King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
Complete Jewish Bible:
He has bent his bow and used me as a target for his arrows.
Berean Standard Bible:
He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
American Standard Version:
He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
He hath bent{H1869} his bow{H7198}, and set{H5324} me as a mark{H4307} for the arrow{H2671}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 38:2
- For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
Job 7:20
- I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
Psalms 7:12
- If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
Psalms 7:13
- He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
Lamentations 2:4
- He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all [that were] pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.
Job 6:4
- For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Job 16:12
- I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken [me] by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.
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Commentary for Lamentations 3:12
Lamentations 3:12, "He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow," is a verse from the third chapter of the Book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. This book is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE by the Babylonians, expressing deep grief and suffering.
The verse personifies God as an archer who has not only drawn His bow but also taken deliberate aim at the speaker, indicating a sense of divine wrath or judgment. The imagery of being targeted by arrows suggests a feeling of vulnerability and victimization, as if the speaker is a defenseless target of God's punishment. This metaphor conveys the intensity of the suffering and the sense that the hardships endured are not random but purposely inflicted by the divine.
In the historical context, the verse reflects the collective experience of the Israelites during the Babylonian siege and subsequent exile. It speaks to the theological struggle of understanding God's role in national calamities and personal afflictions. The author of Lamentations grapples with theodicy—the question of why a good God permits evil and suffering. The verse is part of a larger poem that oscillates between despair and hope, ultimately affirming God's faithfulness despite the immediate experience of pain and devastation.
In summary, Lamentations 3:12 encapsulates the themes of divine judgment, human suffering, and theodicy within the historical backdrop of Jerusalem's fall. It poignantly expresses the anguish of the people and their search for meaning in the midst of overwhelming tragedy.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1869
There are 59 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּרַךְ
Transliteration: dârak
Pronunciation: daw-rak'
Description: a primitive root; to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending); archer, bend, come, draw, go (over), guide, lead (forth), thresh, tread (down), walk. - Strong's Number: H7198
There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֶשֶׁת
Transliteration: qesheth
Pronunciation: keh'-sheth
Description: from קָשָׁה in the original sense (of קוֹשׁ) of bending; a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris; [idiom] arch(-er), [phrase] arrow, bow(-man, -shot). - Strong's Number: H5324
There are 75 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָצַב
Transliteration: nâtsab
Pronunciation: naw-tsab'
Description: a primitive root; to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively); 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. - Strong's Number: H4307
There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַטָּרָא
Transliteration: maṭṭârâʼ
Pronunciation: mat-taw-raw'
Description: or מַטָּרָה; from נָטַר; a jail (as a guard-house); also an aim (as being closely watched); mark, prison. - Strong's Number: H2671
There are 50 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵץ
Transliteration: chêts
Pronunciation: khayts
Description: from חָצַץ; also by interchange for עֵץ; properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God) thunderbolt; the shaft of aspear; [phrase] archer, arrow, dart, shaft, staff, wound.