Job 14:22

KJV

But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

KJV (with Strong's)

But his flesh {H1320} upon him shall have pain {H3510}, and his soul {H5315} within him shall mourn {H56}.

Complete Jewish Bible

He feels pain only for his own flesh; he laments only for himself."

Berean Standard Bible

He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”

American Standard Version

But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 14:22 serves as the poignant conclusion to Job's third discourse, articulating a profoundly bleak vision of human mortality. In this verse, Job asserts that even as a person's memory fades from the earth, their physical body will continue to experience pain, and their inner being will be consumed by mourning. It is a powerful, albeit despairing, statement that encapsulates Job's deep sense of hopelessness regarding the comprehensive and persistent nature of suffering, extending even into the final moments of life and the immediate aftermath of death.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse concludes Job's third major discourse (chapters 12-14), which is characterized by his increasingly desperate and philosophical lament concerning the human condition. Throughout chapter 14, Job contrasts the cyclical renewal found in nature—like a tree that can sprout again even after being cut down—with the irreversible finality of human death. He laments that unlike a tree, "man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?" [Job 14:10](/job/14-10 "Job 14:10 - The Irreversibility of Human Death"). He sees no hope of return or healing from the grave, expressing a longing for a hidden place in Sheol where he might find respite, even if temporary [Job 14:13](/job/14-13 "Job 14:13 - Job's Desire for Sheol"). Job 14:22 acts as a grim summary of this outlook, emphasizing that suffering, both physical and emotional, persists even as the individual approaches death and is forgotten by the living, painting a stark picture of life's painful end.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East (ANE), the understanding of the afterlife was often vague and shadowy. Sheol, the common grave or underworld, was generally perceived as a place of dim existence, cut off from the vibrant life and light of the living world. Unlike later developments in Israelite theology (e.g., the concept of resurrection in [Daniel 12:2](/daniel/12-2 "Daniel 12:2 - Resurrection of the Dead")) or the clear hope of a blessed afterlife in Christianity, many ANE cultures, including the early Israelite perspective reflected here, did not hold a robust belief in individual resurrection or a distinct, joyful post-mortem existence. Job's lament in [Job 14:22](/job/14-22 "Job 14:22 - The Persistence of Suffering in Death") reflects this prevalent view of death as a grim, final, and often painful end, where earthly suffering might not immediately cease but rather linger, underscoring humanity's ultimate vulnerability before mortality.
* **Key Themes:** Job 14:22 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Job and this particular discourse. Firstly, it powerfully underscores **The Fragility and Brevity of Human Life**, contrasting humanity's fleeting existence with the enduring cycles of the natural world. Secondly, it highlights **The Persistence of Suffering**, suggesting that pain and sorrow do not necessarily cease at the moment of death but rather cling to the dying individual, encompassing both physical and emotional distress. This challenges simplistic notions of suffering ending with life. Finally, the verse is a profound expression of **Job's Profound Despair and Helplessness Before Death**. It reflects his inability, at this point in his journey, to see beyond the immediate, overwhelming suffering and the perceived finality of the grave, emphasizing humanity's lack of control in the face of mortality.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Flesh (Hebrew, _bāśār'_):** This term refers to the physical body, often symbolizing the whole person in their earthly, mortal, and vulnerable state. In this context, it emphasizes the tangible, corporeal aspect of suffering, indicating that the physical being itself is subjected to distress.
* **Pain (Hebrew, _kĕ’ēḇ'_):** This word denotes a sharp, intense ache, suffering, or grief. It conveys not merely discomfort but a profound and distressing physical sensation, suggesting a deep-seated anguish that permeates the body.
* **Soul (Hebrew, _nefeš'_):** More than just an immaterial spirit, _nefeš_ in Hebrew thought often refers to the entire inner person—the life-force, self, mind, emotions, and desires. Here, it signifies the deepest, most personal, and conscious aspect of an individual, indicating that the suffering is not merely superficial but profoundly internal and psychological.
* **Mourn (Hebrew, _’āḇal'_):** This verb means to grieve, lament, or be sorrowful. It describes a state of deep emotional distress, often accompanied by outward expressions of sorrow. When applied to the "soul," it indicates an intense, internal lamentation that consumes the inner being.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But his flesh upon him shall have pain":** This clause emphasizes the physical dimension of suffering. The phrase "upon him" is emphatic, suggesting that the pain is deeply personal, inescapable, and inherent to the individual's physical being. Job envisions a state where the body, even as it decays or nears its end, is not released from its torment but rather continues to experience acute distress.
* **"and his soul within him shall mourn":** This parallel clause shifts the focus to the internal, emotional, and spiritual anguish. The "soul" (nefeš) represents the inner self, the seat of emotions and consciousness. The phrase "within him" reinforces the profound, inescapable nature of this inner torment. Job suggests that even as the physical body suffers, the deepest part of the person is consumed by an internal lamentation, a profound sorrow that pervades their very core.

#### Literary Devices
Job 14:22 powerfully employs **Parallelism** to convey the comprehensive nature of human suffering. Specifically, it uses **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second half of the verse ("and his soul within him shall mourn") reiterates and intensifies the idea presented in the first half ("But his flesh upon him shall have pain"). This structure emphasizes that suffering is not limited to one dimension but encompasses both the physical ("flesh" and "pain") and the inner, emotional, or spiritual ("soul" and "mourn") aspects of a person. The verse also utilizes a form of **Personification**, attributing the active experience of "pain" to the "flesh" and "mourning" to the "soul," thereby vividly portraying these abstract concepts as active agents in the individual's final moments. This rhetorical choice underscores the inescapable and pervasive nature of the anguish Job describes.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 14:22 offers a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the human experience of suffering and mortality from a perspective devoid of the full revelation of God's redemptive plan. Job's lament highlights humanity's profound vulnerability and the seemingly unyielding grip of pain and death. While his words reflect a common ancient Near Eastern understanding of death as a bleak, final state, they also implicitly underscore the deep human yearning for release from suffering and for a hope beyond the grave. The verse, therefore, serves as a powerful backdrop against which the later, more complete biblical revelation of resurrection and eternal life can be understood and appreciated. It reminds us of the desperate human need for divine intervention to overcome the ultimate enemies: sin, suffering, and death.

* [Psalm 90:10](/psalms/90-10 "The Brevity and Toil of Life")
* [Ecclesiastes 9:5](/ecclesiastes/9-5 "The Dead Know Nothing")
* [1 Corinthians 15:54](/1_corinthians/15-54 "Victory Over Death")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 14:22 confronts us with the stark reality of human suffering and mortality, refusing to sugarcoat the pain and despair that can accompany the end of life. While Job's perspective here is one of profound hopelessness, his honest lament invites us to acknowledge the pervasive nature of physical and emotional pain in this fallen world. This verse calls us to cultivate deep empathy for those who are suffering, particularly those facing terminal illness or the loss of loved ones, recognizing that their anguish may be comprehensive, affecting both body and soul. It challenges us to consider how we, as individuals and communities, can offer holistic care that addresses not only physical discomfort but also the profound emotional and spiritual distress that often accompanies the dying process. Ultimately, Job's raw honesty, though bleak, prepares our hearts to receive the radiant hope found in later biblical revelation, which transforms our understanding of death and suffering.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job's lament in this verse resonate with or challenge your own understanding of suffering and death?**
* **In what ways can we offer compassionate and holistic care to those experiencing profound physical and emotional pain, especially at the end of life?**
* **How does the Christian hope of resurrection transform the despair expressed in Job 14:22?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse mean that suffering continues in the afterlife, or that the dead are conscious of pain?**

Answer: Job 14:22 primarily reflects Job's immediate, despairing perception of the human condition and the finality of death *from his limited perspective*. It should not be interpreted as a definitive theological statement on the conscious experience of pain in the afterlife. In the context of Job's lament in chapter 14, he is emphasizing the irreversible nature of human death and the comprehensive suffering—both physical and emotional—that he believes accompanies the process of dying and the immediate aftermath, as the individual fades from memory. His words are a poetic expression of profound anguish and a lack of hope for any cessation of suffering, even in death. Later biblical revelation, particularly in the New Testament, provides a much clearer and more hopeful picture of the afterlife, emphasizing that for believers, death is a transition to a state of peace and presence with God, where "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain" [Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "God Wipes Away Tears"). Therefore, Job's words here are a powerful articulation of human despair *without* the full revelation of God's redemptive plan.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 14:22, with its stark portrayal of comprehensive human suffering extending even to the point of death, powerfully underscores humanity's desperate need for a Savior who can conquer both pain and mortality. Job's lament, "his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn," finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. The Son of God willingly entered into the full scope of human suffering, experiencing both physical agony and soul-deep anguish. In Gethsemane, His "soul" was "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" [Matthew 26:38](/matthew/26-38 "Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane"), and on the cross, His "flesh" endured unimaginable pain, culminating in His cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" [Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Jesus' Cry of Dereliction"). Jesus, the Suffering Servant [Isaiah 53:3-5](/isaiah/53-3 "The Suffering Servant"), fully identified with the human condition Job describes, becoming "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Yet, unlike Job, Christ's suffering was redemptive. His death was not a final, despairing end but a victorious act that swallowed up death in victory [1 Corinthians 15:54](/1_corinthians/15-54 "Victory Over Death"). Through His resurrection, Jesus transformed the grim outlook of Job 14:22, offering the promise that "because I live, ye shall live also" [John 14:19](/john/14-19 "Jesus Promises Life"). He is the "resurrection, and the life" [John 11:25](/john/11-25 "Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life"), ensuring that for those who believe in Him, the pain of the flesh and the mourning of the soul will ultimately give way to eternal joy in His presence, where there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain [Revelation 21:4](/revelation/21-4 "No More Pain or Death").

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

Job 19:26

And [though] after my skin [worms] destroy this [body], yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Proverbs 14:32

¶ The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

Luke 16:23

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:24

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Job 19:22

Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

Job 33:19

¶ He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong [pain]:

Job 33:21

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones [that] were not seen stick out.