Job14
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground;
9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.
10But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11As the waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up;
12So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep.
13Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.
15Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands.
16But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?
17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.
18But the mountain falling cometh to nought; And the rock is removed out of its place;
19The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man.
20Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 14.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Job speaks of man's life. (1–6). Of man's death. (7–15). By sin man is subject to corruption. (16–22).
vv1-6
Job enlarges upon the condition of man, addressing himself also to God. Every man of Adam's fallen race is short-lived. All his show of beauty, happiness, and splendour falls before the stroke of sickness or death, as the flower before the scythe; or passes away like the shadow. How is it possible for a man's conduct to be sinless, when his heart is by nature unclean? Here is a clear proof that Job understood and believed the doctrine of original sin. He seems to have intended it as a plea, why the Lord should not deal with him according to his own works, but according to His mercy and grace. It is determined, in the counsel and decree of God, how long we shall live. Our times are in his hands, the powers of nature act under him; in him we live and move. And it is very useful to reflect seriously on the shortness and uncertainty of human life, and the fading nature of all earthly enjoyments. But it is still more important to look at the cause, and remedy of these evils. Until we are born of the Spirit, no spiritually good thing dwells in us, or can proceed from us. Even the little good in the regenerate is defiled with sin. We should therefore humble ourselves before God, and cast ourselves wholly on the mercy of God, through our Divine Surety. We should daily seek the renewing of the Holy Ghost, and look to heaven as the only place of perfect holiness and happiness.
vv7-15
Though a tree is cut down, yet, in a moist situation, shoots come forth, and grow up as a newly planted tree. But when man is cut off by death, he is for ever removed from his place in this world. The life of man may fitly be compared to the waters of a land flood, which spread far, but soon dry up. All Job's expressions here show his belief in the great doctrine of the resurrection. Job's friends proving miserable comforters, he pleases himself with the expectation of a change. If our sins are forgiven, and our hearts renewed to holiness, heaven will be the rest of our souls, while our bodies are hidden in the grave from the malice of our enemies, feeling no more pain from our corruptions, or our corrections.
vv16-22
Job's faith and hope spake, and grace appeared to revive; but depravity again prevailed. He represents God as carrying matters to extremity against him. The Lord must prevail against all who contend with him. God may send disease and pain, we may lose all comfort in those near and dear to us, every hope of earthly happiness may be destroyed, but God will receive the believer into realms of eternal happiness. But what a change awaits the prosperous unbeliever! How will he answer when God shall call him to his tribunal? The Lord is yet upon a mercy-seat, ready to be gracious. Oh that sinners would be wise, that they would consider their latter end! While man's flesh is upon him, that is, the body he is so loth to lay down, it shall have pain; and while his soul is within him, that is, the spirit he is so loth to resign, it shall mourn. Dying work is hard work; dying pangs often are sore pangs. It is folly for men to defer repentance to a death-bed, and to have that to do which is the one thing needful, when unfit to do anything.
Key Words
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
יָלַד: to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
אִשָּׁה: a woman
קָצֵר: short (whether in size, number, life, strength or temper)
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
שָׂבֵעַ: satiated (in a pleasant or disagreeable sense)
רֹגֶז: commotion, restlessness (of a horse), crash (of thunder), disquiet, anger
יָצָא: to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
צִיץ: properly, glistening, i.e. a burnished plate; also a flower (as bright-colored); a wing (as gleaming in the air)
נָמַל: to become clipped or (specifically) circumcised
Cross References
Job 14Parallel reasoning on man born of woman being unclean and unable to justify himself.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects man's determined days on earth with the hard service of an appointed time.
Supported by JFB
Clarifies Job's progressive, triumphant hope of bodily resurrection despite his current dark musings.
Supported by JFB
Verbal link of 'born of women' expressing the inherent limitations of natural human birth.
Supported by JFB
Echoes Jacob's assessment of life's brevity and trouble: 'few and evil have the days...'
Supported by JFB
New Testament realization of the impossibility of bringing spiritual cleanness out of natural, unclean birth.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Old Testament expectation of the ultimate passing away or changing of the current heavens.
Supported by JFB
Imagery of God's people being hidden in safety until His indignation or wrath is overpast.
Supported by JFB
Parallels Job's distress over God watching him so closely as an adversarial observer.
Supported by JFB
Graphic comparison of frail human life to a flourishing flower that quickly fades and is cut down.
Supported by JFB
Confirms God's sovereign appointment of the pre-determined times and boundaries of human existence.
Parallel imagery of sin being bound up and stored away before judgment.