Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)

As Jerusalem persists in her muteness, the narrator fills the silence by peering outward, scrutinizing the surroundings for reactions to Jerusalem’s downfall. Some scholars read these verses as the narrator’s continued (futile) search for someone who can heal Jerusalem. More likely, the narrator looks outward because he cannot bear to look inward at the frightful sights that pervade the ruined city.
 
Two remarkably parallel verses direct our gaze away from Jerusalem’s populace to observe how outsiders respond to her wretched state. Each of these verses name a different group (passersby and enemies), noting their physical non-verbal gestures (clapping, whistling, head-wagging, teeth-gnashing), followed by a direct citation of their speech.