### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **memer**, represented by `{{H4470}}`, denotes **bitterness** or **sorrow**. Derived from a root meaning to grieve, this term is highly specific, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Its sole usage defines a profound and personal form of anguish within the family unit.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The only appearance of `{{H4470}}` is in [[Proverbs 17:25]], which states, "A foolish son is a grief to his father, and **bitterness** to her that bare him." In this context, **memer** describes the unique pain experienced by a mother due to her son's foolishness. The word is set in parallel to the "grief" felt by the father, highlighting the deep emotional consequences that a child's character can have on his parents.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context clarify the meaning of `{{H4470}}`:
* `{{H3684}}` **kᵉçîyl** (foolish): This identifies the cause of the bitterness as being "stupid or silly; fool(-ish)". The bitterness of `memer` is a direct result of the son's character, a theme reinforced elsewhere in Proverbs where a foolish son is called "the heaviness of his mother" [[Proverbs 10:1]].
* `{{H3708}}` **kaʻaç** (grief): Defined as "vexation; anger, angry, grief, indignation," this word is used in parallel with `memer` to describe the father's sorrow, while `memer` describes the mother's bitterness, suggesting distinct aspects of parental pain [[Proverbs 17:25]].
* `{{H1121}}` **bên** (son): As "a son (as a builder of the family name)," this word identifies the source of the bitterness. Instead of building the family, the foolish `son` causes profound sorrow and `memer` [[Proverbs 17:25]].
* `{{H3205}}` **yâlad** (to bear): This word, meaning "to bear young," connects the mother's bitterness directly to the act of giving birth, emphasizing the deeply personal nature of her pain for the child "that bare him" [[Proverbs 17:25]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H4470}}` is found within the principles of biblical wisdom literature.
* **Parental Anguish:** `memer` gives a name to the specific and intense bitterness a mother feels. The verse links this feeling to the very one who gave the child life, "her that bare him," making the pain uniquely personal [[Proverbs 17:25]].
* **The Consequence of Folly:** The term is not associated with general misfortune but with the specific character of a "foolish son" `{{H3684}}`. Wisdom literature consistently warns that foolishness brings pain to others, especially one's family [[Proverbs 10:1]].
* **Nuances in Sorrow:** The use of `grief` `{{H3708}}` for the father and `bitterness` `{{H4470}}` for the mother in the same proverb suggests a distinction in their experience of sorrow, highlighting the multifaceted nature of familial pain [[Proverbs 17:25]].
### Summary
In summary, while `{{H4470}}` **memer** is one of the rarest words in the biblical text, its single appearance in [[Proverbs 17:25]] provides a poignant and powerful depiction of parental sorrow. It defines a specific type of **bitterness** that a mother feels toward a foolish child, serving as a stark reminder within wisdom literature of the deep relational consequences of one's character and actions.
TRV