
They raised a shout in YHWH's house as on a festival day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:7] The Lord rejected His altar and shook off His sanctuary.
He shattered the wall of her citadels in the enemy's hand.
They raised a shout in the Lord's house as on a festival day.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek shattering in the enemy's hand differs from Hebrew delivery into that hand.
Verse 2:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:8] YHWH planned to destroy Daughter Zion's wall.
He stretched out a line; He did not withdraw His hand from swallowing.
He made rampart and wall mourn; together they languished.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:8] The Lord turned to destroy Daughter Zion's wall.
He stretched out a measure; He did not withdraw His hand from trampling.
The outer defense mourned, and the wall weakened together with it.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek turn, measure and trampling preserve distinct actions. Both describe deliberate destruction rather than an accidental collapse.
Verse 2:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:9] Her gates sank into the earth; He destroyed and broke her bars.
Her king and her princes are among the nations; there is no instruction.
Even her prophets find no vision from YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:9] Her gates were fixed in the earth; He destroyed and broke her bars.
Her king and her rulers are among the nations.
There is no law; even her prophets saw no vision from the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek's king-and-rulers phrase lacks an explicit verb and is supplied with are. Torah/nomos is instruction/law in the setting of devastated institutions.
Verse 2:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:10] Daughter Zion's elders sit on the ground in silence.
They put dust on their heads and gird themselves with sackcloth.
Jerusalem's virgins lower their heads to the ground.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:10] Daughter Zion's elders sat on the ground in silence.
They put dust on their heads and girded themselves with sackcloth.
They brought the leading virgins in Jerusalem down to the ground.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek has they brought down leading virgins rather than the virgins lowering their heads. The exact relation of archegous and parthenous is difficult and provisionally read together.
Verse 2:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:11] My eyes fail with tears; my inward parts churn.
My liver is poured onto the ground at the shattering of the daughter of my people,
as infant and nursing child faint in the city's squares.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:11] My eyes failed with tears; my heart was troubled.
My glory was poured onto the ground at the shattering of the daughter of my people,
as infant and nursing child failed in the city's squares.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek heart/glory differs from Hebrew inward parts/liver. The bodily distress is retained without medical embellishment.
Verse 2:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:12] They say to their mothers, Where are grain and wine?
They faint like the wounded in the city's squares,
and their lives pour out into their mothers' bosoms.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:12] They said to their mothers, Where are grain and wine?
They weakened like the wounded in the city's squares,
and their lives poured out into their mothers' bosoms.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The starving children's speech and collapse agree.
Verse 2:13 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:13] What can I testify to you? To what can I compare you, Daughter Jerusalem?
What can I set beside you to comfort you, virgin Daughter Zion?
For your breaking is great as the sea; who can heal you?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:13] What can I testify to you, or what can I liken to you, Daughter Jerusalem?
Who will save you and comfort you, virgin Daughter Zion?
For the cup of your crushing has grown great; who will heal you?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek asks who will save rather than what can be compared and introduces a cup instead of Hebrew's sea comparison.
Verse 2:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:14] Your prophets saw emptiness and foolishness for you.
They did not expose your iniquity to restore your fortunes;
they saw for you empty oracles and causes of banishment.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:14] Your prophets saw futile things and folly for you.
They did not uncover your injustice to turn back your captivity;
they saw for you futile pronouncements and expulsions.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The concluding terms for banishment or misleading are difficult. Hebrew restore fortunes and Greek return captivity retain related restoration senses without claiming a complete historical diagnosis.
Verse 2:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:15] All who pass along the road clap their hands at you.
They hiss and shake their heads at Daughter Jerusalem:
Is this the city called perfect in beauty, the joy of all the earth?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:15] All who pass along the road clapped their hands at you.
They hissed and shook their heads at Daughter Jerusalem:
Is this the city they will call a crown of glory, the gladness of all the earth?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek crown of glory differs from Hebrew perfection of beauty and has a future naming verb.
Verse 2:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:16] All your enemies open their mouths against you.
They hiss and gnash their teeth; they say, We have swallowed her!
Surely this is the day we hoped for; we have found it, we have seen it!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:16] All your enemies opened their mouths against you.
They hissed and gnashed their teeth; they said, We have swallowed her!
Indeed, this is the day we expected; we found it, we saw it!
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Her is supplied in Hebrew from the personified city. The enemies' triumph remains attributed speech.
Verse 2:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:17] YHWH did what He planned; He fulfilled His word,
which He commanded from days of old. He tore down without pity;
He made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted your adversaries' horn.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:17] The Lord did what He intended; He fulfilled His words,
which He commanded from ancient days. He brought down without sparing;
He made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted your oppressor's horn.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek has plural words and a singular oppressor where Hebrew has word and adversaries.
Verse 2:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:18] Their heart cried to the Lord.
O wall of Daughter Zion, let tears run down like a torrent day and night!
Give yourself no respite; let the pupil of your eye not rest.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:18] Their heart cried to the Lord:
Walls of Zion, bring down tears like torrents day and night!
Give yourself no sobering pause; daughter, may your eye not fall silent.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek addresses plural walls, then a singular daughter; Hebrew's daughter of the eye is the pupil. Greek eknepsis, sobering or recovery, is kept distinct from simple rest.
Verse 2:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:19] Rise, cry out in the night at the beginning of the watches!
Pour out your heart like water before the Lord.
Lift your hands to Him for the lives of your little ones,
who faint with hunger at the head of every street.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:19] Rise, exult in the night at the beginning of your watch!
Pour out your heart like water before the Lord.
Lift your hands to Him for the lives of your infants,
who weaken with hunger at the head of every way out.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek agalliasai is exult, unexpectedly in lament, rather than Hebrew's cry out. The differing watch number and street/exit terms remain visible.
Verse 2:20 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:20] See, YHWH, and look: with whom have You dealt this way?
Should women eat their fruit, the little ones they have nurtured?
Should priest and prophet be killed in the Lord's sanctuary?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:20] See, Lord, and look: whom have You gleaned in this way?
Will women eat the fruit of their womb?
A butcher made a gleaning; will infants nursing at breasts be murdered?
Will You kill priest and prophet in the Lord's sanctuary?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek adds a butcher/gleaning clause and an explicit question about nursing infants, then directly addresses God as killer. Its mageiros can mean cook, butcher or slaughterer; butcher is provisional in the siege context. The horrifying questions are not expanded with invented detail.
Verse 2:21 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:21] Young and old lie on the ground in the streets.
My virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword.
You killed on the day of Your anger; You slaughtered without pity.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:21] Child and elder lay at the way out.
My virgins and my young men went into captivity.
With sword and famine You killed; on the day of Your anger You slaughtered without sparing.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek captivity differs from Hebrew fallen by the sword, and Greek adds famine while moving sword into the divine-action clause.
Verse 2:22 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[2:22] You summon my terrors from all around as on a festival day.
On the day of YHWH's anger there was neither escapee nor survivor.
Those I nurtured and raised, my enemy consumed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[2:22] He called a festival day of my sojourning from all around.
On the day of the Lord's anger there was neither one rescued nor one left,
as I prevailed and multiplied all my enemies.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek's sojourning and first-person multiplication of enemies differ markedly from Hebrew terrors and children consumed by an enemy. The final Greek syntax is retained provisionally; no Hebrew reconstruction is substituted.