Lexical Summary laanah: Wormwood Original Word: לַעֲנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hemlock, wormwood From an unused root supposed to mean to curse; wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed) -- hemlock, wormwood. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition wormwood NASB Translation wormwood (8). Brown-Driver-Briggs לַעֲנָה noun feminine wormwood (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic  is curse (verb  id.), so Nabataean לצנת (verb לען) compare CookGlossary); — only figurative of bitter things: — of perverted justice, Amos 5:7; Amos 6:12 ("" ראֹשׁ; of result of idolatry, Deuteronomy 29:17 ("" id.); of ׳יs chastisement Jeremiah 9:14 ("" מֵ֯ירֿאֹשׁ, Jeremiah 23:15 ("" id.), Lamentations 3:15 ("" מְרוֺרִים), Lamentations 3:19 ("" ראֹשׁ); simile of bitter (מָרָה) result of intercourse with strange woman Proverbs 5:4. — On wormwood (Artemisia absinthium, etc., Greek ἀψίθιον) compare Löw80f. 401, 421 TristrNat, Hist. Bib. 493. לָעַע see לוע לפד (√ of following; meaning unknown). Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew term rendered “wormwood” recurs eight times in the Old Testament and consistently conveys ideas of bitterness, poison, and divine judgment. Whether describing idolatry in Israel’s past, social injustice in the prophets, or personal anguish in Lamentations, the word functions as a vivid emblem of what separates humanity from covenant life with the LORD. Occurrences and Literary Setting • Deuteronomy 29:18 warns of “a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit,” a metaphor for apostasy that will infect the nation. Symbol of Bitter Judgment In each context the word pairs moral rebellion with sensory disgust. Wormwood is not mere disappointment; it is punitive bitterness supplied by God Himself when people exchange His truth for lies. Jeremiah’s oracles show that the LORD is not indifferent to corrupt leadership; He answers deceit with the internal misery symbolized by wormwood, then with external calamity. Amos extends the principle horizontally: social injustice is spiritual infidelity, and its fruit is as poisonous to society as wormwood is to the tongue. Contrast with Sweetness Scripture often juxtaposes wormwood with sweetness. The Law describes Canaan as “a land flowing with milk and honey,” yet idol-infested hearts produce the polar opposite—wormwood. In Proverbs, illicit passion initially tastes sweet but ends “sharp as a double-edged sword” and “bitter as wormwood.” The prophets present a similar reversal: justice ought to flow like water (Amos 5:24), yet injustice turns that flow into bitterness. The image underlines the moral universe’s polarity: obedience yields sweetness; rebellion yields wormwood. Historical and Botanical Considerations Ancient Near Eastern writers identified several plants under the general heading of wormwood, all characterized by an intensely bitter, aromatic taste and, in excessive doses, mild toxicity. Because these herbs were common in desert regions, Israel would naturally encounter them during wilderness travel. Their medicinal use as a purgative made them an apt symbol for the LORD’s disciplinary dealings—an unpleasant but cleansing agent intended to purge the nation of sin. Theological Implications 1. Moral cause and effect: Wormwood illustrates the principle that what one sows, one reaps (Galatians 6:7). Christological and Prophetic Dimensions Revelation 8:11 names a star “Wormwood,” signaling eschatological judgment. The Old Testament background frames this plague as a climactic, global amplification of the localized judgments found in Jeremiah and Amos. In contrast, Jesus Christ drank the cup of bitter judgment (Matthew 26:39) so that believers might receive “the water of life, as freely as anyone wishes” (Revelation 22:17). Applications for Ministry Today • Preaching: Use wormwood texts to expose the hidden bitterness of sin. Superficial pleasures conceal a toxic after-taste. Summary Wormwood stands as Scripture’s perennial warning that any departure from the LORD—whether doctrinal, moral, or social—produces bitter consequences. Yet the same passages also imply hope: bitterness can drive hearts back to the sweetness of covenant faith and the ultimate healer, Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations וְלַעֲנָֽה׃ ולענה׃ כַֽלַּעֲנָ֑ה כלענה לְלַעֲנָ֖ה לְלַעֲנָֽה׃ לַֽעֲנָ֑ה לַֽעֲנָ֔ה לַעֲנָ֥ה לַעֲנָֽה׃ ללענה ללענה׃ לענה לענה׃ challaaNah ḵal·la·‘ă·nāh ḵalla‘ănāh la‘ănāh la·‘ă·nāh laaNah lə·la·‘ă·nāh ləla‘ănāh lelaaNah velaaNah wə·la·‘ă·nāh wəla‘ănāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 29:18 HEB: פֹּרֶ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְלַעֲנָֽה׃ NAS: poisonous fruit and wormwood. KJV: that beareth gall and wormwood; INT: bearing poisonous and wormwood Proverbs 5:4 Jeremiah 9:15 Jeremiah 23:15 Lamentations 3:15 Lamentations 3:19 Amos 5:7 Amos 6:12 8 Occurrences |
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