What is the meaning of Lamentations 3:47?

Panic

“Panic …” (Lamentations 3:47a).

• The exiles feel sheer terror—an inner collapse that comes when God withdraws His shelter (Leviticus 26:36; Deuteronomy 28:65).

• Earlier warnings had pictured the same dread: “We have heard reports … anguish has gripped us, pain like a woman in labor” (Jeremiah 6:24).

• Panic is not random; it is the direct consequence of persistent sin against a holy God (Jeremiah 2:19).

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Pitfall

“… and pitfall have come upon us …” (Lamentations 3:47a).

• A pitfall is a trap you do not see until you are in it (Psalm 35:8). Judah’s political alliances and self-confidence became the very snare that swallowed the nation (Jeremiah 2:37).

• Isaiah had warned, “Terror, pit, and snare await you” (Isaiah 24:17). The same trio strikes here, showing that God’s earlier prophecies were fulfilled to the letter.

• When God’s protection is removed, what looked like solid ground gives way (Jeremiah 18:22).

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Devastation

“—devastation …” (Lamentations 3:47b).

• The Hebrew mindset links devastation to the land itself: ruined crops, toppled walls, empty streets (Jeremiah 4:20; 52:14).

• This is what covenant violation brings: “Disaster follows disaster; the whole land is laid waste” (Jeremiah 4:20).

• The devastation confirms God’s justice—He said it would happen if Israel turned from Him (Deuteronomy 28:49–52).

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Destruction

“… and destruction.” (Lamentations 3:47b).

• Destruction goes beyond ruined property; it is the closing chapter of national life—temple burned, king captured, people exiled (2 Kings 25:9–11; Lamentations 2:9).

• Jeremiah had pleaded for repentance to avert this very outcome (Jeremiah 25:5–7). Ignored warnings now become irreversible judgment.

• Yet even here, hope flickers: God limits destruction so a remnant may return (Lamentations 3:31–33; Isaiah 10:22).

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summary

Each word in Lamentations 3:47 traces a downward spiral. Panic grips the heart, pitfall ensnares the path, devastation sweeps the land, and destruction seals the fate. The verse stands as proof that God means what He says in His covenant promises and warnings. Sin brings real, measurable ruin—but even in the rubble, His mercy keeps a doorway open for repentant hearts to find restoration.