Job 17:14
Job 17:14 in Multiple Translations
and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;
If I say to the earth, You are my father; and to the worm, My mother and my sister;
Should I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister?
I shall say to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worme, Thou art my mother and my sister.
To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
If I have said to rottenness: Thou art my father; to worms, my mother and my sister.
I may say to the grave, ‘You will be like a father to me,’ and say to the maggots that will eat my body, ‘You will be like a mother or younger sisters to me because you will be where I will always be.’
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 17:14
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 17:14 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
לַ/שַּׁ֣חַת
קָ֭רָאתִי
אָ֣בִ/י
אָ֑תָּה
אִמִּ֥/י
וַ֝/אֲחֹתִ֗/י
לָֽ/רִמָּֽה
לַ/שַּׁ֣חַת
shachath
H7845
pit
Prep | N-fs
קָ֭רָאתִי
qârâʼ
H7121
to call
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
אָ֣בִ/י
ʼâb
H1
father
N-ms | Suff
אָ֑תָּה
ʼattâh
H859
you(m.s.)
Pron
אִמִּ֥/י
ʼêm
H517
mother
N-fs | Suff
וַ֝/אֲחֹתִ֗/י
ʼâchôwth
H269
sister
Conj | N-fs | Suff
לָֽ/רִמָּֽה
rimmâh
H7415
worm
Prep | N-fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 17:14
לַ/שַּׁ֣חַת
shachath
H7845
"pit"
Prep | N-fs
This noun refers to a pit or grave, and it is often used figuratively to describe destruction or corruption, as seen in Proverbs and other books.
Definition: 1) pit, destruction, grave 1a) pit (for catching lions)
Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit. See also: Job 9:31; Psalms 35:7; Psalms 7:16.
קָ֭רָאתִי
qârâʼ
H7121
"to call"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
This Hebrew word means to call out to someone or something, often by name. It's used in many situations, like calling for help or reading aloud. In Genesis, God calls out to Adam in the Garden.
Definition: : call_to/invite/entreat 1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound 1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God) 1a3) to proclaim 1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read 1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow 1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to call oneself 1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named 1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
Usage: Occurs in 689 OT verses. KJV: bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 49:1; Judges 1:26.
אָ֣בִ/י
ʼâb
H1
"father"
N-ms | Suff
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
אָ֑תָּה
ʼattâh
H859
"you(m.s.)"
Pron
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Definition: you (second pers. sing. masc.)
Usage: Occurs in 997 OT verses. KJV: thee, thou, ye, you. See also: Genesis 3:11; Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 14:1.
אִמִּ֥/י
ʼêm
H517
"mother"
N-fs | Suff
The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.
Definition: 1) mother 1a) of humans 1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.) 1c) of animals 2) point of departure or division
Usage: Occurs in 202 OT verses. KJV: dam, mother, [idiom] parting. See also: Genesis 2:24; 2 Kings 4:19; Psalms 22:10.
וַ֝/אֲחֹתִ֗/י
ʼâchôwth
H269
"sister"
Conj | N-fs | Suff
A sister in the Bible can be a biological sibling, a half-sister, or a close relative. In Genesis 4:2, Cain's sister is not named, but in Genesis 24:15, Rebekah is Isaac's cousin and future wife.
Definition: 1) sister 1a) sister (same parents) 1b) half-sister (same father) 1c) relative 1c1) (metaph) of Israel's and Judah's relationship 1d) beloved 1d1) bride 1e) (fig.) of intimate connection 1f) another
Usage: Occurs in 104 OT verses. KJV: (an-) other, sister, together. See also: Genesis 4:22; 2 Samuel 13:22; Proverbs 7:4.
לָֽ/רִמָּֽה
rimmâh
H7415
"worm"
Prep | N-fs
A worm or maggot, symbolizing decay, is described in the Bible as a sign of corruption.
Definition: maggot, worm (as cause and sign of decay)
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: worm. See also: Exodus 16:24; Job 21:26; Isaiah 14:11.
Study Notes — Job 17:14
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 17:14 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 17:14
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:14
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:14
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:14
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:14
- Cambridge Bible on Job 17:14
- Barnes' Notes on Job 17:14
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:14
- Sermons on Job 17:14
Context — Job Prepares for Death
12They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.
13If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
14and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
15where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? 16Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 16:10 | For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. |
| 2 | Job 21:26 | But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both. |
| 3 | Isaiah 14:11 | Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket. |
| 4 | Psalms 49:9 | that he should live on forever and not see decay. |
| 5 | Acts 13:34–37 | In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’ For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. |
| 6 | Acts 2:27–31 | because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’ Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay. |
| 7 | Job 30:30 | My skin grows black and peels, and my bones burn with fever. |
| 8 | 1 Corinthians 15:53–54 | For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” |
| 9 | Job 24:20 | The womb forgets them; the worm feeds on them; they are remembered no more. So injustice is like a broken tree. |
| 10 | 1 Corinthians 15:42 | So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. |
Job 17:14 Summary
[Job 17:14 means that Job is feeling so hopeless and desperate that he's starting to feel like death and corruption are his only family. He's not saying that he wants to die, but rather that he feels like he's surrounded by darkness and decay, similar to what the Psalmist writes in Psalm 23:4, where he says 'even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil.' This verse helps us understand that even in the toughest times, we can still hold on to hope, just like Job does in Job 13:15, where he says 'though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.']
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Job mean when he says 'You are my father' to corruption?
Job is expressing his feelings of desperation and hopelessness, as if corruption and death have become his only family, similar to what the Psalmist writes in Psalm 22:1, feeling forsaken by God.
Is Job being literal when he says 'to the worm, My mother, or My sister'?
No, Job is using figurative language to convey the idea that he feels closely related to death and decay, much like the apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:12, that sin and death entered the world through Adam.
Why does Job seem to be embracing death and corruption in this verse?
Job is not embracing death, but rather, he is expressing his feelings of despair and hopelessness in the face of his suffering, as seen in Job 13:15, where he says 'Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.'
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of the book of Job?
This verse highlights Job's struggle with the question of why the righteous suffer, and how he grapples with the idea of death and the afterlife, which is a central theme throughout the book of Job, as seen in Job 14:14, where he asks if a man can live again after he dies.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I, like Job, may be feeling hopeless or desperate in my current circumstances?
- How do I respond to feelings of despair, and what truths from Scripture can I cling to in those moments?
- In what ways can I identify with Job's feelings of being closely related to death and corruption, and how can I find hope in the midst of that?
- What does this verse teach me about the nature of suffering and the human experience, and how can I apply that to my own life?
Gill's Exposition on Job 17:14
I have said to corruption, thou [art] my father,.... Not to the corruptible seed, of which he was begotten; nor to the corruption or purulent matter of his boils and ulcers, and the worms his flesh
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 17:14
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. Thou art my father ... - Expressing most intimate connection (Job 30:29; Proverbs 7:4, "Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister").
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 17:14
To corruption, Heb. to the pit of corruption, the grave. Thou art my father; I am near akin to time, as being taken out of thee; and thou wilt receive and embrace me, and keep me in thy house, as parents do their children. Thou art my mother, and my sister; because of the same original, and the most strict and intimate union and conjunction between me and the worms.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 17:14
Job 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my father: to the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister.Ver. 14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father] See how he speaks of corruption and the worms, Ac si iam iuris illorum, et domesticus esset, as if he were of family with them, and nearest of kin to them; so doth he court them, as it were, that they might be willing to receive him; showing by it how willing he was to die; for whither do men in a strange country, and in misery, desire rather to go than to the house of their parents? Here also Job declareth what will be the end of all men, and what shall be their kindred in the grave. From corruption we came (for what else is the seed and blood of generation), to corruption also we go, as sons thereof; and Pulvis et Putredo, we salute for sisters, what shall be most tender to us, and attendant upon us. Why then should any boast of high kindred? To the pit I cry, O father, O sister; O mother, to the worm: so Broughton rendereth it. Why should any boast of bodily beauty, since corruption will shortly seize upon the fairest face, which is now but putrefaction and worms once removed, and to the same must suddenly move back again. Mihi experto credite, saith Austin, Believe me, who have made trial of it: Open a grave, and upon the dead man’ s head you shall find toads leaping, begotten of his brains; upon his loins serpents crawling, begotten of his reins; in his belly worms abounding, arising out of his entrails. Behold what now we are, and what we shortly shall be; behold the origin and filthiness of sin (Serm. 48, ad Frat. in Erem.).
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 17:14
Verse 14. I have said to corruption] I came from a corrupted stock, and I must go to corruption again. The Hebrew might be thus rendered: To the ditch I have called, Thou art my father. To the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. I am in the nearest state of affinity to dissolution and corruption: I may well call them my nearest relations, as I shall soon be blended with them.
Cambridge Bible on Job 17:14
14. to corruption] Rather as above, the pit, or grave, Psalms 16:10. The words father, mother and sister, expressing the nearest relationship, indicate how closely Job now feels himself connected with the grave, he wholly belongs to it, and he greets it as taking the place of all related to him on earth.
Barnes' Notes on Job 17:14
I have said - Margin, cried, or called. The sense is, “I say,” or “I thus address the grave.” To corruption - The word used here (שׁחת shachath) means properly a pit, or pit-fall, Psalms 7:15; Psalms
Whedon's Commentary on Job 17:14
14. Said — Called. The thought of his mouldering body suggested a family likeness to the corruption of the grave. My father — The Oriental languages abound in like comparisons.
Sermons on Job 17:14
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Why Are You Weeping by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher encourages the congregation to raise their hands and thank Jesus for his love. He emphasizes the need for repentance and opening one's heart to receive |
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The Devil Is Out to Destroy Your Faith by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher describes a dream he had where he walked through the streets of New York and saw a scene of darkness and ugliness. He came across young people lying in |
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The Resurrection by F.J. Huegel | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on previous sermon series and announces his current focus on the resurrection. He expresses his desire for the Holy Spirit to reveal the signif |
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(1 Corinthians) Overview to Chapter 15 by Brian Brodersen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the true meaning of the gospel as good news. He highlights that the gospel is a message of God's love, mercy |
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Our Word - His Word, 1977 by Norman Grubb | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the presence and power of God in our lives. He references Ephesians 2:2 and 2 Kings 4:4-5 to highlight how the Spirit of Error and the God of |
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Revival Amidst (Islamic & Communistic) Persecution by Peter Hammond | In this video, Peter Hammond from Frontline Fellowship in Cape Town, South Africa, discusses their work in Sudan. They focus on three main areas: Love and Action, which includes me |
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The Messianic Psalms - Psalm 16 by Chip Brogden | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of studying the Psalms as they contain prophetic messages about Jesus Christ and His kingdom. The focus is on Psalm 16, which i |