Job 14:11

KJV

[As] the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

KJV (with Strong's)

As the waters {H4325} fail {H235} from the sea {H3220}, and the flood {H5104} decayeth {H2717} and drieth up {H3001}:

Complete Jewish Bible

Just as water in a lake disappears, as a river shrinks and dries up;

Berean Standard Bible

As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,

American Standard Version

Asthe waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 14:11 powerfully articulates Job's profound despair regarding the perceived finality of human life, contrasting it starkly with the cyclical renewal observed in the natural world. Through vivid and desolate imagery of vanishing waters—the sea from which waters fail and the flood that decays and dries up—Job laments the irreversible disappearance of a person after death, expressing a perspective that sees no earthly return from the grave. This verse encapsulates the depth of his suffering and his struggle to comprehend the transience of existence without a clear, immediate hope of resurrection.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 14:11 is situated within Job's extended lament in [Job chapter 14](/job/14 "Job 14 - Man's Frailty and Hope"), a chapter primarily dedicated to his meditation on human mortality and the brevity of life. Having previously expressed his anguish and questioned God's justice in [Job 7](/job/7 "Job 7 - Job's Despair and Plea to God") and [Job 10](/job/10 "Job 10 - Job's Complaint to God"), Job here deepens his reflection on the finality of death. He opens the chapter by highlighting humanity's inherent frailty, stating, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble" ([Job 14:1](/job/14-1 "Job 14:1 - Man's Frailty")). A poignant contrast is drawn between the hope for a tree, which, though cut down, "will sprout again" ([Job 14:7](/job/14-7 "Job 14:7 - Hope for a Tree")), and the human being, who, once dead, "giveth up the ghost, and where is he?" ([Job 14:10](/job/14-10 "Job 14:10 - Man's Demise")). Verse 11 serves as a powerful metaphorical illustration of this perceived definitive end, emphasizing the complete and irreversible disappearance of a person from the earthly realm, mirroring the vanishing of water sources.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, water was not merely a commodity but a symbol of life, prosperity, and divine blessing. Its scarcity or disappearance was thus a potent metaphor for desolation, death, and judgment. The imagery of "waters fail from the sea" (referring to a large body of water or perhaps subterranean springs) and "the flood decayeth and drieth up" would have resonated deeply with an audience familiar with the region's arid climate. The "flood" (נָהָר, _nahar_) often refers to a river, but in this context, it likely alludes to the ephemeral wadis or seasonal torrents that would swell dramatically during the rainy season and then vanish completely, leaving behind parched, cracked riverbeds. This natural phenomenon provided a stark, tangible illustration of the perceived finality of human life. The complete desiccation of these vital water sources, leaving no trace, mirrored Job's understanding of human death as an absolute and irreversible vanishing from the land of the living.
* **Key Themes:** Job 14:11 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Job and broader biblical wisdom literature. Firstly, it underscores the **brevity and fragility of human life**, a recurring lament throughout the book, highlighting humanity's limited lifespan in contrast to God's eternal nature (e.g., [Psalm 90:3-6](/psalms/90-3-6 "Psalm 90:3-6 - God's Eternity and Man's Frailty")). Secondly, it expresses Job's profound **despair and the perceived finality of death** from an earthly perspective. At this point, Job sees no natural mechanism for human revival, unlike the regenerative capacity of nature, which only intensifies his suffering and questioning. This theme sets the stage for the later revelation of a hope beyond the grave, albeit one Job cannot yet fully grasp. Lastly, the verse exemplifies the **power of natural metaphors** to convey deep theological and existential truths. The imagery of vanishing waters powerfully communicates a sense of complete depletion and disappearance, emphasizing the stark reality of mortality in a way that would have been universally understood in Job's cultural setting, echoing similar laments about human transience found in [Psalm 102:11](/psalms/102-11 "Psalm 102:11 - Life as a Fading Shadow").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Fail (Hebrew, _ʼâzal'_):** The Hebrew word אָזַל (_ʼâzal_, H235) is a primitive root meaning "to go away," "to disappear," or "to be gone (spent)." In this context, it vividly describes the complete depletion or vanishing of water. It implies a process where something once present and vital simply ceases to be, emphasizing the utter disappearance and lack of substance remaining. This nuance highlights the irreversible nature of the perceived loss.
* **Decayeth (Hebrew, _chârab'_):** The Hebrew term חָרֵב (_chârab_, H2717) means "to parch (through drought)," "to desolate," "to destroy," or "to be dry (up)." It describes a process of desiccation and ruin, where something once vibrant and full of life becomes parched, unproductive, and laid waste. This word evokes the image of a once-flowing riverbed turning into cracked, barren earth, reinforcing the idea of total loss and irreversible change due to drought.
* **Drieth up (Hebrew, _yâbêsh'_):** The Hebrew verb יָבֵשׁ (_yâbêsh_, H3001) literally means "to be dry," "to wither," or "to be ashamed." In this context, it powerfully reinforces the imagery of complete desiccation and vanishing. It speaks to the final stage of the process, where all moisture is gone, and the source of life has completely disappeared, leaving no trace of its former existence. Together with "decayeth," it paints a picture of absolute and permanent vanishing, a state of utter desiccation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"[As] the waters fail from the sea":** This clause introduces a vivid simile, comparing the disappearance of human life to the complete depletion of a vast body of water. The "sea" (יָם, _yâm_, H3220) here might refer to a large lake, a subterranean reservoir, or even the ocean itself, implying a seemingly inexhaustible source. The verb "fail" (אָזַל, _ʼâzal_) suggests a process of being emptied or vanishing, emphasizing the irreversible nature of this depletion. The image conveys a sense of profound and complete loss, as if life's essence simply drains away without hope of replenishment, leaving nothing behind.
* **"and the flood decayeth and drieth up":** This second clause parallels the first, intensifying the imagery of disappearance. The "flood" (נָהָר, _nâhâr_, H5104) likely refers to a wadi or seasonal river, which, in the arid climate of the ancient Near East, would swell with rain and then completely "decayeth" (חָרֵב, _chârab_ - become desolate, dry) and "drieth up" (יָבֵשׁ, _yâbêsh_ - wither, become parched). This double emphasis on drying and vanishing underscores the absolute finality of the process. For Job, this natural phenomenon perfectly illustrates the perceived permanent departure of a human being from the land of the living, leaving no trace and no possibility of return.

#### Literary Devices
Job 14:11 is rich in **Simile**, explicitly drawing a comparison between the vanishing of human life and the natural phenomena of disappearing water sources, using the implied "As." The entire verse functions as an extended simile, creating a powerful parallel between the physical disappearance of water and the perceived spiritual and physical disappearance of a person after death. Furthermore, **Imagery** is central to the verse's impact, evoking stark and desolate pictures of parched landscapes and vanishing water sources. This imagery is particularly potent in the ancient Near Eastern context, where water was a precious and often ephemeral commodity, making its loss a profound symbol of death and desolation. The two clauses also exhibit a strong form of **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("and the flood decayeth and drieth up") reinforces and intensifies the meaning of the first ("the waters fail from the sea"). This creates a cumulative effect that emphasizes the absolute and irreversible nature of the perceived finality of death, a common rhetorical device in Hebrew poetry to deepen meaning.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 14:11 powerfully articulates the universal human experience of confronting mortality, presenting death as a stark and irreversible vanishing from an earthly perspective. From Job's limited vantage point in his profound suffering, human life, unlike the cyclical renewal observed in nature, seems to offer no hope of return from the grave. This lament highlights the profound human struggle with the finality of death and the deep-seated desire for something beyond it. Theologically, it sets the stage for the biblical narrative's ultimate answer to death, which transcends human understanding and natural cycles. While Job's words here are steeped in despair, they underscore the very human need for a divine intervention that can overcome the seemingly absolute power of the grave, pointing to the future hope of resurrection that will eventually be revealed.

* [Psalm 90:5-6](/psalms/90-5-6 "Psalm 90:5-6 - Man's Fading Life")
* [James 4:14](/james/4-14 "James 4:14 - Life as a Vapor")
* [Ecclesiastes 3:19-20](/ecclesiastes/3-19-20 "Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 - The Common Fate of Man and Beast")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job's lament in Job 14:11 serves as a profound meditation on the transient nature of human existence. It forces us to confront the reality of our own mortality and the fleeting quality of earthly life. Like the waters that fail from the sea or the flood that dries up, our time on earth is finite and, from a purely human vantage point, seems to vanish without a trace. This stark imagery can be a sobering reminder to live with intentionality, valuing each moment and recognizing the preciousness of life. It also highlights the inherent human longing for something more, a hope that transcends the grave. For believers, this verse, while expressing Job's despair, ultimately points to the profound need for a hope found not in natural cycles, but in the supernatural intervention of God, which alone can conquer death and offer true permanence. It challenges us to consider where our ultimate hope lies and how the reality of our finite lives should shape our eternal perspective, prompting us to invest in what truly lasts beyond this fleeting existence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's perspective on death in this verse resonate with or differ from your own initial feelings about mortality?**
* **In what ways does the imagery of vanishing water challenge or affirm your understanding of life's transience?**
* **How might the awareness of life's brevity, as expressed by Job, motivate you to live more purposefully or with a greater eternal perspective?**

### FAQ
**Does Job 14:11 deny the possibility of resurrection?**

Answer: From Job's immediate, suffering-laden perspective, Job 14:11 expresses a deep despair and a perceived finality of death, strongly implying that there is no return from the grave in the same way that dried-up waters do not spontaneously reappear. At this point in his lament, Job sees no natural or human mechanism for revival. However, it's crucial to understand this verse within the broader narrative arc of the book of Job and the entire biblical revelation. Job's words here reflect his current, limited understanding and profound anguish, not a definitive theological statement on the ultimate nature of death from God's perspective. Later in the book, Job himself articulates a profound hope in a Redeemer and a future resurrection, declaring, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" ([Job 19:25-26](/job/19-25-26 "Job 19:25-26 - Job's Hope in His Redeemer")). Therefore, while Job 14:11 captures the human experience of despair in the face of death, it does not deny the ultimate biblical truth of resurrection, which is fully revealed in Christ.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 14:11, with its desolate imagery of waters failing and floods drying up, powerfully articulates the human experience of mortality and the perceived finality of death. From Job's vantage point, human life, once extinguished, vanishes as completely and irreversibly as a desert wadi. Yet, this very lament, steeped in the despair of a world without resurrection, serves as a poignant backdrop against which the glory of Christ's victory over death shines even brighter. The "drying up" of human life, as Job describes it, is precisely what Christ came to reverse. Jesus, who declared Himself the [Living Water](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus, the Living Water") and the [Resurrection and the Life](/john/11-25 "John 11:25 - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life"), entered into the human condition, experienced death in its fullness, and then triumphed over it. His resurrection from the grave means that the "waters" of human life do not ultimately "fail" for those who are in Him. Where Job saw only an irreversible vanishing, Christ offers the promise of eternal life and a bodily resurrection, transforming the perceived finality into a temporary sleep. The despair of [Job 14:11](/job/14-11 "Job 14:11 - The Vanishing of Life") is swallowed up in the hope of [1 Corinthians 15:54-57](/1_corinthians/15-54-57 "1 Corinthians 15:54-57 - Victory Over Death"), where death's sting is removed by the triumph of Christ, ensuring that those who "dry up" in this life will be raised to new, imperishable life in Him, fulfilling the deepest longings for permanence and life beyond the grave.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 19:5

And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.

Jeremiah 15:18

Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, [which] refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, [and as] waters [that] fail?

Job 6:15

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, [and] as the stream of brooks they pass away;

Job 6:18

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.