Job 14: A few days, a tree with hope, and a man who lies down
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Job says that a man born of a woman has few days and is full of trouble, and asks God to look away from him so that he may rest. He says a cut tree has hope of sprouting again, but a man dies, lies down and does not rise. He asks to be hidden in Sheol until God's anger turns back, asks whether a man who dies will live again, and says that God destroys the hope of man.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Job speaks the whole chapter, continuing his answer from chapter 13 with no new introduction. He speaks of man and of trees in the third person, and to God as "you" in verses 3, 5 to 6, 13 to 17 and 19 to 20. The narrator speaks no words in this chapter. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1“Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
In plain English: Man, who is born of a woman, has few days and is full of trouble.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
In plain English: He comes up like a flower and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow and does not stay.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
In plain English: Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
In plain English: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing? Not one.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass.
In plain English: Since his days are decided, and the number of his months is with you, and you have set his limits that he cannot pass,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day.
In plain English: look away from him, so that he may rest, until he finishes (or: takes pleasure in), like a hired worker, his day.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7“For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
In plain English: For there is hope for a tree: if it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its young shoots will not fail.
The Hebrew word: "Hope" is tiqvah, which the dictionary gives as "literally a cord (as an attachment); figuratively, expectancy". It is in 12 verses of Job, and the WEB says "hope" in 11 of them. It is in this verse, for the tree, and in , "the hope of man".
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
In plain English: Though its root grows old in the ground and its stump dies in the dust,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.
In plain English: at the scent of water it will bud and put out shoots like a plant.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
10But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
In plain English: But a man dies and is laid low. A human being gives up the spirit, and where is he?
The Hebrew word: "Gives up the spirit" is one Hebrew verb, gava, which the dictionary gives as "to breathe out, i.e. (by implication) expire". It is in 8 verses of Job. The Hebrew has no separate word for "spirit" here; the WEB adds "the spirit" here and in , and .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
In plain English: As the waters disappear from the sea, and a river dries up and is dry,
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
In plain English: so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake, nor be roused from their sleep.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!
In plain English: If only you would hide me in Sheol, keep me hidden until your anger turns back, set a limit for me and remember me!
The Hebrew word: "Sheol" is sheol, which the dictionary gives as "Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates". It is in 8 verses of Job, and the WEB says "Sheol" in all 8.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.
In plain English: If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my warfare (or: hard service) I would wait, until my release (or: relief, or: change) comes.
The Hebrew words: "Live again" is chayah, which the dictionary gives as "to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive". "Warfare" is tsava, which the dictionary gives as "an army", "a campaign" and "hardship", among other meanings. "Release" is chalifah, which the dictionary gives as "alternation".
How it is translated: Chayah is in 6 verses of Job, and the WEB says "live" in 3 of them. Tsava is in 3 verses of Job: , where the WEB says "forced to labor", and this verse, where it says "warfare". Chalifah is in 2 verses of Job, this one, where the WEB says "release", and Job 10:17, where it says "Changes".
What changes: With "hard service", Job would wait through all the days of that service until his relief comes. With "change", the line is about a change that he waits for. The text does not say what the change is. In this verse Job asks "will he live again?" and then says that he would wait.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
In plain English: You would call, and I would answer you. You would long for the work of your hands.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
In plain English: But now you count my steps. Do you not watch over my sin?
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
17My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
In plain English: My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you fasten up (or: smear over) my iniquity.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place.
In plain English: But a mountain that is falling crumbles away, and a rock moves from its place.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
In plain English: Waters wear away stones. Their overflowings wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
The Hebrew word: "Hope" is the same word, tiqvah, as in . There the text says there is hope for a tree. Here it says that God destroys "the hope of man".
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
20You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
In plain English: You overpower him forever, and he goes. You change his face and send him away.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
21His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
In plain English: His sons are honored, and he does not know it. They are brought low, but he does not perceive it of them.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
22But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”
In plain English: Only his own flesh on him is in pain, and his own soul on him mourns.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.