King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow [out] of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Complete Jewish Bible:
the water wears away its stones, and the floods wash away its soil, so you destroy a person's hope.
Berean Standard Bible:
as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
American Standard Version:
The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
The waters{H4325} wear{H7833} the stones{H68}: thou washest away{H7857} the things which grow{H5599} out of the dust{H6083} of the earth{H776}; and thou destroyest{H6} the hope{H8615} of man{H582}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 7:21
- ¶ And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
Genesis 7:23
- And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in the ark.
Job 27:8
- For what [is] the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
Job 19:10
- He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
Psalms 30:6
- ¶ And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
Psalms 30:7
- LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, [and] I was troubled.
Luke 12:19
- And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, [and] be merry.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Job 14:19
Job 14:19 is a part of the poetic dialogues in the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Book of Job deals with the theme of theodicy, the problem of evil and suffering in the world, particularly why the righteous suffer. Job, a man known for his piety and blamelessness, endures severe losses and physical afflictions, leading him to question God's justice.
In this verse, Job uses the imagery of water eroding stones and washing away the things that grow out of the dust of the earth to illustrate the impermanence of life and human endeavors. The "waters" symbolize the relentless forces of time and decay that wear down even the hardest substances, such as stones. Similarly, human achievements, like plants that spring from the dust, are depicted as transient and vulnerable to destruction. The verse conveys a sense of despair as Job reflects on the futility of human existence and the seeming hopelessness of trying to maintain permanence in a world characterized by change and dissolution.
The historical context of the Book of Job is somewhat uncertain, with scholars suggesting various periods from the early second millennium BCE to as late as the Persian period (539-332 BCE). The language and themes of the book reflect a time when questions about divine justice and the human condition were being deeply pondered. Job's lament in verse 14:19 speaks to the universal human experience of witnessing the decay of what is built and the fleeting nature of hope when faced with the inexorable forces of nature and time. It underscores the human struggle to find meaning and durability in a world that often seems indifferent or even hostile to human aspirations.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H7833
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁחַק
Transliteration: shâchaq
Pronunciation: shaw-khak'
Description: a primitive root; to comminate (by trituration or attrition); beat, wear. - Strong's Number: H68
There are 1276 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶבֶן
Transliteration: ʼeben
Pronunciation: eh'-ben
Description: from the root of בָּנָה through the meaning to build; a stone; [phrase] carbuncle, [phrase] mason, [phrase] plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s). - Strong's Number: H7857
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁטַף
Transliteration: shâṭaph
Pronunciation: shaw-taf'
Description: a primitive root; to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to gallop, conquer; drown, (over-) flow(-whelm, rinse, run, rush, (throughly) wash (away). - Strong's Number: H5599
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סָפִיחַ
Transliteration: çâphîyach
Pronunciation: saw-fee'-akh
Description: from סָפַח; something (spontaneously) falling off, i.e. a self-sown crop; figuratively, a freshet; (such) things as (which) grow (of themselves), which groweth of its own accord (itself). - Strong's Number: H6083
There are 103 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָפָר
Transliteration: ʻâphâr
Pronunciation: aw-fawr'
Description: from עָפַר; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud; ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish. - Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H6
There are 14291 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָבַד
Transliteration: ʼâbad
Pronunciation: aw-bad'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy); break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee. - Strong's Number: H8615
There are 33 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תִּקְוָה
Transliteration: tiqvâh
Pronunciation: tik-vaw'
Description: from קָוָה; (compare קָוֶה); literally a cord (as an attachment); figuratively, expectancy; expectation(-ted), hope, live, thing that I long for. - Strong's Number: H582
There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
Pronunciation: en-oshe'
Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ.