Lamentations 2:13 - What shall I testify to you? What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is as big as the sea. Who can heal you?
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Lamentations 2:13" mean?
Lamentations 2:13 is a powerful expression of grief and despair over the destruction of Jerusalem. To understand it, let's break it down:
"What shall I testify to you?" - The speaker (likely the prophet Jeremiah) is struggling to find words to adequately describe the magnitude of Jerusalem's devastation. He's searching for the right language to convey the reality of their suffering. He's asking what truth he can speak that will resonate with their experience.
"What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem?" - He's trying to find a comparison or analogy to help people understand the enormity of the city's fall. He's searching for something that could possibly equate to the level of ruin and loss.
"What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion?" - Again, he seeks an appropriate comparison, but now with the added motivation of wanting to offer comfort. "Virgin daughter of Zion" is a term of endearment and represents Jerusalem as once pure and untouched, but now defiled and broken. The implication is that the devastation is so profound that even a good comparison eludes him.
"For your breach is as big as the sea." - This is the key. He concludes that no earthly comparison is sufficient. The "breach" refers to the catastrophic damage, the irreparable wound inflicted upon Jerusalem. Comparing it to the sea signifies its overwhelming vastness, its boundless depth, and its seeming impossibility to repair.
"Who can heal you?" - This is the final, devastating question. Given the scale of the destruction, the prophet expresses utter hopelessness. If the wound is as vast as the sea, then who has the power to heal it? This highlights the desperate situation and the apparent absence of any solution.
In essence, the verse conveys:
The Incomparable Scale of Jerusalem's Suffering: The prophet is at a loss for words and analogies because the city's destruction is beyond anything he can readily grasp or express.
Profound Grief and Despair: The passage speaks to the depth of the prophet's sorrow and the perceived hopelessness of the situation.
The Question of Healing: It raises the crucial question of whether recovery is even possible, given the immensity of the damage.
This verse captures the overwhelming sense of loss and the seemingly insurmountable challenge of rebuilding after such utter devastation. It sets the stage for the lament that follows, a cry for God's mercy in the face of unparalleled suffering.
Lamentations 2:13 - What shall I testify to you? What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is as big as the sea. Who can heal you?
What does "Lamentations 2:13" mean?
Lamentations 2:13 is a powerful expression of grief and despair over the destruction of Jerusalem. To understand it, let's break it down:
"What shall I testify to you?" - The speaker (likely the prophet Jeremiah) is struggling to find words to adequately describe the magnitude of Jerusalem's devastation. He's searching for the right language to convey the reality of their suffering. He's asking what truth he can speak that will resonate with their experience.
"What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem?" - He's trying to find a comparison or analogy to help people understand the enormity of the city's fall. He's searching for something that could possibly equate to the level of ruin and loss.
"What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion?" - Again, he seeks an appropriate comparison, but now with the added motivation of wanting to offer comfort. "Virgin daughter of Zion" is a term of endearment and represents Jerusalem as once pure and untouched, but now defiled and broken. The implication is that the devastation is so profound that even a good comparison eludes him.
"For your breach is as big as the sea." - This is the key. He concludes that no earthly comparison is sufficient. The "breach" refers to the catastrophic damage, the irreparable wound inflicted upon Jerusalem. Comparing it to the sea signifies its overwhelming vastness, its boundless depth, and its seeming impossibility to repair.
"Who can heal you?" - This is the final, devastating question. Given the scale of the destruction, the prophet expresses utter hopelessness. If the wound is as vast as the sea, then who has the power to heal it? This highlights the desperate situation and the apparent absence of any solution.
In essence, the verse conveys:
The Incomparable Scale of Jerusalem's Suffering: The prophet is at a loss for words and analogies because the city's destruction is beyond anything he can readily grasp or express.
Profound Grief and Despair: The passage speaks to the depth of the prophet's sorrow and the perceived hopelessness of the situation.
The Question of Healing: It raises the crucial question of whether recovery is even possible, given the immensity of the damage.
This verse captures the overwhelming sense of loss and the seemingly insurmountable challenge of rebuilding after such utter devastation. It sets the stage for the lament that follows, a cry for God's mercy in the face of unparalleled suffering.