Wormwood (Laanah, ἀψινθος)

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 1min
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 11
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This occurs in scripture only in a metaphorical sense. Turning to idolatry is compared to being a root that, beareth gall and wormwood (Deut. 29:1818Lest 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; (Deuteronomy 29:18)). Some turned “judgment to wormwood,” probably alluding to the unrighteous judges (Amos 5:77Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, (Amos 5:7)). Because of the wickedness of His people, God...said He would feed them with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink (Jer. 9:1515Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. (Jeremiah 9:15); Jer. 23:1515Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. (Jeremiah 23:15)). Jeremiah, in lamenting over the condition of Israel, compared it to being drunk with wormwood (Lam. 3:15, 1915He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. (Lamentations 3:15)
19Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. (Lamentations 3:19)). On the sounding of the third trumpet in the Revelation, a star named Wormwood fell from heaven, and the third part of the waters were turned to wormwood, of which many men died: the moral sources of life will become destructive (Rev. 8:10-1110And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:10‑11)). There are several species in Palestine: the Artemisia absinthium and A. chinensis are the wormwood of commerce.
Artemisia Absinthium