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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 14:1–6. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We are here led to think,
I.Of the original of human life.
God is indeed its great original, for he breathed into man the breath of life and in him we live; but we date it from our birth, and thence we must date both its frailty and its pollution.
1.Its frailty: Man, that is born of a woman, is therefore of few days, Job 14:1. This may refer to the first woman, who was called Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Of her, who being deceived by the tempter was first in the transgression, we are all born, and consequently derive from her that sin and corruption which both shorten our days and sadden them. Or it may refer to every man's immediate mother. The woman is the weaker vessel, and we know that partus sequitur ventrem - the child takes after the mother. Let not the strong man therefore glory in his strength, or in the strength of his father, but remember that he is born of a woman, and that, when God pleases, the mighty men become as women, Jer 51:30.
2.Its pollution (Job 14:4): Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? If man be born of a woman that is a sinner, how can it be otherwise than that he should be a sinner? See Job 25:4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? Clean children cannot come from unclean parents any more than pure streams from an impure spring or grapes from thorns. Our habitual corruption is derived with our nature from our parents, and is therefore bred in the bone. Our blood is not only attainted by a legal conviction, but tainted with an hereditary disease. Our Lord Jesus, being made sin for us, is said to be made of a woman, Gal 4:4.
II.Of the nature of human life:
it is a flower, it is a shadow, Job 14:2. The flower is fading, and all its beauty soon withers and is gone. The shadow is fleeting, and its very being will soon be lost and drowned in the shadows of the night. Of neither do we make any account; in neither do we put any confidence.
III.Of the shortness and uncertainty of human life:
Man is of few days. Life is here computed, not by months or years, but by days, for we cannot be sure of any day but that it may be our last. These days are few, fewer than we think of, few at the most, in comparison with the days of the first patriarchs, much more in comparison with the days of eternity, but much fewer to most, who come short of what we call the age of man. Man sometimes no sooner comes forth than he is cut down - comes forth out of the womb than he dies in the cradle - comes forth into the world and enters into the business of it than he is hurried away as soon as he has laid his hand to the plough. If not cut down immediately, yet he flees as a shadow, and never continues in one stay, in one shape, but the fashion of it passes away; so does this world, and our life in it, Co1 7:31.
IV.Of the calamitous state of human life.
Man, as he is short-lived, so he is sad-lived. Though he had but a few days to spend here, yet, if he might rejoice in those few, it were well (a short life and a merry one is the boast of some); but it is not so. During these few days he is full of trouble, not only troubled, but full of trouble, either toiling or fretting, grieving or fearing. No day passes without some vexation, some hurry, some disorder or other. Those that are fond of the world shall have enough of it. He is satur tremore - full of commotion. The fewness of his days creates him a continual trouble and uneasiness in expectation of the period of them, and he always hangs in doubt of his life. Yet, since man's days are so full of trouble, it is well that they are few, that the soul's imprisonment in the body, and banishment from the Lord, are not perpetual, are not long. When we come to heaven our days will be many, and perfectly free from trouble, and in the mean time faith, hope, and love, balance the present grievances.
V.Of the sinfulness of human life, arising from the sinfulness of the human nature.
So some understand that question (Job 14:4), Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? - a clean performance from an unclean principle? Note, Actual transgressions are the natural product of habitual corruption, which is therefore called original sin, because it is the original of all our sins. This holy Job here laments, as all that are sanctified do, running up the streams to the fountain (Psa 51:5); and some think he intends it as a plea with God for compassion: "Lord, be not extreme to mark my sins of human frailty and infirmity, for thou knowest my weakness. O remember that I am flesh!" The Chaldee paraphrase has an observable reading of this verse: Who can make a man clean that is polluted with sin? Cannot one? that is, God. Or who but God, who is one, and will spare him? God, by his almighty grace, can change the skin of the Ethiopian, the skin of Job, though clothed with worms.
VI.Of the settled period of human life, v. 5.
1.Three things we are here assured of: - (1.) That our life will come to an end; our days upon earth are not numberless, are not endless, no, they are numbered, and will soon be finished, Dan 5:26. (2.) That it is determined, in the counsel and decree of God, how long we shall live and when we shall die. The number of our months is with God, at the disposal of his power, which cannot be controlled, and under the view of his omniscience, which cannot be deceived. It is certain that God's providence has the ordering of the period of our lives; our times are in his hand. The powers of nature depend upon him, and act under him. In him we live and move. Diseases are his servants; he kills and makes alive. Nothing comes to pass by chance, no, not the execution done by a bow drawn at a venture. It is therefore certain that God's prescience has determined it before; for known unto God are all his works. Whatever he does he determined, yet with a regard partly to the settled course of nature (the end and the means are determined together) and to the settled rules of moral government, punishing evil and rewarding good in this life. We are no more governed by the Stoic's blind fate than by the Epicurean's blind fortune. (3.) That the bounds God has fixed we cannot pass; for his counsels are unalterable, his foresight being infallible.
2.These considerations Job here urges as reasons,
(1.)Why God should not be so strict in taking cognizance of him and of his slips and failings (Job 14:3): "Since I have such a corrupt nature within, and am liable to so much trouble, which is a constant temptation from without, dost thou open thy eyes and fasten them upon such a one, extremely to mark what I do amiss? Job 13:27. And dost thou bring me, such a worthless worm as I am, into judgment with thee who art so quick sighted to discover the least failing, so holy to hate it, so just to condemn it, and so mighty to punish it?" The consideration of our own inability to contend with God, of our own sinfulness and weakness, should engage us to pray, Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servant.
(2.)Why he should not be so severe in his dealings with him: "Lord, I have but a little time to live. I must certainly and shortly go hence, and the few days I have to spend here are, at the best, full of trouble. O let me have a little respite! Job 14:6. Turn from afflicting a poor creature thus, and let him rest awhile; allow him some breathing time, until he shall accomplish as a hireling his day. It is appointed to me once to die; let that one day suffice me, and let me not thus be continually dying, dying a thousand deaths. Let it suffice that my life, at best, is as the day of a hireling, a day of toil and labour. I am content to accomplish that, and will make the best of the common hardships of human life, the burden and heat of the day; but let me not feel those uncommon tortures, let not my life be as the day of a malefactor, all execution-day." Thus may we find some relief under great troubles by recommending ourselves to the compassion of that God who knows our frame and will consider it, and our being out of frame too.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins [Hebrews 11:37] went about proclaiming the coming of Christ; I mean Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among the prophets, with those others to whom a like testimony is borne [in Scripture]. Abraham was specially honoured, and was called the friend of God; yet he, earnestly regarding the glory of God, humbly declared, "I am but dust and ashes." [Genesis 18:27] Moreover, it is thus written of Job, "Job was a righteous man, and blameless, truthful, God-fearing, and one that kept himself from all evil." [Job 1:1] But bringing an accusation against himself, he said, "No man is free from defilement, even if his life be but of one day." [Job 14:4-5] Moses was called faithful in all God's house; and through his instrumentality, God punished Egypt with plagues and tortures. Yet he, though thus greatly honoured, did not adopt lofty language, but said, when the divine oracle came to him out of the bush, "Who am I, that You send me? I am a man of a feeble voice and a slow tongue." [Exodus 4:10] And again he said, "I am but as the smoke of a pot."
You see Job taking refuge again in his nature, because it is impossible, he says, to be pure. [He implores God] not only because of our weakness or our ephemeral nature or the disheartening that fills our life, but because it is also impossible to be pure. “Stay away from me, so that I may be peaceful and satisfied about my life like a laborer.” Job expresses again the ephemeral, miserable and unhappy character of life. “And since I am overwhelmed and unhappy, I ask only to be left in peace.” Then Job demonstrates that human beings are the unhappiest of all, more than trees, rivers and the sea.
70. He That alone is clean in Himself can cleanse the unclean thing. For man, who lives in a corruptible flesh, has the uncleannesses of temptation engrained in him, seeing that he derived them from his birth. For his very conception, for the sake of fleshly gratification, is uncleanness. Hence the Psalmist saith, Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. [Ps. 51, 7] Hence it is therefore that he is very often tempted even against his will. Hence it is that he is subject to impurities in imagination, even though he strive against them by reason, because being conceived in uncleanness, whilst he follows after cleanness, he is striving to get the better of that which he is. But whoever has mastered the motions of secret temptation, and overcome uncleanness of thought, must never ascribe his cleanness to himself, in that none can make clean a thing conceived of unclean seed, save He Who alone is clean in Himself. Let him, then, that has already reached in mind the place of cleanness, cast his eye upon the way of his conception, which he came by, and thence satisfy himself, that in his own power he has no cleanness of life, the beginning of whose existence was made in uncleanness. But the meaning here may be that blessed Job, regarding the Incarnation of the Redeemer, saw that That Man only in the world was not conceived of unclean seed, Who so came into the world from the Virgin’s womb, that He had nothing derived from unclean conception. For He did not proceed from the man and the woman, but from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. He only then proved truly clean in His Flesh, Who was incapable of being affected by the gratification of the flesh, seeing that it was not by the gratification of the flesh that He came hither.
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Summary
Job 14:4 presents a profound rhetorical question, "Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? not one," encapsulating humanity's deep lament over its inherent impurity and the absolute impossibility of self-redemption. This verse articulates a universal truth about the pervasive nature of sin and the fundamental limitations of human effort in achieving genuine spiritual cleanliness, setting the stage for a theological understanding that points beyond human capacity to a divine solution.
Context
Literary Context
Job 14:4 is situated within Job's extended soliloquy (chapters 3-14), a period of intense lament and theological wrestling as he grapples with the profound questions of human suffering, mortality, and the nature of divine justice. Specifically, chapter 14 is a poignant meditation on the brevity and frailty of human life, contrasting it sharply with the cyclical renewal observed in nature. Job opens this chapter by reflecting on the transient existence of "man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble" Job 14:1. He observes that humans, like flowers, "cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down" Job 14:2. Against this backdrop of ephemeral existence and inevitable decay, Job's rhetorical question in verse 4 underscores his conviction that humanity is not only short-lived but also inherently flawed and impure from its very origin, making any self-initiated purification impossible. This verse serves as a foundational premise for his subsequent despair and his yearning for a means of escape from this cycle of sin and death.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, and particularly within Israelite society, concepts of "clean" (טָהוֹר, tahor) and "unclean" (טָמֵא, tame) were deeply embedded in religious, social, and even medical practices. The Mosaic Law, as detailed in books like Leviticus and Numbers, meticulously outlined various forms of ritual impurity (e.g., contact with dead bodies, certain skin diseases, bodily discharges) and the prescribed means of purification. While the book of Job predates the full codification of the Mosaic Law, the underlying understanding of purity and defilement was ancient and widespread. Job's use of "unclean" here transcends mere ritual defilement, pointing to a deeper, inherent moral or spiritual impurity of human nature itself. His lament reflects a universal human experience of fallenness, resonating with the understanding that humans are born into a state of sin, a concept found in various ancient wisdom traditions and later articulated in biblical theology.
Key Themes
Job 14:4 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Job and broader biblical theology. The most prominent is the Inherent Human Impurity and Frailty, positing that humanity, by its very nature, is tainted by sin and subject to decay. This echoes the broader biblical narrative of the Fall and its consequences, where humanity's moral corruption is a pervasive reality, as seen in Psalm 51:5 where David confesses, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Secondly, the verse highlights Human Inability and Limitations, with the rhetorical question "Who can...?" emphasizing the absolute impossibility of self-purification or self-salvation. No human effort, ritual, or lineage can fundamentally alter this inherent condition. This theme is further developed throughout the Old Testament, pointing to the need for divine intervention, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 13:23. Finally, while not explicitly stated, the implied answer "not one" (meaning no human) subtly introduces the theme of the Necessity of Divine Intervention. True cleansing, transformation, and redemption must originate from a source outside of humanity, foreshadowing the divine solution that only God can provide.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H5414, נָתַן) is a versatile primitive root meaning "to give," but used with a wide latitude of application, including "to put," "to make," or "to bestow." In Job 14:4, it signifies the act of producing or causing something to come forth. Job's question implies that no human can produce or generate purity from their own inherent state of impurity. The word underscores the active agency required, which humanity utterly lacks in this spiritual context.
This word (H2889, טָהוֹר) denotes purity in a comprehensive sense—physical, chemical, ceremonial, and moral. While often used in the Mosaic Law for ritual purity, here Job extends its meaning to encompass an intrinsic moral or spiritual blamelessness. The rhetorical question implies that humanity, in its fallen state, lacks this fundamental purity from its very origin, making it impossible to produce a "clean thing" from itself.
The Hebrew word (H2931, טָמֵא) refers to a state of defilement, primarily in a religious sense, rendering a person or object unfit for sacred use or contact with the holy. It could result from various sources like disease, death, or certain bodily emissions. In Job 14:4, ṭâmêʼ is used metaphorically to describe the inherent, pervasive moral and spiritual defilement of humanity from birth. It suggests that the very source of human life is tainted, making any self-generated purity impossible.
This phrase (H259, לֹא אֶחָד, literally "no one") serves as the emphatic, definitive answer to Job's rhetorical question. The word ʼechâd means "one" or "united." When combined with the negative particle "lo" (not), it creates an absolute negation, underscoring the universal impossibility of any human being achieving true cleanliness or purity from their own inherent "unclean" nature. It leaves no room for exceptions or human solutions, powerfully reinforcing the depth of human depravity and the futility of self-effort.
Verse Breakdown
"Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean?"
This is a profound rhetorical question, the very structure of which implies an impossible answer. Job posits a fundamental incompatibility: a pure outcome cannot originate from an inherently impure source. The "unclean" here refers to the fallen, sinful nature of humanity, inherited from birth. The "clean [thing]" represents spiritual purity, righteousness, or a state of blamelessness before God. The question highlights the paradox and the futility of expecting spiritual purity to emerge from a spiritually defiled origin through human agency. It challenges the notion that humanity possesses any innate capacity for self-purification or moral perfection.
"not one."
This is the stark, definitive, and universal answer to the rhetorical question. It is an emphatic declaration that no human being, through any effort, ritual, or inherent quality, can reverse their fundamental state of impurity or generate true spiritual cleanliness from within themselves. This terse phrase underscores the complete and utter inability of humanity to self-redeem or self-purify, setting the stage for the necessity of a divine intervention. It serves as a theological dead-end for human capability, forcing the reader to look beyond humanity for a solution.
Literary Devices
Job 14:4 powerfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to make a forceful assertion by implying an obvious, negative answer. It compels the listener or reader to confront the universal truth of human impurity. Following this, the immediate and absolute answer, "not one," functions as a form of Aposiopesis (a sudden breaking off in speech) and Emphasis, dramatically reinforcing the impossibility. There is also an implicit Antithesis or Contrast between "clean" and "unclean," highlighting the stark opposition between human fallenness and divine purity. The verse also functions as a form of Lament, expressing Job's deep despair over the human condition and its inherent limitations. Through these devices, Job effectively communicates the pervasive nature of human sin and the futility of human self-purification.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 14:4 serves as a foundational statement regarding the doctrine of original sin and human depravity. It articulates the universal truth that humanity is born into a state of moral and spiritual impurity, rendering self-salvation impossible. This inherent "uncleanliness" is not merely ritualistic but speaks to a deep-seated corruption of human nature, a consequence of the Fall. This verse underscores the absolute necessity of a divine work of cleansing and transformation, as no human effort can rectify this fundamental flaw. It powerfully sets the stage for understanding the need for a Redeemer who can accomplish what humanity cannot do for itself.
Reflection and Application
Job's poignant question in Job 14:4 forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth of our own inherent spiritual condition. In a world that often champions self-improvement, human potential, and the innate goodness of humanity, this verse serves as a humbling reminder that true spiritual cleanliness cannot be manufactured by human effort, good deeds, or religious rituals. It calls us to acknowledge the pervasive reality of sin that affects every individual from birth, creating an insurmountable chasm between humanity and a holy God. This recognition is not meant to lead to despair but to a profound sense of humility and a desperate longing for a divine solution. It teaches us that our hope for purity and reconciliation must lie entirely outside of ourselves, compelling us to look to the One who alone possesses the power to make the unclean clean. This understanding cultivates a deep dependence on God's grace and a profound appreciation for the supernatural, transformative work of redemption that only He can provide.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 14:4 teach the doctrine of original sin?
Yes, Job 14:4 strongly implies and supports the doctrine of original sin, though it doesn't use that specific theological term. Job's rhetorical question, "Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? not one," points to an inherent, pervasive impurity in humanity from its very origin. This aligns with the biblical understanding that humanity is born into a state of sin and spiritual corruption, inherited from Adam's fall. It suggests that sin is not merely a collection of individual acts but a fundamental condition of human nature, making it impossible for anyone to achieve true spiritual purity through their own efforts. This concept is echoed in other parts of Scripture, such as Psalm 51:5 ("Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me") and Romans 5:12, which states, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
How does this verse relate to the concept of ritual purity in the Old Testament?
While the terms "clean" (טָהוֹר, tahor) and "unclean" (טָמֵא, tame) are central to the Old Testament's ritual purity laws (e.g., in Leviticus 11), Job 14:4 transcends a purely ceremonial understanding. In the ritual context, impurity was often temporary and could be remedied through specific rites, sacrifices, or periods of separation. However, Job's question points to a deeper, inherent, and pervasive moral or spiritual impurity that cannot be removed by human ritual or effort. It suggests that humanity's fundamental nature is "unclean" at its core, not just temporarily defiled by external contact. This profound statement elevates the concept of "uncleanliness" from a ceremonial status to an existential condition, highlighting the need for a radical, divine intervention rather than mere ritualistic cleansing.
Does Job 14:4 offer any hope for humanity's impurity?
On its own, Job 14:4 offers no human-initiated hope for overcoming impurity; its answer "not one" is unequivocally negative regarding human capability. However, implicitly, by highlighting the absolute impossibility of self-purification, it creates a profound theological vacuum that can only be filled by divine action. The verse, therefore, serves as a powerful setup for the biblical narrative of redemption. It points to the necessity of a source of purity outside of humanity, foreshadowing the divine provision for cleansing and new life. While Job himself may not fully grasp this solution in his lament, the verse lays the groundwork for understanding the profound need for God's grace and the redemptive work of Christ, who alone can make the unclean clean. As Jeremiah 13:23 similarly asks, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Both verses underscore the human inability and the divine necessity.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 14:4, in its stark declaration of human inability to produce purity from an impure source, powerfully sets the stage for the necessity and glory of Christ's redemptive work. The "unclean" state of humanity, which Job laments as an inescapable birthright, finds its ultimate remedy in Jesus Christ. He is the one who, being perfectly "clean" and without sin, entered into our "unclean" world to accomplish what no human could. Through His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus became the ultimate purification offering, taking upon Himself the sin and impurity of humanity, as prophesied by Isaiah: "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities" Isaiah 53:5. The New Testament proclaims that in Christ, God makes the unclean clean, not by human effort, but by divine grace. We are "washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" 1 Corinthians 6:11. Furthermore, the new birth, spoken of by Jesus in John 3:5, is a divine act where the Spirit of God creates a "clean heart" and a "new spirit" within us Ezekiel 36:26, transforming us from an "unclean" source into a "clean thing" in Christ. Thus, Job's desperate question finds its glorious answer in the person and work of Jesus, who alone has the power to bring purity out of impurity, making us new creations in Him 2 Corinthians 5:17, and enabling us to approach a holy God through His perfect righteousness Hebrews 10:19-22.