Lamentations 2:15
What does Lamentations 2:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Lamentations 2:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Lamentations 2:15 means
Passersby clap, hiss, and wag their heads at Jerusalem, once hailed as “The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth.” The contrast is brutal: former renown now draws mockery. Shame replaces honor when God’s favor is removed. This verse exposes the world’s scorn for a fallen holy city; the very titles that once celebrated her become taunts. It also shows how public sin and judgment dishonor God’s name among the nations. The lament is not only for lost prestige but for the desecration of what was meant to reflect divine glory to the world.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000All 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 called The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
KJV
King James Version · 1611All 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?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901All 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 called The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949All who go by make a noise with their hands at you; they make hisses, shaking their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, and saying, Is this the town which was the crown of everything beautiful, the joy of all the earth?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Clapped hands at thee have all passing by the way, They have hissed--and they shake the head At the daughter of Jerusalem: `Is this the city of which they said: The perfection of beauty, a joy to all the land?'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Samech. All they that passed by the way have clapped their hands at thee: they have hissed, and wagged their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying: Is this the city of perfect beauty, the joy of all the earth?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890All that pass by clap [their] hands at thee; they hiss and shake their head at the daughter of Jerusalem: Is this the city which they called, The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
Context
Having condemned false prophets (v. 14), the poem now records the reaction of onlookers (v. 15), then enemies (v. 16). The pivot from internal deceit to external derision demonstrates the full social fallout of spiritual failure. Verse 15’s mockery sets up verse 16’s triumphant enemy boast, intensifying the humiliation. The reader should sense how the loss of truth inside the city opened it to contempt from outside. This prepares for verse 17’s sober correction: behind all the scoffing stands Jehovah fulfilling His ancient word.
v.14Thy prophets have seen for thee false and foolish visions; And they have not uncovered thine iniquity, to bring back thy captivity, But have seen for thee false oracles and causes of banishment.
v.15This passage
v.16All thine enemies have opened their mouth wide against thee; They hiss and gnash the teeth; they say, We have swallowed her up; Certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Lamentations 2:6
And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden; he hath destroyed his place of assembly: Jehovah hath caused solemn assembly and sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, And hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
- Mark 15:29
And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ha! thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
- Jeremiah 29:18
And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them;
- Ezekiel 25:6
For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thou hast clapped thy hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the despite of thy soul against the land of Israel;
- Jeremiah 51:37
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
- 2 Kings 19:21
This is the word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Lamentations 2
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Lamentations 2.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Faithfulness
Faithfulness describes a person’s loyal and steadfast devotion to God, and also God’s unchanging, unfailing character.
Topic
Bible Verses About the Faithfulness of God
God’s faithfulness is a cornerstone of our hope, revealing His unwavering character and His commitment to His promises through all generations.
Topic
Bible Verses About the Mercy of God
God’s mercy is a profound aspect of His character, showing His compassionate love and steadfast faithfulness toward humanity
What the Bible says about…
Verses for this moment
Verses for
Bible Verses for Morning Work Anxiety
Start the workday from a steadier place — verses to pray with coffee.
Verses for
Bible Verses for the Anniversary of a Loss
When the calendar remembers — verses for the day you can't forget.
Verses for
Bible Verses for When You Feel Hopeless
When the future has gone gray — verses that don't lecture, only hold.