Lamentations 2:20

Behold. Verses 20-22 constitute the prayer that Judah makes to the Lord in response to the cry of v. 19.

Consider. Jerusalem does not seek to instruct God as to what He should do. In a spirit of true prayer and repentance, she calls only for His attention, recognizing that the Father knows better than she what is best for her.

To whom. The frightful scenes depicted were brought, not upon a heathen nation, but upon God’s chosen people, to whom His richest blessings had once been promised on condition of their obedience (see Gen. 12:2,3, 15:5; 18:18; 26:3, 4; 28:14; Deut. 28:1—13; 30:1-10; 33). So those who claim the richest promises of God take upon themselves a corresponding responsibility to allow the righteousness of Christ to cover their lives, that they may not be found unworthy of the blessings they desire.

The extremity of Israel’s suffering is indicative of the immeasurable richness of the blessings the nation would have received had it remained faithful to Jehovah.

Eat their fruit. That is, their children (see ch. 4:10). Such atrocities in time of extremity were prophesied in Deut. 28:53; Jer. 19:9. That is actually happened is testified by the narrative in 2 Kings 6:28, 29.

Of a span long. Heb. tippuchim. This word is somewhat obscure, for it appears nowhere else in the OT. It has been variously translated, “of handbreadth,” “swaddled,” “dandled,” “of tender care,” “frilly formed and healthy,” etc. Whatever the exact meaning of tippuchim, it seems to indicate that the children were lovable little babes, who would have been greatly cherished and protected in ordinary times.