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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comFausset Bible Dictionary: Gall
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1. Mereerah ("bitterness".) Secreted in an animal's gall bladder. Poetically used for a vital part, ; . , "the gall of asps," i.e. their poison, contained in a sac in the mouth; Scripture uses popular language when no moral truth is thereby endangered.
2. Rosh; a bitter and poisonous herb; the poppy (Gesenius). Rosh means "head", so we speak of poppy heads. , "water of gall," i.e. opium, ; . Others suggest one of the Euphorbiaceae, distasteful and deadly; the "grapes of gall" answering to the rounded three berried fruit (Imperial Bible Dictionary). (to which , "root of bitterness," refers; a root whose essence is bitterness), . Opium water would suit well for stupefying criminals in the agony of execution (; ; ).
The vinegar offered to our Lord was mingled with "gall" according to Matthew, with "myrrh" according to Mark (). The myrrh was the usual seasoning of Roman wine; the gall was added to stupefy, but our Lord would meet His agony in full consciousness. Bengel supposes the gall was added in wantonness. Matthew designated the drink according to the prophetic aspect, ; Mark according to its outward appearance.