Laʻănâh — H3939

Definition

feminine noun

wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed)

1. wormwood
1. bitterness (metaph.)

Usually translated as

wormwood, hemlock

Origin

from an unused root supposed to mean to curse

Greek equivalents

• anánkē (G318)
• odýnē (G3601)
• pikría (G4088)
• cholḗ (G5521)

Occurrences

Laʻănâh occurs 8 times in the King James.

Distribution of the word across the Bible: Deuteronomy (1), Proverbs (1), Jeremiah (2), Lamentations (2), Amos (2)

• Deuteronomy 29:18 — Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood (וְלַעֲנָֽה);
• Proverbs 5:4 — But her end is bitter as wormwood (כַֽלַּעֲנָ֑ה), sharp as a twoedged sword.
• Jeremiah 9:15 — Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood (לַֽעֲנָ֑ה), and give them water of gall to drink.
• Jeremiah 23:15 — Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood (לַֽעֲנָ֔ה), and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
• Lamentations 3:15 — He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood (לַעֲנָֽה).
• Lamentations 3:19 — Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood (לַעֲנָ֥ה) and the gall.
• Amos 5:7 — Ye who turn judgment to wormwood (לְלַעֲנָ֖ה), and leave off righteousness in the earth,
• Amos 6:12 — Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock (לְלַעֲנָֽה):