Job 19:24

That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

That they were graven {H2672} with an iron {H1270} pen {H5842} and lead {H5777} in the rock {H6697} for ever {H5703}!

that, engraved with iron and filled with lead, they were cut into rock forever!

by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.

That with an iron pen and lead They were graven in the rock for ever!

Commentary

In Job 19:24, the patriarch Job, in the depths of his suffering, expresses a profound desire for his words to be permanently recorded. This verse is part of his powerful declaration of faith and hope in a future vindication, preceding his famous assertion, "I know that my redeemer liveth."

Context

This verse is immediately preceded by Job's wish that his words were "now written! oh that they were printed in a book!" (Job 19:23). He longs for his declaration to be preserved for posterity, not just spoken and forgotten. The method he describes—engraving with an iron pen and lead into rock—underscores the extreme permanence he desires for his testimony. This was a common method for creating enduring records in the ancient Near East, used for treaties, laws, and significant historical events.

Key Themes

  • Enduring Truth and Testimony: Job wishes for his words to be inscribed in an unalterable medium, emphasizing the absolute truth and eternal significance of his declaration of faith and his plea for justice. He wants his testimony to stand forever, beyond his own lifetime.
  • Hope for Vindication: His fervent wish for permanent record is deeply connected to his hope for ultimate vindication. He believes that despite his current suffering and his friends' accusations, his innocence will eventually be revealed, and his Redeemer will stand on the earth (Job 19:25). The permanence of the inscription mirrors the certainty of this future event.
  • Divine Witness: Job's desire for his words to be eternally preserved suggests a yearning for God Himself to acknowledge and remember his blamelessness and faith. It's a plea for the divine record to reflect his true standing.

Linguistic and Cultural Insights

The phrase "graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock" paints a vivid picture of ancient inscription methods designed for maximum durability. An iron pen (or stylus) would be used to carve deeply into the stone, and lead might have been poured into the grooves to make the inscription stand out clearly and resist erosion, ensuring its readability for centuries. This imagery highlights the extraordinary emphasis Job places on the lasting nature of his statement. The Hebrew word for "graven" (חָקַק, chaqaq) implies not just carving, but establishing something firmly and immutably, like a decree or a law.

Reflection and Application

Job's desperate plea for his words to be permanently recorded reminds us of the enduring nature of God's truth and the importance of our own testimonies. Just as Job desired his faith and hope to be an everlasting record, so too does God's word stand forever (Isaiah 40:8). For believers today, this verse can inspire us to value the eternal truths of Scripture and to live lives that bear a lasting witness to our faith in Christ. Our hope in our living Redeemer is not fleeting but is an eternal reality, worthy of being "graven" upon our hearts and shared with the world.

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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 17:1

    ¶ The sin of Judah [is] written with a pen of iron, [and] with the point of a diamond: [it is] graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

  • Deuteronomy 27:2

    And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:

  • Deuteronomy 27:3

    And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

  • Exodus 28:11

    With the work of an engraver in stone, [like] the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.

  • Exodus 28:12

    And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod [for] stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.

  • Exodus 28:21

    And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, [like] the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

  • Exodus 32:16

    And the tables [were] the work of God, and the writing [was] the writing of God, graven upon the tables.