Lamentations 2:5
Modern Translations
New International Version
The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for Daughter Judah.

New Living Translation
Yes, the Lord has vanquished Israel like an enemy. He has destroyed her palaces and demolished her fortresses. He has brought unending sorrow and tears upon beautiful Jerusalem.

English Standard Version
The Lord has become like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel; he has swallowed up all its palaces; he has laid in ruins its strongholds, and he has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Berean Study Bible
The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah.

New American Standard Bible
The Lord has become like an enemy. He has engulfed Israel; He has engulfed all its palaces, He has destroyed its strongholds And caused great mourning and grieving in the daughter of Judah.

NASB 1995
The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all its palaces, He has destroyed its strongholds And multiplied in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning.

NASB 1977
The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all its palaces; He has destroyed its strongholds And multiplied in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning.

Amplified Bible
The Lord has become like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all its palaces; He has destroyed its strongholds And multiplied in the Daughter of Judah Mourning and lamentation (expressions of grief).

Christian Standard Bible
The Lord is like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all its palaces and destroyed its fortified cities. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation within Daughter Judah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all its palaces and destroyed its fortified cities. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation within Daughter Judah.

Contemporary English Version
The Lord was like an enemy! He left Israel in ruins with its palaces and fortresses destroyed, and with everyone in Judah moaning and weeping.

Good News Translation
Like an enemy, the Lord has destroyed Israel; He has left her forts and palaces in ruins. He has brought on the people of Judah unending sorrow.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Lord became an enemy. He swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all of its palaces. He destroyed its strongholds. He made the people of Judah mourn and moan.

International Standard Version
The Lord has become like an enemy— he has devoured Israel. He has devoured all of her palaces, destroying her fortresses. He filled cherished Judah with mourning and lament.

NET Bible
The Lord, like an enemy, destroyed Israel. He destroyed all her palaces; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

New King James Version
The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, And has increased mourning and lamentation In the daughter of Judah.

King James 2000 Bible
The Lord was as an enemy: he has swallowed up Israel, he has swallowed up all her palaces: he has destroyed his strongholds, and has increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD has become as an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel; he has swallowed up all her palaces and has destroyed its strongholds. He has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

World English Bible
The Lord is become as an enemy, he has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all her palaces, he has destroyed his strongholds; He has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

American King James Version
The LORD was as an enemy: he has swallowed up Israel, he has swallowed up all her palaces: he has destroyed his strong holds, and has increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

American Standard Version
The Lord is become as an enemy, he hath swallowed up Israel; He hath swallowed up all her palaces, he hath destroyed his strongholds; And he hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

A Faithful Version
The LORD has become like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel; He has destroyed all her palaces, and he has laid in ruins its stronghold. And He has multiplied mourning and lamentation in the daughter of Judah.

Darby Bible Translation
The Lord is become as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel; he hath swallowed up all her palaces; he hath destroyed his strongholds, and hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

English Revised Version
The Lord is become as an enemy, he hath swallowed up Israel; he hath swallowed up all her palaces, he hath destroyed his strong holds: and he hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Webster's Bible Translation
The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
The Lord was as an enemie: he hath deuoured Israel, and consumed all his palaces: hee hath destroyed his strong holdes, and hath increased in the daughter of Iudah lamentation and mourning.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
The Lorde is become like as it were an enemie, he hath deuoured Israel and all his palaces, yea all his strong holdes hath he destroyed, and fylled the daughter of Iuda with much sorowe and heauinesse.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
The LORDE is become, like as it were an enemie, he hath cast downe Israel & all his places: yee all his stronge holdes hath he destroyed, and fylled the doughter of Iuda wt moch sorow and heuynesse.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The Lord has been as an enemy, "" He has swallowed up Israel, "" He has swallowed up all her palaces, "" He has destroyed His fortresses, "" And He multiplies in the daughter of Judah "" Mourning and moaning.

Young's Literal Translation
The Lord hath been as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all her palaces, He hath destroyed His fortresses, And He multiplieth in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning.

Smith's Literal Translation
Jehovah was as an enemy: he swallowed up Israel, he swallowed up all her fortresses: he destroyed his fortifications, and he will multiply in the daughter of Judah sorrow and sighing.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He. The Lord is become as an enemy: he hath cast down Israel headlong, he hath overthrown all the walls thereof: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath multiplied in the daughter of Juda the afflicted, both men and women.

Catholic Public Domain Version
HE. The Lord has become like an enemy. He has thrown down Israel. He has thrown down all of his defenses. He has torn apart his fortifications. And he has filled the daughter of Judah with humbled men and humbled women.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
He LORD JEHOVAH was as an enemy and he drowned Israel, and he sank all his palaces and destroyed his surroundings and he increased in the daughter of Yehuda a byword and wailings

Lamsa Bible
The LORD has become as an enemy; he has drowned Israel, he has destroyed all her palaces; he has made havoc in all her provinces, and has increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The Lord is become as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel; He hath swallowed up all her palaces, He hath destroyed his strongholds; And He hath multiplied in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
HE. The Lord is become as an enemy: he has overwhelmed Israel as in the sea, he has overwhelmed her palaces: he has destroyed her strong-holds, and has multiplied the afflicted and humbled ones to the daughter of Juda.
















Lamentations 2:4
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