Lamentations 3:19
New International Version
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.

New Living Translation
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.

English Standard Version
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!

Berean Standard Bible
Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.

King James Bible
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

New King James Version
Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall.

New American Standard Bible
Remember my misery and my homelessness, the wormwood and bitterness.

NASB 1995
Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.

NASB 1977
Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.

Legacy Standard Bible
Remember my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and gall.

Amplified Bible
Remember [O LORD] my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness).

Christian Standard Bible
Remember my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Remember my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison.

American Standard Version
Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

Contemporary English Version
Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable.

English Revised Version
Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Remember my suffering and my [aimless] wandering, the wormwood and poison.

Good News Translation
The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison.

International Standard Version
Remember my affliction and homelessness— wormwood and gall!

Majority Standard Bible
Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall.

NET Bible
Remember my impoverished and homeless condition, which is a bitter poison.

New Heart English Bible
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

Webster's Bible Translation
Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

World English Bible
Remember my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the bitterness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Remember my affliction and my mourning, "" Wormwood and gall!

Young's Literal Translation
Remember my affliction and my mourning, Wormwood and gall!

Smith's Literal Translation
Remembering my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the poison.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Zain. Remember my poverty, and transgression, the wormwood, and the gall.

Catholic Public Domain Version
ZAIN. Remember my poverty and my transgression, the wormwood and the gall.

New American Bible
The thought of my wretched homelessness is wormwood and poison;

New Revised Standard Version
The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Remember my affliction and my chastisement, the bitterness and the sorrow.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Zayin Remember my oppression and my chastisement of bitterness and of wormwood!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Remember mine affliction and mine anguish, The wormwood and the gall.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
ZAIN. I remembered by reason of my poverty, and because of persecution my bitterness and gall shall be remembered;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah's Hope
19Remember my affliction and wandering, the wormwood and the gall. 20Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.…

Cross References
Psalm 42:6
O my God, my soul despairs within me. Therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon—even from Mount Mizar.

Psalm 77:3
I remembered You, O God, and I groaned; I mused and my spirit grew faint. Selah

Job 7:11
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Psalm 143:4
My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me.

Psalm 102:4
My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass; I even forget to eat my bread.

Isaiah 38:14
I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.”

Job 10:1
“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Psalm 88:3
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.

Psalm 31:9
Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well.

Psalm 69:20
Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

2 Corinthians 1:8
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

Romans 7:24
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; / persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Matthew 26:38
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

2 Corinthians 7:5
For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.


Treasury of Scripture

Remembering my affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

remembering.

Nehemiah 9:32
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

Job 7:7
O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

Psalm 89:47,50
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? …

the

Lamentations 3:5,15
He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail…

Jeremiah 9:15
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Jump to Previous
Affliction Anguish Bitter Bitterness Gall Mind Misery Mourning Poison Remember Remembering Root Trouble Wandering Wormwood
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Affliction Anguish Bitter Bitterness Gall Mind Misery Mourning Poison Remember Remembering Root Trouble Wandering Wormwood
Lamentations 3
1. The prophet bewails his own calamities
22. By the mercies of God, he nourishes his hope
37. He acknowledges God's justice
55. He prays for deliverance
64. And vengeance on his enemies














Remember
The Hebrew root for "remember" is "זָכַר" (zakar), which implies more than just recalling a memory; it suggests an active, intentional bringing to mind. In the context of Lamentations, this plea is directed towards God, asking Him to be mindful of the speaker's suffering. This reflects a deep trust in God's awareness and compassion, a belief that God’s remembrance is tied to His action and intervention.

my affliction
The term "affliction" comes from the Hebrew "עֳנִי" (oni), which denotes poverty, misery, or suffering. This word captures the depth of the speaker's distress, both physical and emotional. Historically, this reflects the period of the Babylonian exile, a time of great suffering for the Israelites. Theologically, it underscores the human condition of suffering and the need for divine intervention.

and wandering
"Wandering" is translated from the Hebrew "מַשּׁוֹא" (mashoa), which can mean restlessness or aimlessness. This word paints a picture of the Israelites' displacement and lack of direction following the destruction of Jerusalem. It symbolizes spiritual and physical dislocation, a theme prevalent in the exile narrative, and serves as a metaphor for the soul's search for God amidst chaos.

the wormwood
"Wormwood" is derived from the Hebrew "לַעֲנָה" (la'anah), a bitter plant often associated with sorrow and calamity. In biblical literature, wormwood is a symbol of bitterness and divine judgment. Its mention here emphasizes the bitterness of the speaker's experiences and the pervasive sense of divine chastisement felt by the Israelites during their exile.

and the gall
The word "gall" comes from the Hebrew "רֹאשׁ" (rosh), which refers to a poisonous plant or bitter substance. This term is often used metaphorically in the Bible to describe extreme bitterness or suffering. In the context of Lamentations, it highlights the intense emotional and spiritual anguish experienced by the speaker, serving as a poignant reminder of the consequences of sin and the need for repentance and redemption.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
Traditionally considered the author of Lamentations, Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet." He laments the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of his people.

2. Jerusalem
The city that has been destroyed by the Babylonians, leading to the deep sorrow and lament expressed in the book.

3. Babylonian Exile
The event that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent suffering and displacement of the Jewish people.

4. Wormwood and Gall
Metaphors for bitterness and suffering. Wormwood is a bitter plant, and gall refers to a bitter substance, both symbolizing the depth of Jeremiah's anguish.

5. God's Faithfulness
Despite the suffering, the context of Lamentations 3 includes a profound declaration of God's faithfulness and mercy, which is central to the hope found amidst despair.
Teaching Points
Acknowledging Suffering
It's important to recognize and express our pain and struggles honestly before God, as Jeremiah does.

Bitterness and Healing
The imagery of wormwood and gall reminds us of the bitterness of life’s trials, but also points us to the healing and hope found in God.

God's Faithfulness
Even in the midst of suffering, we are called to remember God's unchanging faithfulness and mercy.

Hope in Despair
Lamentations teaches us that hope can coexist with despair, as we trust in God's promises and character.

Community Lament
The communal aspect of lament in Lamentations encourages us to support one another in times of collective suffering.(19) Remembering.--The verb, which is rendered by the Authorised version as a gerundial infinitive, is better taken as an imperative, Remember mine affliction; the prayer being addressed to Jehovah. The two terms of the first clause are taken from Lamentations 1:7. The mourner begins his prayer, as it were, by a recapitulation of his sufferings. (Comp. Psalm 69:21.)

Verses 19-21. - These verses prepare the way for a brief interval of calmness and resignation. Verse 19. - Remembering; rather, remember. It is the language of prayer.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Remember
זְכָר־ (zə·ḵār-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 2142: To mark, to remember, to mention, to be male

my affliction
עָנְיִ֥י (‘ā·nə·yî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6040: Affliction, poverty

and wandering,
וּמְרוּדִ֖י (ū·mə·rū·ḏî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4788: An outcast, destitution

the wormwood
לַעֲנָ֥ה (la·‘ă·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3939: Wormwood

and the gall.
וָרֹֽאשׁ׃ (wā·rōš)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7219: A poisonous plant, the poppy, poison


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OT Prophets: Lamentations 3:19 Remember my affliction and my misery (Lam. La Lm)
Lamentations 3:18
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