### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mᵉrôrâh**, represented by `{{H4846}}`, refers to bitterness. It appears **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible. Its definition encompasses a bitter thing, specifically bile from the body or the venom of a serpent, and is also used to mean gall. The word conveys concepts of poison, internal affliction, and intense bitterness.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H4846}}` describes both literal and figurative bitterness. In the book of Job, it is used literally to denote the "gall" within a person's body, which can be pierced [[Job 20:25]]. It is also used to describe the venom of a serpent, as when ill-gotten food turns into the "gall of asps" within the wicked [[Job 20:14]]. Figuratively, Job uses the term to characterize the severe trials God has decreed against him, crying out, "thou writest bitter things against me" [[Job 13:26]]. In Deuteronomy, it describes the corrupt nature of Israel's enemies, whose clusters of grapes are "bitter" [[Deuteronomy 32:32]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide a broader context for the concept of bitterness and poison:
* `{{H7219}}` **rôʼsh** (gall, hemlock, poison, venom): This word is used in parallel with `{{H4846}}` to describe the corrupt fruit of a wicked vine, where the grapes are of "gall" and the clusters are "bitter" [[Deuteronomy 32:32]].
* `{{H6620}}` **pethen** (an asp (from its contortions); adder): This term identifies the source of the venom described as "gall" in Job, specifying that the internal corruption is like the poison of asps [[Job 20:14]].
* `{{H4847}}` **Mᵉrârîy** (bitter; Merari, an Israelite): Derived from the same root, this name, meaning "bitter," was given to one of the sons of Levi, demonstrating how the core idea of bitterness was embedded in personal identity [[Genesis 46:11]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4846}}` is significant, often linking bitterness to divine judgment or the consequences of sin.
* **Fruit of Corruption:** The word is used to describe the outcome of a morally bankrupt source, as the vine of Sodom produces "bitter" clusters, symbolizing that wickedness yields only bitter results [[Deuteronomy 32:32]].
* **Internal Consequence of Sin:** The imagery of food turning into the "gall of asps" within a person illustrates how the gains of wickedness become an internal, destructive poison [[Job 20:14]].
* **Experience of Divine Judgment:** Job perceives his suffering as "bitter things" written by God, framing intense personal hardship as a form of divine decree or affliction [[Job 13:26]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4846}}` moves beyond a simple physical sensation. It functions as a powerful metaphor in Scripture, representing concepts ranging from the literal venom of a snake and bile in the body to the figurative poison of sin and the profound bitterness of suffering under divine judgment. The word vividly illustrates how a tangible substance can be used to articulate deep spiritual and existential realities.
TRV