Job14
New American Standard
1“Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
2Like a flower he comes out and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.
3You also open Your eyes on him And bring him into judgment with Yourself.
4Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!
5Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And You have set his limits so that he cannot pass.
6Look away from him so that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired worker.
7“For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.
8Though its roots grow old in the ground, And its stump dies in the dry soil,
9At the scent of water it will flourish And produce sprigs like a plant.
10But a man dies and lies prostrate. A person passes away, and where is he?
11As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12So a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens no longer exist, He will not awake nor be woken from his sleep.
13“Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me!
14If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my relief comes.
15You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands.
16For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin.
17My wrongdoing is sealed up in a bag, And You cover over my guilt.
18“But the falling mountain crumbles away, And the rock moves from its place;
19Water wears away stones, Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth; So You destroy a man’s hope.
20You forever overpower him and he departs; You change his appearance and send him away.
21His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it; Or they become insignificant, and he does not perceive it.
22However, his body pains him, And his soul mourns for himself.”
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.