Lamentations 3:10

KJV

He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait, [and as] a lion in secret places.

KJV (with Strong's)

He was unto me as a bear {H1677} lying in wait {H693}, and as a lion {H738} in secret places {H4565}.

Complete Jewish Bible

He lies in wait for me like a bear, like a lion in hiding.

Berean Standard Bible

He is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.

American Standard Version

He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Lamentations 3:10 captures the prophet's profound anguish and despair, vividly portraying God as a relentless, predatory adversary. Using the imagery of a lurking bear and a hidden lion, the verse expresses the overwhelming sense of being ambushed and relentlessly pursued by divine judgment, a direct consequence of Judah's sin and rebellion. This intense lament highlights the depth of suffering experienced during the destruction of Jerusalem, where the very source of comfort was perceived as the source of affliction.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Lamentations 3:10 is situated within the heart of the book of Lamentations, specifically in the central chapter that shifts from communal lament to an individual's deep personal suffering. This chapter is an alphabetic acrostic, with each of its 66 verses (22 stanzas of 3 verses each) beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The preceding verses (Lamentations 3:1-9) detail the speaker's perception of God's active role in his affliction, describing God as one who has "driven me away and brought me into darkness" and "walled me in so that I cannot escape." Verse 10 continues this theme, intensifying the imagery of divine hostility and inescapable judgment, setting the stage for the eventual pivot towards hope and God's steadfast love that begins to emerge later in the chapter, particularly from [Lamentations 3:21](/lamentations/3-21 "Lamentations 3:21 - The Hope of Remembrance").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Lamentations is a poetic response to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonian army in 586 BC, an event that marked the end of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the Babylonian Exile. For the people of Judah, this was not merely a military defeat but a profound theological crisis. They believed Jerusalem was inviolable, God's dwelling place. The destruction shattered their understanding of God's covenant faithfulness and their own security. Culturally, the ancient Near East often viewed national calamities as divine judgment, a direct consequence of a people's sin against their deity. The prophet, widely believed to be Jeremiah, expresses this deep theological understanding, acknowledging that God, though seemingly an enemy, is acting justly in response to Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience, as warned in passages like [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses"). The imagery of predatory animals was common in the region, symbolizing immense power, ferocity, and inescapable danger.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Lamentations and the broader prophetic literature. First, it underscores the theme of **Intense Suffering and Despair**, illustrating the overwhelming trauma experienced by the individual and the nation. The feeling of being hunted by God Himself conveys the utter hopelessness and helplessness. Second, it highlights the theme of **Divine Agency in Calamity**. The "He" explicitly refers to God, emphasizing the biblical understanding that God is sovereign over all events, including judgment. This is a stark portrayal of God as a righteous judge, actively bringing about the consequences of sin, a concept found in other prophetic warnings such as [Hosea 13:7-8](/hosea/13-7 "Hosea 13:7-8 - God as a Lion and Bear"). Third, the verse exemplifies the theme of **Lament as Honest Expression**. It demonstrates that genuine faith allows for raw, even accusatory, expressions of pain and confusion before God, acknowledging the depth of human anguish when divine discipline feels overwhelming. This honest wrestling is a crucial aspect of biblical spirituality, paving the way for eventual repentance and renewed hope.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **bear (Hebrew, _dôb'_):** From the root `דָּבַב` (dabab), meaning "to move softly" or "to glide," this word refers to the bear, often characterized by its slow, lumbering gait but also its immense strength and sudden ferocity when provoked. In this context, it evokes a sense of lurking danger, an animal that can appear deceptively harmless before launching a devastating attack. The bear symbolizes a powerful, unpredictable, and destructive force.
* **lying in wait (Hebrew, _ʼârab'_):** A primitive root meaning "to lurk" or "to ambush." This word emphasizes the clandestine and deceptive nature of the attack. It suggests that the suffering was not openly declared but came upon the speaker unexpectedly, from a hidden place, making escape or preparation impossible. It conveys a feeling of being trapped and surprised by an unseen enemy.
* **lion (Hebrew, _ʼărîy'_):** From a root suggesting "violence," this word refers to the lion, the most formidable predator in the ancient Near East, renowned for its strength, ferocity, and predatory instinct. The lion symbolizes overwhelming power, destructive capability, and an inescapable, relentless pursuit. Its inclusion alongside the bear intensifies the sense of being hunted by the most dangerous forces imaginable.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He [was] unto me [as] a bear lying in wait":** The pronoun "He" directly refers to God, a startling and deeply painful confession from the prophet. The comparison to a "bear lying in wait" vividly portrays God not as a protector, but as an ambush predator. This clause conveys a sense of unexpected, overwhelming, and terrifying judgment. The prophet feels hunted and entrapped, with God Himself as the hunter.
* **"and [as] a lion in secret places":** This phrase further intensifies the imagery of divine hostility and inescapable pursuit. The "lion" symbolizes raw power and ferocity, while "in secret places" reiterates the unexpected, hidden nature of the attack. It suggests that there is no safe haven, no place to hide from the relentless and destructive judgment that has befallen the prophet and his people. The combined imagery paints a picture of utter vulnerability before an all-powerful, seemingly hostile force.

#### Literary Devices
Lamentations 3:10 employs powerful **Simile** to convey the speaker's profound distress, comparing God's actions to those of a "bear lying in wait" and a "lion in secret places." These comparisons are not literal but serve to illustrate the *feeling* of being ambushed and relentlessly pursued by an overwhelming, destructive force. The choice of these specific predators—the bear and the lion—is a form of **Imagery**, evoking their immense strength, ferocity, and cunning, thereby intensifying the sense of terror and inescapable doom. The verse also utilizes **Personification** by attributing human-like intent and predatory actions to God, reflecting the speaker's anguished perception of divine hostility. This vivid and visceral language contributes to the overall **Hyperbole** of the lament, expressing the extreme depth of the prophet's suffering and his perception of God's severe judgment.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, though stark, is crucial for understanding the biblical concept of divine judgment and the human response to it. It highlights the Old Testament principle that God's covenant relationship with Israel included both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. When God's people persistently rebelled, He would, in His justice, bring about the promised consequences. The prophet's lament here is not a denial of God's sovereignty or justice, but an honest, agonizing expression of the pain experienced under that judgment. It acknowledges that God is not a distant observer but intimately involved in the affairs of humanity, even to the point of being perceived as an adversary when His people are under discipline. This raw honesty is a testament to the depth of the covenant relationship, allowing for such profound expressions of anguish and perceived divine antagonism.

* [Hosea 13:7-8](/hosea/13-7 "Hosea 13:7-8 - God as a Lion and Bear")
* [Job 10:16](/job/10-16 "Job 10:16 - Job's Lament of God's Pursuit")
* [Psalm 7:2](/psalms/7-2 "Psalm 7:2 - Prayer for Deliverance from a Lion")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 3:10 offers profound insights for believers navigating seasons of intense suffering or perceived divine discipline. It validates the raw honesty of lament, demonstrating that it is permissible, even necessary, to express the deepest, most painful emotions to God. The prophet's willingness to articulate the feeling of being hunted by God Himself underscores that faith does not require a sanitized emotional life, but rather a courageous vulnerability before the Almighty. This verse reminds us that suffering, especially when it feels overwhelming and inescapable, can lead to a perception of God as an adversary. However, the broader context of Lamentations 3, which eventually pivots to hope in God's steadfast love and mercies (Lamentations 3:22-23), teaches us that even in the darkest valleys, expressing our pain honestly to God is a pathway to eventual restoration and renewed trust. It encourages us to bring our deepest fears and accusations to Him, knowing that He can handle our most intense emotions and will ultimately reveal His faithfulness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the imagery of God as a "bear" or "lion" challenge or affirm your understanding of His character?**
* **In what ways have you experienced or perceived God's discipline or judgment in your own life, and how did you respond emotionally?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the importance of honest lament in our prayer life, even when it involves expressing pain or perceived divine antagonism?**
* **How can acknowledging God's sovereignty over suffering, even when it feels like an ambush, ultimately lead to deeper trust?**

### FAQ
**Who is "He" in Lamentations 3:10, and why is God portrayed in such a negative light?**

Answer: The "He" in Lamentations 3:10 refers directly to God. The prophet, widely believed to be Jeremiah, is expressing his profound anguish and the national suffering in the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction. God is portrayed in this seemingly negative light because the prophet perceives Him as the direct agent of this catastrophic judgment. This reflects a deep theological understanding in the Old Testament: God is sovereign, and He uses both blessings and curses to deal with His people, often in response to their covenant faithfulness or unfaithfulness. The destruction of Jerusalem was understood as divine judgment for Judah's persistent sin and idolatry. While painful, this portrayal is not an accusation of God's injustice, but an honest, visceral expression of the overwhelming pain and confusion experienced when divine discipline is severe. It acknowledges God's active role in bringing about the consequences of sin, as seen in other prophetic warnings like [Hosea 13:7-8](/hosea/13-7 "Hosea 13:7-8 - God's Judgment as a Lion and Bear").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Lamentations 3:10 vividly portrays the prophet's experience of God as a terrifying, predatory adversary due to sin, it ultimately points to Christ in profound ways. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fully entered into the human experience of suffering and abandonment, bearing the full weight of divine judgment for humanity's sin. Unlike the prophet, who felt ambushed by God's wrath, Jesus willingly became the object of that wrath on the cross, crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")). He was the ultimate "Lamb of God" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")) who took away the sin of the world, transforming the terrifying judgment into a path of redemption. Through His sacrifice, Christ absorbed the "lion's" fury and the "bear's" ambush, offering reconciliation where there was once alienation. Believers now find refuge not from a pursuing God, but in a pursuing Savior who laid down His life, turning the perceived divine hostility into an embrace of grace and mercy, fulfilling the ultimate hope that emerges later in Lamentations 3, where God's mercies are new every morning ([Lamentations 3:22-23](/lamentations/3-22 "Lamentations 3:22-23 - God's Steadfast Love and Mercies")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hosea 6:1

¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Amos 5:18

Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end [is] it for you? the day of the LORD [is] darkness, and not light.

Amos 5:20

[Shall] not the day of the LORD [be] darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Psalms 10:9

He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

Hosea 13:7

Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe [them]:

Hosea 13:8

I will meet them as a bear [that is] bereaved [of her whelps], and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

Hosea 5:14

For I [will be] unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, [even] I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue [him].