Job 18:11 — Word Study
WLCסָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃
BSATerrorsballâhâh [fears, dreadful events] frighten himbâʻath■ ◂on every sideçâbîyb [around, surrounding him] and harasspûwts■ [chase, drive] his every stepregel [at his feet, pursuing him]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| סָ֭בִיב | all around | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ | they terrify him | Verb piel perfect third person common plural, suffix |
| בַלָּה֑וֹת | sudden terror | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ | and they scatter him | Verb hiphil sequential perfect third person common plural, suffix |
| לְרַגְלָֽיו׃ | to feet his | Preposition, noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step. |
| KJV | Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet. |
| ASV | Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, And shall chase him at his heels. |
| YLT | Round about terrified him have terrors, And they have scattered him — at his feet. |
| WEB | Terrors will make him afraid on every side, and will chase him at his heels. |
| BBE | He is overcome by fears on every side, they go after him at every step. |
All translations agree on the meaning of בַּלָּהָה — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and a conjunction that introduces the action of harassment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectבַּלָּהָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 18:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on the Wickedgenerated
Job 18:11 illustrates the plight of the wicked, who are besieged by fears and terrors that surround them. This verse forms part of a larger discourse on the consequences of a life away from God, emphasizing how such a life leads to continual distress and harassment. The surrounding verses, such as Job 18:10 and Job 18:12, further elaborate on the calamities that befall them, painting a vivid picture of their suffering.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 6:4 | For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. |
| 2 | Job 15:21 | Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him. |
| 3 | Job 20:25 | It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him. |
| 4 | Psalm 73:19 | How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors! |
| 5 | Jeremiah 6:25 | Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — בַּלָּהָה, va.la.Hotgenerated
The word בַּלָּהָה (va.la.Ha) refers to sudden terror or calamity, derived from a root meaning to cause alarm. It captures a sense of overwhelming fear that can arise from disastrous events, emphasizing the emotional impact on individuals.
In this verse, it describes the dreadful events that terrify the subject, highlighting the psychological torment experienced by those who live in opposition to God. The plural form indicates multiple instances of terror, reinforcing the idea of relentless fear.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the rendering of בַּלָּהָה as 'terror' or 'dreadful events', reflecting the consistent meaning across versions such as the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The sentence is structured around two main clauses: the first describes the terrors that frighten, and the second details how they scatter the subject. The verb בִּֽעֲתֻ֣ (they terrify) acts as the primary action, while the surrounding phrases elaborate on the extent of the fear experienced.
The prepositional phrase לְרַגְלָיו (to his feet) indicates the direct impact of these terrors on the subject's movements, suggesting a continual pursuit that disrupts their every step.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates סָבִיב as κύκλῳ (in a circle), which conveys a similar sense of encirclement. This choice highlights the idea of being surrounded by fears, aligning with the original Hebrew meaning.
The Greek term ὀδύναι for בַּלָּהָה suggests a focus on pain and distress, emphasizing the emotional turmoil faced by the individual.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 18:11 describes how terrors surround the wicked, frightening them and disrupting their every step. This verse highlights the emotional and psychological distress faced by those who turn away from God, emphasizing the relentless nature of their fears.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the person is overwhelmed by fear, feeling surrounded by dangers and threats that disrupt their life.
This verse reflects the consequences of living a life apart from God, illustrating how fear and calamity can dominate the lives of the wicked.
The word 'scatter' indicates that the terrors not only frighten but also disrupt the person's ability to move freely, emphasizing their helplessness.
The verse portrays a vivid image of psychological torment, illustrating how fear can paralyze and control a person's actions and thoughts.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I experience fear that disrupts my life, and how can I seek peace?
- How can understanding this verse help me empathize with those who are struggling with fear and anxiety?
- What steps can I take to ensure that I am not overwhelmed by the terrors of life?
- How does this verse encourage me to rely on God in times of distress?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary by Gregory the Dialogist discusses how terrors affect the wicked, drawing from this verse to illustrate the fears that plague those who live in opposition to God.
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side. And, whereas all that the bad man does, he fears to undergo too, and reckons that to be doing by all others toward himself, which he himself prepares for all others, whom he is able,Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 18:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTerrors shall make him afraid on every side,.... Make him a "Magormissabib", or "terror on every side", as Pashur was a terror to himself, Jeremiah 20:3, and all his friends about him; these terrors
Read John Gill on Job 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTerrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet. Terrors - often mentioned in this book (Job 18:14; Job 24:17, etc.) The terrors excited through an evil conscience are here personified.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 18 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTerrors; both from men, and from God, and from his own unquiet mind and guilty conscience. Shall drive him to his feet; shall force him to flee hither and thither, and he knows not whither, being secure and safe no where, but pursued by terrors from place to place.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 18 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 18:11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.Ver. 11. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side] These terrors are, as it were, the cruel sergeants and merciless officers of that king of terrors, Job 18:14, arresting him, as it were, in the devil’ s name, and bringing him to justice, Apparitores et lictores (Jun.). How can it be but a terrible time with him, when death comes with a writ of Habeas corpus, Let you keep the body, and the devil with a writ of Habeas animam? Let you keep the spirit, when the cold earth must have his body, and hot hell hold his soul, according to that of the psalmist, "Let death seize upon them, and let them go down…
Read John Trapp on Job 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) Shall drive him to his feet.—Comp. Job 15:21. One feels very much tempted to understand this, as the English undoubtedly suggests, shall startle him to his feet, but the true meaning is, more probably, shall chase him at his heels.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. This verse does not seem to give a picture of the sinner’s conscience, but rather of his consciousness at last. The preceding verses described how he walked on snares unwitting that they were there; now he awakens to the perception of his condition, he feels the complications that surround him, and would flee from the terrors that he has come to realize. and shall drive him to his feet] Rather, and drive him away at his heels. A spectral host of terrors pursue close behind him.
Read Cambridge on Job 18 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTerrors shall make him afraid - He shall be constantly subject to alarms, and shall never feel secure. “Terrors here are represented as allegorical persons, like the Furies in the Greek poets.” Noyes.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 18 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible11. Drive him — Chase him at his feet. These terrors, personified, resemble the furies of the Greek poets — their pursuit of the wicked man is so close that they are said to be at his heels.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 18 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
Terrors will make him afraid on every side, and will chase him at his heels.
Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
Terrors frighten him on all sides and dog his every step.
Tyndale line
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, And shall chase him at his heels.
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall chase him at his heels.
Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.
Fearefulnesse shall make him afrayde on euery side, and shall driue him to his feete.
Strictly literal
Terrors make him afraid on every side, and chase him at his footsteps.
Round about terrified him have terrors, And they have scattered him — at his feet.
Terrors have terrified him all around, || And they have scattered him—at his feet.
All around do terrors scare him, and chase him as he walketh along.
Terrors will make him afraid on every side; they will chase him at his heels.
From the Latin
Fears shall terrify him on every side, and shall entangle his feet.
Simplified
Terrors scare the wicked, coming at them from every side, chasing them, biting at their heels.
He is overcome by fears on every side, they go after him at every step.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with four out of five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. The slight differences in word order reflect the translators' stylistic choices rather than substantive variations in meaning.
סָ֭בִיב בִּֽעֲתֻ֣הוּ בַלָּה֑וֹת וֶהֱפִיצֻ֥הוּ לְרַגְלָֽיו׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 18:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
סָבִיב (cabiyb) primarily means 'around' and is used as a noun, adverb, and preposition. It denotes a circle, neighbors, or the surrounding area, often implying a sense of being on every side or in a circuit. The entries consistently emphasize its usage in contexts of proximity and encirclement.
סָבִיב 336 subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
base
H5439 סָבִיב subst., used mostly as adv. and prep., circuit, round about
5439 cabiyb saw-beeb'
or (feminine) cbiybah {seb-ee-baw'}; from 5437; (as noun) a
circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with
or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about,
circuit, compass, on every side.
see HEBREW for 05437
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around.
: around/border
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: side.
: side
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: whole.
: whole
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
סָבִיב (sa.viv) — around: neighours.
: neighours
subst
1) places round about, circuit, round about
adv
2) in a circuit, a circuit, round about
prep
3) in the circuit, from every side
N-cs — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
בָּעַת (ba`ath) is a primitive root meaning to terrify or startle. It covers a range of actions, including overwhelming or assailing someone, and is often used in a poetic context. The verb can appear in various forms, such as being terrified (Niphal) or actively terrifying (Piel).
[בָּעַת] vb. fall upon, startle, terrify
Niph. be terrified
Pi. (mostly poet.)
fall upon; overwhelm; assail
terrify
base
H1204 [בָּעַת] fall upon, startle, terrify . be terrified
. (mostly poet.) . fall upon; overwhelm; assail
. terrify
1204 ba`ath baw-ath'
a primitive root; to fear:--affright, be (make) afraid,
terrify, trouble.
בָּעַת (ba.at) — to terrify.
1) to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror
1a) (Niphal) to be terrified
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to fall upon, overwhelm
1b2) to terrify
V-Piel-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb piel perfect third person common plural · suffixHVpp3cp/Sp3ms
בַּלָּהָה (ballahah) refers to concepts of terror, calamity, and destruction. It is derived from a root meaning alarm and primarily denotes dreadful events or troubles. The entries consistently emphasize its association with fear and disastrous occurrences, without notable disagreements among the lexicons.
בַּלָּהָה n.f. terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction
only pl. terrors
calamity
base
H1091 בַּלָּהָה terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction
1091 ballahah bal-law-haw'
from 1089; alarm; hence, destruction:--terror, trouble.
see HEBREW for 01089
בַּלָּהָה (bal.la.hah) — terror.
terror, destruction, calamity, dreadful event
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
The Hebrew word פּוּץ (puwts) primarily means to scatter or disperse, applicable to both people and armies. It can also convey the idea of flowing or overflowing. The noun form מֵפִיץ (mephits) refers to a scatterer. Additionally, it has connotations of breaking or shattering, as seen in related forms.
[פּוּץ] vb. be dispersed, scattered
Qal be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies
Niph.
be scattered, of army
be spread abroad, of peoples
Hiph.
trans. scatter
intrans. scatter
base
מֵפִיץ n.m. scatterer, disperser
base
פּוּץ vb. flow, overflow
base
[פָּצַץ] vb. break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush)
Pō‛. a hammer which shatters rock.
Pilp. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).
base
H6327a פּוּץ be dispersed, scattered .be dispersed, disperse; be scattered, of enemies
. . be scattered, of army
. be spread abroad, of peoples
. . trans. scatter
. intrans. scatter
H6327b מֵפִיץ scatterer, disperser H6327c פּוּץ flow, overflow H6327d [פָּצַץ] break (Ar. break, break asunder; Nab. break asunder; Syr. crush) . a hammer which shatters rock.
. he [God] dashed me in pieces (fig.).
6327 puwts poots
a primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or
figuratively (especially to disperse):--break (dash, shake)
in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive,
retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad.
פּוּץ (puts) — to scatter.
1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered
1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be scattered
1b2) to be spread abroad
1c) (Hiphil) to scatter
1d) Hithpael) scatter
מֵפִיץ (me.phits) — scatterer.
n.m.
scatterer
פּוּץ (puts) — to flow.
(Qal) to flow, overflow
פָּצַץ (pa.tsats) — to shatter.
1) to break
1a) (Polel) to shatter
1b) (Pilpel) to dash to pieces
Conj | V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb hiphil sequential perfect third person common plural · suffixHc/Vhq3cp/Sp3ms
רֶ֫גֶל (regel) means 'foot' and can refer to a foot or leg in various contexts, including anthropomorphic references to God and other beings. It also implies steps or paces. The word is derived from a root meaning related to walking, and it appears in multiple forms, such as feet and paces.
רֶ֫גֶל 247 n.f. foot
foot
three times (feet, paces)
base
H7272 רֶ֫גֶל foot . foot
. three times (feet, paces)
7272 regel reh'-gel
from 7270; a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a
step; by euphem. the pudenda:--X be able to endure, X
according as, X after, X coming, X follow,
((broken-))foot((-ed, -stool)), X great toe, X haunt, X
journey, leg, + piss, + possession, time.
see HEBREW for 07270
רֶ֫גֶל (re.gel) — foot.
1) foot
1a) foot, leg
1b) of God (anthropomorphic)
1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table
1d) according to the pace of (with prep)
1e) three times (feet, paces)
Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
Prep | N-fd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHR/Ncfdc/Sp3ms