Job 14:9

[Yet] through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

Yet through the scent {H7381} of water {H4325} it will bud {H6524}, and bring forth {H6213} boughs {H7105} like a plant {H5194}.

yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant.

at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.

Job 14:9 is a poignant observation by Job, drawing a sharp contrast between the regenerative power of nature and what he perceives as the irreversible mortality of human life. This verse highlights a remarkable aspect of a tree's resilience, even after being cut down.

Context

This verse is part of Job’s despairing soliloquy in Job chapter 14, where he laments the brevity and fragility of human existence. He feels that while a tree, if cut down, still retains a glimmer of hope for new growth, man has no such earthly prospect of revival after death. The preceding verses, Job 14:7-8, set the stage by describing how a tree, even with a decaying root or a dead stump, still possesses the potential to sprout again if exposed to water. Job uses this natural phenomenon to underscore his deep sorrow concerning human mortality, which he contrasts in Job 14:12, stating that "man lieth down, and riseth not."

Meaning and Imagery

The phrase "through the scent of water" is a powerful image. It suggests that even the slightest hint, the most subtle presence, or the merest vapor of water is enough to awaken the dormant life within a seemingly dead tree stump. It's not a flood or a deluge, but a mere 'smell' or 'taste' of moisture that triggers regeneration. This emphasis on minimal stimulus highlights the incredible inherent life force within nature. When this "scent of water" is present, the tree "will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant," signifying a complete renewal, a return to vibrant growth and fruitfulness, as if it were a newly planted sapling.

Key Themes

  • Nature's Resilience: The verse beautifully illustrates the enduring power of creation to renew itself, even from apparent death or decay. It speaks to the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth observed in the natural world.
  • Hope in Small Beginnings: The "scent of water" symbolizes that even a tiny spark, a minimal resource, or a faint promise can be enough to initiate significant revival and growth. It underscores the potential for life to emerge from seemingly hopeless situations.
  • The Contrast with Human Mortality: Within Job's immediate context, this verse serves as a stark contrast to his perception of human destiny. He marvels at the tree's ability to revive, while lamenting what he believes to be man's permanent departure from the earthly realm after death.

Spiritual Application

While Job's perspective was limited by his suffering and the revelation available to him, this verse offers profound spiritual lessons for believers today. Just as a tree can revive with a mere "scent of water," so too can spiritual life be rekindled or flourish with divine sustenance. This can be likened to the life-giving power of God's Word (John 6:63) or the refreshing presence of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38). For Christians, the ultimate hope transcends earthly mortality, rooted in the promise of resurrection and new life in Christ. This echoes the truth that God can bring life and renewal even from seemingly dead situations, offering a hope that Job, in his suffering, could not yet fully grasp (1 Corinthians 15:54; Romans 6:4).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 11:17

    And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

  • Romans 11:24

    For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree?

  • Ezekiel 17:3

    And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

  • Ezekiel 17:10

    Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.

  • Ezekiel 17:22

    ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent:

  • Ezekiel 17:24

    And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done [it].

  • Ezekiel 19:10

    ¶ Thy mother [is] like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

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