Original Word: מְרֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mror
Pronunciation: mah-rohr
Phonetic Spelling: (mer-ore')
KJV: bitter(-ness)
NASB: bitter herbs, bitterness
Word Origin: [from H4843 (מָרַר - bitter)]

1. a bitter herb

bitterness

Or mrowr {mer-ore'}; from marar; a bitter herb -- bitter(-ness).

see HEBREW marar

Word Origin
from marar
Definition
bitter thing, bitter herb
NASB Translation
bitter herbs (2), bitterness (1).

[מָרֹר] noun masculine bitter thing, bitter herb (compare Late Hebrew id., bitter herb; on form see Ba^{NB 194}); — only plural מְרֹרִים Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11, מְרוֺרִים Lamentations 3:15; — bitter herbs, in Passover meal Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11 (both P); compare ׳הִשְׂבִּיעַנִי בַּמּ Lamentations 3:15, figurative of distress inflicted ("" לַעֲנָה).

Overview of מְרֹר

The Hebrew noun מְרֹר appears only three times in the Old Testament and is consistently rendered “bitter herbs” (or “bitterness”) in English versions. The contexts cluster around (1) Israel’s foundational Passover narrative and its later commemoration and (2) a poetic lament describing profound suffering. The term’s limited distribution underscores its thematic weight: it links the historical memory of Israel’s redemption to the universal reality of human affliction, both of which find their ultimate resolution in the redemptive work of the Messiah.

Bitter Herbs in the Passover Ordinance

1. Exodus 12:8 first introduces מְרֹר: “They are to eat the meat that night, roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”
2. Numbers 9:11 repeats the command for those keeping a delayed Passover: “They are to eat the Passover lamb together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” (adapted from)

Within the Passover liturgy, the bitter herbs serve several overlapping functions:

• Memorial reminder: They recall the harshness of Israel’s bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1:14), allowing each generation to “taste” the bitterness their ancestors experienced.
• Liturgical balance: Paired with unleavened bread (symbol of purity) and roasted lamb (symbol of substitutionary deliverance), the herbs preserve the full narrative—oppression, rescue, and new life.
• Covenant pedagogy: The sensory sharpness of bitterness imprints memory more deeply than words alone, ensuring that families instruct their children in the mighty acts of the LORD (Exodus 12:24–27).

Symbolic and Theological Dimensions

Bitterness in Scripture often signals suffering that precedes or accompanies salvation:

• Exodus 15:23–25 narrates bitter water at Marah sweetened by divinely provided wood, foreshadowing God’s power to transform affliction into blessing.
• Ruth 1:20 uses the root “mara” in Naomi’s lament, anticipating her eventual restoration.
• Isaiah 53:3 portrays the Suffering Servant as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief,” inviting readers to connect Passover bitterness with the Messiah’s passion.

Thus, the mandated ingestion of מְרֹר forms a typological bridge from Israel’s slavery to Christ’s atoning suffering (1 Corinthians 5:7). Just as Israel could not bypass bitterness on the way to freedom, neither can humanity bypass the cross on the path to resurrection life.

Bitterness as Personal and Communal Experience

Lamentations 3:15 moves the term from liturgy to lament: “He has filled me with bitterness, He has drenched me with wormwood.” The verse testifies that national catastrophe (the fall of Jerusalem) feels like being force-fed bitter herbs. Yet even here, bitterness is not the end of the story; the very chapter turns to hope: “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.” (Lamentations 3:22). The juxtaposition mirrors the Passover pattern: bitterness embraced, deliverance awaited.

Continuation in Jewish Tradition and Christian Reflection

Jewish practice to this day places maror (often horseradish or romaine) on the Seder plate, sustaining communal memory. In Christian settings, discussions of Passover typically highlight how maror foreshadows the suffering borne by Christ and teaches believers to remember both the cost of redemption and the realities of present-day persecution (Philippians 1:29).

Practical Application for Ministry

• Worship Planning: Incorporating readings or symbolic tastes of bitter herbs during Holy Week services can deepen congregational grasp of the passion narrative.
• Pastoral Care: Lamentations 3:15–24 provides a biblical framework for acknowledging bitterness while directing hearts toward steadfast hope.
• Discipleship: Teaching on מְרֹר encourages believers to accept that sanctification often includes seasons of hardship, yet those seasons are framed by God’s covenant faithfulness (Romans 8:18).

Selected References

Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11; Lamentations 3:15; Exodus 15:23–25; Ruth 1:20; Isaiah 53:3; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Lamentations 3:22.

בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים במרורים וּמְרֹרִ֖ים ומררים מְרֹרִ֖ים מררים ḇam·mə·rō·w·rîm ḇammərōwrîm mə·rō·rîm meroRim mərōrîm ū·mə·rō·rîm umeroRim ūmərōrîm vammeroRimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts