Lexical Summary mererah: Bitterness, gall Original Word: מְרֵרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gall From marar; bile (from its bitterness) -- gall. see HEBREW marar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom marar Definition gall NASB Translation gall (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְרֵרָה] noun feminine gall; only suffix יִשְׁמֹּךְ לָאָרֶץ מְרֵרָתִי Job 16:13 he poureth on the ground my gall ("" יְפַלַּח כִּלְיוֺתַי), figurative of God's cruel treatment (compare מְרֹרָה Job 20:25). Topical Lexicon Physical and Cultural Setting In the physiology of the ancient Near East the gallbladder was regarded as a reservoir of bile, a caustic fluid whose sharp taste made it the natural emblem of pain, grief, and intense bitterness. Hebrew medicine associated the organ with the deepest visceral reactions of the human spirit, much as “heart” represents the mind and will, and “kidneys” (reins) the hidden motives. Old Testament Usage (Job 16:13) Job, describing the onslaught of his sorrows, laments, “He pierces my kidneys and tears my gall and does not spare; He pours my gall on the ground” (Job 16:13). The imagery layers physical trauma upon emotional anguish. The gallbladder is not merely injured; its contents are spilled, dramatizing suffering that has reached a breaking point. Because Job’s integrity is affirmed both at the beginning and end of the book, the verse confirms that the righteous may endure suffering so deep it feels as though the very organs of bitterness have been ruptured, yet without impugning God’s justice. Metaphorical Significance 1. Seat of Bitterness: The gallbladder’s bile gives form to the abstract concept of bitterness (cf. Deuteronomy 32:32–33 where a different Hebrew term depicts poisonous gall). Job’s transparent grief therefore models godly lament, proving that honest cries do not contradict faith. Connections to Wider Biblical Theology • Prophetic Oracles: Jeremiah 8:14; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15 deploy a separate Hebrew word for “gall,” linking national sin to a draught of bitterness. Job’s personal distress thus prefigures covenantal judgment themes. Historical and Worship Implications Ancient Israelite worshippers, steeped in sacrificial imagery, would hear Job 16:13 during public reading and recall that certain fat portions of the entrails belonged exclusively to the Lord (Leviticus 3:3–4). The spilling of gall—normally retained within the body even during sacrifice—signals an offering beyond ritual: a life poured out in raw transparency before God. In synagogue and church lectionaries the verse became a touchstone for penitential seasons, validating the language of grief within corporate worship. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Honest Lament: Congregations can be encouraged to bring unfiltered sorrow to God, knowing Scripture has already given them vocabulary for anguish. Summary Though the term appears only once, the imagery surrounding the gallbladder in Job 16:13 provides a vivid lens for understanding the extremity of human suffering, the honesty of biblical lament, and the ultimate resolution of bitterness in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations מְרֵרָֽתִי׃ מררתי׃ mə·rê·rā·ṯî mereRati mərêrāṯîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 16:13 HEB: יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ לָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מְרֵרָֽתִי׃ NAS: He pours out my gall on the ground. KJV: he poureth out my gall upon the ground. INT: pours the ground my gall 1 Occurrence |
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