Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Lamentations 3:10

He is a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Bear;   Despondency;   Lion;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Bear, the;   Judgments;   Lion, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Lion;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bear;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Lamentations;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lamentations, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acrostic;   Lamentations, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bear;   Lion;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bear;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Lion;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He is a bear waiting in ambush,a lion in hiding.
Hebrew Names Version
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
King James Version
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
English Standard Version
He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding;
New American Standard Bible
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in secret places.
New Century Version
He is like a bear ready to attack me, like a lion in hiding.
Amplified Bible
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, And like a lion [hiding] in secret places.
World English Bible
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in secret places.
Legacy Standard Bible
He is to me like a bear lying in wait,Like a lion in secret places.
Contemporary English Version
God was like a bear or a lion waiting in ambush for me;
Complete Jewish Bible
He lies in wait for me like a bear, like a lion in hiding.
Darby Translation
He is unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, a lion in secret places.
Easy-to-Read Version
He is like a bear about to attack me, like a lion that is in a hiding place.
George Lamsa Translation
He has been to me as a wolf lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
Good News Translation
He waited for me like a bear; he pounced on me like a lion.
Lexham English Bible
To me he is like a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.
Literal Translation
He was a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in secret places.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He layeth waite for me like a Bere, and as a lyon in a hole.
American Standard Version
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
Bible in Basic English
He is like a bear waiting for me, like a lion in secret places.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
King James Version (1611)
He was vnto me as a Beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He layeth wayte for me lyke a beare, and as a lion in a hole.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
he has troubled me, as a she-bear lying in wait: he is to me as a lion in secret places.
English Revised Version
He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Deleth. He is maad a bere settinge aspies to me, a lioun in hid places.
Update Bible Version
He is to me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.
Webster's Bible Translation
He [was] to me [as] a bear lying in wait, [and as] a lion in secret places.
New English Translation

ד (Dalet)

To me he is like a bear lying in ambush, like a hidden lion stalking its prey.
New King James Version
He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush.
New Living Translation
He has hidden like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me.
New Life Bible
He is like a bear lying in wait, like a lion hiding in secret places.
New Revised Standard
He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A bear lying in wait, he is to me, a lion, in secret places;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Daleth. He is become to me as a bear lying in wait: as a lion in secret places.
Revised Standard Version
He is to me like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in hiding;
Young's Literal Translation
A bear lying in wait He [is] to me, A lion in secret hiding-places.
THE MESSAGE
He's a prowling bear tracking me down, a lion in hiding ready to pounce. He knocked me from the path and ripped me to pieces. When he finished, there was nothing left of me. He took out his bow and arrows and used me for target practice.

Contextual Overview

1I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God's wrath. 2He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness instead of light. 3Indeed, He keeps turning His hand against me all day long. 4He has worn away my flesh and skin; He has shattered my bones. 5He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. 6He has made me dwell in darkness like those dead for ages. 7He has walled me in so I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains. 8Even when I cry out and plead for help, He shuts out my prayer. 9He has barred my ways with cut stones; He has made my paths crooked. 10He is a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

unto: Job 10:16, Isaiah 38:13, Hosea 5:14, Hosea 6:1, Hosea 13:7, Hosea 13:8, Amos 5:18-20

in secret: Psalms 10:9, Psalms 17:12

Reciprocal: Job 16:9 - teareth me

Cross-References

Genesis 2:25
And the man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.
Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.
Genesis 3:17
And to Adam He said: "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:18
Both thorns and thistles it will yield you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
Exodus 3:6
Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 32:25
Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
Job 23:15
Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him.
Psalms 119:120
My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.
Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling grips the ungodly: "Who of us can dwell with a consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting flames?"
Isaiah 47:3
Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait,.... For its prey, which seizes on it at once, and tears it in pieces; such were the Chaldeans to the Jews by divine permission:

[and as] a lion in secret places; lurking there, in order to take every opportunity and advantage, and fall upon any creature that comes that way. The same thing is signified here as before; see Hosea 5:14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Having dwelt upon the difficulties which hemmed in his path, he now shows that there are dangers attending upon escape.

Lamentations 3:11

The meaning is, “God, as a lion, lying in wait, has made me turn aside from my path, but my flight was in vain, for springing upon me from His ambush lie has torn me in pieces.”

Desolate - Or, astonied, stupefied that he cannot flee. The word is a favorite one with Jeremiah.

Lamentations 3:12

This new simile arises out of the former one, the idea of a hunter being suggested by that of the bear and lion. When the hunter comes, it is not to save him.

Lamentations 3:14

Metaphor is dropped, and Jeremiah shows the real nature of the arrows which rankled in him so deeply.

Lamentations 3:15

“He hath” filled me to the full with bitterness, i. e. bitter sorrows Job 9:18.

Lamentations 3:16

Broken my teeth with gravel stones - His bread was so filled with grit that in eating it his teeth were broken.

Lamentations 3:17

Prosperity - literally, as in the margin, i. e. I forgot what good was, I lost the very idea of what it meant.

Lamentations 3:18

The prophet reaches the verge of despair. But by struggling against it he reaches at length firm ground.


 
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