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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

Lamentations 3:10

He lies in wait for me like a bear, like 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.
Berean Standard Bible
He is a bear lying in wait, a lion in hiding.
Contemporary English Version
God was like a bear or a lion waiting in ambush for me;
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

1 I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his fury, 2 He has led me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. 3 Against me alone he turns his hand again and again, all day. 4 He has worn away my skin and flesh, he has broken my bones. 5 He has besieged and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. 6 He has made me live in darkness, like those who are long dead. 7 He has walled me in, so I can't escape; he has weighed me down with chains. 8 Even when I cry out, pleading for help, he shuts out my prayer. 9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone, he has made my paths crooked. 10 He lies in wait for me like a bear, like 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
They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.
Genesis 3:17
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to what your wife said and ate from the tree about which I gave you the order, ‘You are not to eat from it,' the ground is cursed on your account; you will work hard to eat from it as long as you live.
Genesis 3:18
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat field plants.
Exodus 3:6
I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz'chak and the God of Ya‘akov." Moshe covered his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 32:25
When Moshe saw that the people had gotten out of control — because Aharon had allowed them to get out of control, to the derision of their enemies —
Job 23:15
This is why I am terrified of him; the more I think about it, the more afraid I am —
Psalms 119:120
My body trembles for fear of you; your rulings make me afraid.
Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Tziyon are frightened; trembling has seized the ungodly. "Who of us can live with the devouring fire? Who of us can live with eternal burning?"
Isaiah 47:3
Your private parts will be exposed; yes, your shame will be seen. I am going to take vengeance, and no one will stand in my way."

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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