מְרֵרָה (me.re.rah)
me.re.rah
gall
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun mererah refers to gall, specifically the bitter fluid produced by the liver. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears only once, in Job 16:13, where it describes the physical reality of suffering rather than a metaphorical emotion.
Job uses this rare word to depict his intense anguish. He speaks of God piercing his kidneys and spilling gall on the ground, creating a visceral image of internal violence and profound distress. This usage highlights how deeply grief can feel like a physical assault on the body.
While other biblical words for bitterness describe emotional states or moral corruption, mererah points to a tangible substance. Its singular occurrence underscores the extremity of Job’s experience, marking it as a unique expression of pain in Scripture that resists easy categorization.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we face deep suffering, it can feel as though our very insides are being turned inside out. The Hebrew word mererah describes gall, a bitter fluid from the liver. In Job 16:13, this rare term paints a visceral picture of intense anguish. It shows us that grief is not just an emotion but a physical weight that presses heavily on the body.
This word reminds us that our pain is real and tangible. God does not dismiss the raw reality of our suffering. Instead, He meets us in the midst of it. We can bring our deepest hurts to Him, knowing that He understands the full depth of human distress.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- gall/ my1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְרֵרָֽתִ/י\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Job 16:13
His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my bile on the ground.
This verse uses mererah to depict a visceral image of internal violence and profound distress, showing how grief feels like a physical assault.