Lamentations 3:12
Lamentations 3:12 in Multiple Translations
He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
With his bow bent, he has made me the mark for his arrows.
He loaded his bow with an arrow and used me as his target,
He hath bent his bow and made me a marke for the arrow.
He hath trodden His bow, And setteth me up as a mark for an arrow.
He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Daleth. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for his arrows.
It is as though [MET] he bent his bow and caused me to become the target at which he shot his arrows.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 3:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Lamentations 3:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
דָּרַ֤ךְ
קַשְׁת/וֹ֙
וַ/יַּצִּיבֵ֔/נִי
כַּ/מַּטָּרָ֖א
לַ/חֵֽץ
דָּרַ֤ךְ
dârak
H1869
to tread
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
קַשְׁת/וֹ֙
qesheth
H7198
bow
N-fs | Suff
וַ/יַּצִּיבֵ֔/נִי
nâtsab
H5324
to stand
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
כַּ/מַּטָּרָ֖א
maṭṭârâʼ
H4307
guardhouse
Prep | N-fs
לַ/חֵֽץ
chêts
H2671
arrow
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 3:12
דָּרַ֤ךְ
dârak
H1869
"to tread"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
To tread means to walk or step on something, and is used in the Bible to describe various actions, such as treading a press or leading an army. In Exodus 15:6 and Psalm 60:12, the word is used to describe God's power and leadership, highlighting His ability to guide and direct His people.
Definition: 1) to tread, bend, lead, march 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tread, march, march forth 1a2) to tread on, tread upon 1a3) to tread (a press) 1a4) to tread (bend) a bow 1a5) archer, bow-benders (participle) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to tread, tread down 1b2) to tread (bend with the foot) a bow 1b3) to cause to go, lead, march, tread
Usage: Occurs in 59 OT verses. KJV: archer, bend, come, draw, go (over), guide, lead (forth), thresh, tread (down), walk. See also: Numbers 24:17; Proverbs 4:11; Psalms 7:13.
קַשְׁת/וֹ֙
qesheth
H7198
"bow"
N-fs | Suff
The Hebrew word for bow refers to a weapon used for hunting or battle, but also symbolizes strength and is used to describe a rainbow. In the Bible, it appears in Genesis and other books. It represents power and beauty.
Definition: 1) bow 1a) bow (for hunting, battle) 1b) bowmen, archers 1c) bow (fig. of might) 1d) rainbow
Usage: Occurs in 74 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] arch(-er), [phrase] arrow, bow(-man, -shot). See also: Genesis 9:13; Psalms 44:7; Psalms 7:13.
וַ/יַּצִּיבֵ֔/נִי
nâtsab
H5324
"to stand"
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms | Suff
To stand or station oneself, either physically or as an appointed official. This word is used in various contexts, including setting up a monument or establishing a leader. It can also mean to stand firm or be established in a position.
Definition: 1) to stand, take one's stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to station oneself, take one's stand 1a2) to stand, be stationed 1a3) to stand, take an upright position 1a4) to be stationed, be appointed 1a5) deputy, prefect, appointed, deputed (subst) 1a6) to stand firm 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to station, set 1b2) to set up, erect 1b3) to cause to stand erect 1b4) to fix, establish 1c) (Hophal) to be fixed, be determined, be stationary
Usage: Occurs in 75 OT verses. KJV: appointed, deputy, erect, establish, [idiom] Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state. See also: Genesis 18:2; 1 Samuel 15:12; Psalms 39:6.
כַּ/מַּטָּרָ֖א
maṭṭârâʼ
H4307
"guardhouse"
Prep | N-fs
This word can refer to a guardhouse or prison, where people are watched and protected. It can also mean a target or mark, symbolizing something to aim for or a sign of warning. In the Bible, it is used to describe a place of confinement or a goal to strive for.
Definition: 1) guard, ward, prison, mark, target 1a) guard, ward, prison 1b) target, mark (fig. of chastisement)
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: mark, prison. See also: 1 Samuel 20:20; Jeremiah 33:1; Jeremiah 32:2.
לַ/חֵֽץ
chêts
H2671
"arrow"
Prep | N-ms
An arrow is a sharp object shot from a bow, used for hunting or battle, like those used by archers in the book of Judges. It can also symbolize God's powerful judgment.
Definition: arrow
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] archer, arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound. See also: Genesis 49:23; Psalms 91:5; Psalms 7:14.
Study Notes — Lamentations 3:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 3:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
- Sermons on Lamentations 3:12
Context — The Prophet’s Afflictions
10He is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.
11He forced me off my path and tore me to pieces; He left me without help.
12He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
13He pierced my kidneys with His arrows. 14I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 38:2 | For Your arrows have pierced me deeply, and Your hand has pressed down on me. |
| 2 | Job 7:20 | If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You ? |
| 3 | Job 6:4 | For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. |
| 4 | Psalms 7:12–13 | If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow. He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire. |
| 5 | Lamentations 2:4 | He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand is positioned. Like a foe He has killed all who were pleasing to the eye; He has poured out His wrath like fire on the tent of the Daughter of Zion. |
| 6 | Job 16:12–13 | I was at ease, but He shattered me; He seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has set me up as His target; His archers surround me. He pierces my kidneys without mercy and spills my gall on the ground. |
Lamentations 3:12 Summary
This verse is talking about a time when the speaker felt like God was targeting them with His judgment, using the powerful image of a bow and arrow. It's not saying that God is literally shooting arrows at people, but rather that the speaker feels overwhelmed by God's power and judgment, similar to how the psalmist feels in Psalms 38:2. The Bible teaches that God is both loving and just, and sometimes His justice can feel like an attack, but it's always meant to bring us back to Him, as seen in Hebrews 12:5-11. By remembering that God's ultimate goal is to restore and redeem us, we can trust in His love and mercy, even in difficult times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does God seem to be attacking the speaker in Lamentations 3:12?
This verse is a poetic expression of the speaker's feelings of being overwhelmed by God's judgment, as seen in similar passages like Job 16:12-13, where Job feels God is attacking him with arrows.
Is God really targeting individuals with His arrow, as described in Lamentations 3:12?
The language used here is figurative, emphasizing the intensity of God's judgment, rather than a literal, personal attack, similar to how God's wrath is described in Psalms 7:12-13.
How can we reconcile this image of God with the loving God of the Bible?
The Bible presents a complex, multifaceted picture of God, including both His love and His justice, as seen in Exodus 34:6-7, where God's mercy and justice are described side by side.
What is the significance of the bow and arrow in Lamentations 3:12?
The bow and arrow are symbols of God's power and precision in judgment, as seen in Habakkuk 3:9, where God's bow is mentioned as a symbol of His might.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in your life when you felt like you were being targeted by God's judgment, and how did you respond?
- How can you balance the idea of God's justice with His love and mercy in your own life and relationships?
- What are some ways you can trust in God's goodness and love, even when you feel like you are under attack or facing difficult circumstances?
- How can you use this verse as a reminder to examine your own heart and life, and to seek God's forgiveness and restoration?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:12
He hath bent his bow,.... Which is put for all the instruments, of war; the Chaldeans were archers, and shot their arrows into the city: and set me as a mark for the arrow; as a target to shoot at;
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:12
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
He hath prepared himself for acts of vindicative justice, and he hath made me the object of it.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
Lamentations 3:12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.Ver. 12. He hath bent his bow.] Lamentations 2:4. And set me as a mark.] Which he is sure to hit. The Benjamites, the Parthians, Alcon the Cretan, Domitian the Emperor, were excellent archers; but “ Non semper feriet quodcunque minabitur arcus; ” God’ s arrow never misseth the mark.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
(12) He hath bent his bow.—(Comp. Job 16:12.) The figure is changed, but there is a natural sequence of thought. The lion suggests the huntsman. but he appears on the scene not to save the victim, but to complete the work of destruction.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
Verse 12. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.] One might conjecture that the following thought in the Toozek i Teemour was borrowed from this: - "One addressed the caliph Aaly, and said, 'If the heavens were a bow, and the earth the cord thereof; if calamities were arrows, man the butt for those arrows; and the holy blessed God the unerring marksman; where could the sons of Adam flee for succour?' The caliph replied, 'The children of Adam must flee unto the Lord.'" This was the state of poor Jerusalem. It seemed as a butt for all God's arrows; and each arrow of calamity entered into the soul, for God was the unerring marksman.
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:12
12, 13. Jehovah is now likened not to the beast of prey, but to the hunter. Cp. Job 16:12 f.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:12
12. Bent his bow — From the wild beast which is hunted, the figure now changes to the hunter, who is armed with bow and arrow. So the intensity of the whole passage is promoted.
Sermons on Lamentations 3:12
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Consider the Lilies of the Field, How They Grow by A.B. Simpson | The preacher discusses the Greek word 'skopos,' which refers to a distant mark or goal that one aims to hit, emphasizing its importance as the first word in a Greek sentence. 'Skop |
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Exposition on Psalm 39 by St. Augustine | St. Augustine delves into the Psalms, exploring the significance of being a sojourner with God and a stranger in this world, longing for the eternal home. He reflects on the challe |
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The Deceitfulness of the Heart by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the deceptive nature of sin and the false promises it offers. He warns against being deceived by the temporary pleasures and illusions of si |
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Confession of Sin by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon delivers a powerful sermon on the 'Confession of Sin,' emphasizing its necessity for salvation and the different types of confessions found in Scripture. He illustrat |
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The Assurance of God's Watchful Care by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes the assurance of God's watchful care, illustrating how God preserves the righteous through His protective presence. He highlights David's prayer for pres |
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Exodus 9:27 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith discusses the theme of confession of sin, illustrating various types of confessions from the Bible, including the terror-driven confession of Pharaoh, the insincere con |
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Turn or Burn by C.H. Spurgeon | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing that God will punish sin. He shares a story about a minister who, while walking in a forest, comes across a cle |