Lamentations 3:10

Easy-to-Read Version

He is like a bear about to attack me, like a lion that is in a hiding place.

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;

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.

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 a man who has seen much trouble. God beat us with a stick, and I saw it happen. ² He led and brought me into darkness, not light. ³ He turned his hand against me. He did this again and again, all day. ⁴ He wore out my flesh and skin. He broke my bones. ⁵ He built up bitterness and trouble against me. He surrounded me with bitterness and trouble. ⁶ He put me in the dark, like someone who died long ago. ⁷ He shut me in, so I could not get out. He put heavy chains on me. ⁸ Even when I cry out and ask for help, he does not listen to my prayer. ⁹ He has blocked up my path with stones. He has made my path crooked. ¹⁰ He is like a bear about to attack me, like a lion that is in a hiding place.

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
The man and his wife were naked, but they were not ashamed.

Genesis 3:7
Then it was as if their eyes opened, and they saw things differently. They saw that they were naked. So they got some fig leaves, sewed them together, and wore them for clothes.

Genesis 3:17
Then God said to the man, "I commanded you not to eat from that tree. But you listened to your wife and ate from it. So I will curse the ground because of you. You will have to work hard all your life for the food the ground produces.

Genesis 3:18
The ground will grow thorns and weeds for you. And you will have to eat the plants that grow wild in the fields.

Exodus 3:6
I am the God of your ancestors. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 32:25
Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get out of control. They were being wild, and all their enemies could see them acting like fools.

Job 23:15
That is why I am terrified to stand before him. Just thinking about it makes me afraid.

Psalms 119:120
I am shaking with fear before you. I fear and respect your judgments.

Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are afraid. Those who do wrong shake with fear. They say, "Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns forever?"

Isaiah 47:3
Men will see your naked body and use you for sex. I will make you pay for the bad things you did, and I will not let anyone help you.

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.