John Gill Commentary Lamentations 3:15

"He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood." — Lamentations 3:15 (ASV)

He has filled me with bitterness Or "with bitternesses" ^F13; instead of food, bitter herbs; the allusion perhaps is to the bitter herbs eaten at the passover, and signify bitter afflictions, sore calamities, of which the prophet and his people had their fill. The Targum is, ``with the gall of serpents;'' see (Job 20:14) ;

he has made me drunken with wormwood ; with wormwood drink; but this herb being a wholesome one, though bitter, some think that henbane, or wolfsbane, is rather meant, which is of a poisonous and intoxicating nature; it is no unusual thing for persons to be represented as drunk with affliction, (Isaiah 51:17Isaiah 51:21) (Jeremiah 25:27) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F13: (Myrwrmb) "amaritudinibus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Michaelis, "amaroribus", Cocceius.