Lamentations 3:15

15 He has made my life nothing but pain, he has given me the bitter root in full measure.

Lamentations 3:15 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 3:15

He hath filled me with bitterness
Or "with bitternesses" {m}; instead of food, bitter herbs; the allusion perhaps is to the bitter herbs eaten at the passover, and signify bitter afflictions, sore calamities, of which the prophet and his people had their fill. The Targum is,

``with the gall of serpents;''
see ( Job 20:14 ) ; he hath made me drunken with wormwood;
with wormwood drink; but this herb being a wholesome one, though bitter, some think that henbane, or wolfsbane, is rather meant, which is of a poisonous and intoxicating nature; it is no unusual thing for persons to be represented as drunk with affliction, ( Isaiah 51:17 Isaiah 51:21 ) ( Jeremiah 25:27 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Myrwrmb) "amaritudinibus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis, "amaroribus", Cocceius.

Lamentations 3:15 In-Context

13 He has let loose his arrows into the inmost parts of my body.
14 I have become the sport of all the peoples; I am their song all the day.
15 He has made my life nothing but pain, he has given me the bitter root in full measure.
16 By him my teeth have been broken with crushed stones, and I am bent low in the dust.
17 My soul is sent far away from peace, I have no more memory of good.
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