Job 18:3 — Word Study
WLCמַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
BSAWhymaddûwaʻ [for what reason, on what account] are we regardedchâshab■ [counted, esteemed] as cattlebᵉhêmâh [beasts, animals] as stupidṭâmâh△■ [vile, unclean] in your sightʻayin [before your eyes, in your estimation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַ֭דּוּעַ | why? | Particle |
| נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ | are we regarded | Verb, Niphal, perfect first person common plural |
| כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה | like cattle | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ | are we considered stupid? | Verb, Niphal, perfect first person common plural |
| בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ | in view your | 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 | Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight? |
| KJV | Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? |
| ASV | Wherefore are we counted as beasts, And are become unclean in your sight? |
| YLT | Wherefore have we been reckoned as cattle? We have been defiled in your eyes! |
| WEB | Why are we counted as animals, which have become unclean in your sight? |
| BBE | Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge? |
Translations agree on the meaning of מַדּוּעַ — see How Translations Differ.
The structure of the verse centers around Job's main inquiry, with two comparative phrases illustrating his feelings of degradation.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָשַׁב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 5 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 18:3
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 Response to His Friendsgenerated
Job 18:3 is part of a larger discourse where Job is defending his integrity against the accusations of his friends. He questions why they regard him as inferior, using the metaphor of cattle to express his feelings of humiliation and being misunderstood. This verse highlights Job's struggle for dignity and understanding in the midst of his suffering.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 12:7–8 | But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. |
| 2 | Job 17:4–10 | You have closed their minds to understanding; therefore You will not exalt them. |
| 3 | Psalm 73:22 | I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 3:18 | I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” |
| 5 | Romans 12:10 | Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַדּוּעַ, Ma.du.a'generated
The word מַדּוּעַ (maddua) is a particle used to ask 'why?' or 'for what reason?'. It seeks to understand the motives behind actions or judgments, indicating Job's desire for clarity in his situation.
In this context, Job is asking why he is perceived in such a degrading manner, reflecting his confusion and frustration. The use of this word emphasizes his inquiry into the reasoning behind his friends' harsh assessments.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of מַדּוּעַ as 'why?'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around two finite verbs: נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ (are we regarded) and נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ (are we considered), both indicating Job's questioning of his status. The prepositional phrase בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם (in your sight) provides the context of this judgment.
The sentence's flow emphasizes Job's feelings of being judged and dehumanized, with the verbs at the center of his inquiry.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates מַדּוּעַ as τί (why), maintaining the questioning tone of Job's inquiry. This choice reflects a direct engagement with the original Hebrew meaning.
The Greek translation captures the essence of Job's plea, emphasizing the emotional weight of his question.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 18:3 expresses Job's frustration as he asks why he and his friends see him as less than human, comparing himself to cattle. This reflects his feelings of humiliation and the struggle for dignity in the face of suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job uses this metaphor to express his feelings of being dehumanized and treated with contempt by his friends.
Job is seeking to understand why they view him in such a negative light, especially when he feels he has not done anything to deserve it.
It highlights Job's deep sense of injustice and his desire for recognition and respect amidst his suffering.
This verse encapsulates Job's struggle against misunderstanding and his quest for dignity in the face of suffering, which is a central theme throughout the book.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when I feel misunderstood or devalued by others?
- What can I learn from Job's approach to questioning and seeking understanding?
- In what ways can I ensure that I treat others with dignity, especially in difficult circumstances?
- How can I find comfort and clarity when facing feelings of humiliation or despair?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reflect on Job's plea for dignity and understanding in his suffering, highlighting the human experience of feeling devalued.
“Why are we considered to be as cattle?” After taking away from us the right to speak, you now claim that it is only reserved to you, if you are wise.Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed as vile in your sight? It is natural to the human mind to suppose that the thing that it does is done to itself.Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 18:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWherefore are we counted as beasts,.... This seems to refer to Job 12:7; where Job sends them to the beasts, to get knowledge and instruction; and therefore it was concluded he reckoned them as such,
Read John Gill on Job 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? Beasts - alluding to what Job said (Job 12:7; so Isaiah 1:3; Psalms 49:12; Psalms 49:20).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 18 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAs beasts, i.e. ignorant, blockish, and stupid men, ,10. Vile, Heb. polluted, or unclean, i.e. not fit to be conversed or discoursed with; or contemptible, as such things are. In your sight; either, 1. To your faces, or in your own hearing. Or, 2. In thy sight or judgment, O Job; so he speaks of Job in the plural number, as he did .
Read Matthew Poole on Job 18 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, [and] reputed vile in your sight?Ver. 3. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, &c.] Here he taxeth Job with pride and arrogance; grounding upon those words of his taken at the worst, Job 12:7; Job 17:4; Job 17:10, and not considering his case, that he was full of pain, which maketh wise men touchy (as oppression maketh them mad, Ecclesiastes 7:7), and that they had sorely provoked him by their bitter taunts and scurrilous invectives, which called for so sharp a currycomb. Pessime autem habet hypocrisin, si contemnatur, Hypocrisy loves not to be sighted, saith Brentius here. And Gregory upon this text saith, that in Bildad heretics are set forth…
Read John Trapp on Job 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Wherefore are we counted as beasts.—Referring to Job’s words (Job 13:4, &c., Job 16:2, &c.). In this chapter there is a marked increase in his harshness and violence. It has, however, a certain resemblance to Job 8, inasmuch as Bildad works out a simile here, as he did there; and in Job 18:16 the two similes touch. In Job 18:2, which resembles Job 8:2, we must supply, as the Authorised Version does, Will it be ere? or the negative, Will ye not make? &c., or else we must render, “How long [will ye speak thus]? Make an end of words,” &c. The plural is used because Job is regarded as the representative of a class, or else as we use the plural instead of the singular in addressing a person.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 18 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. Counted as beasts] Thou treatest us as if we had neither reason nor understanding.
Read AdamClarke on Job 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. and reputed vile] lit. and are unclean. Bildad describes what Job’s treatment of his friends suggests to him as Job’s idea of them. The reference is to the passages, ch. Job 17:4; Job 17:10, and the words “clean of hands” ch. Job 17:9, which Job had used of himself and other unjustly persecuted men, cf. Psalms 73:22.
Read Cambridge on Job 18 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWherefore are we counted as beasts? - “Why are we treated in your remarks as if we had no sense, and were unworthy of sound argument in reply to what we say?” It is possible that there may be
Read Albert Barnes 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
Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight?
Why are we counted as animals, which have become unclean in your sight?
Why are we regarded as cattle, as stupid in your sight?
Why should we be regarded as beasts, and considered stupid in your sight?
Tyndale line
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, And are become unclean in your sight?
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and are become unclean in your sight?
Why are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?
Wherefore are wee counted as beastes, and are vile in your sight?
Strictly literal
Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed stupid in your sight?
Wherefore have we been reckoned as cattle? We have been defiled in your eyes!
Why have we been reckoned as livestock? We have been defiled in your eyes!
For what cause are we counted as beasts, reputed stupid your eyes?
Why are we regarded as beasts, stupid in your sight?
From the Latin
Why are we reputed as beasts, and counted vile before you?
Simplified
Do you think we're dumb animals? Do we look stupid to you?
Why do we seem as beasts in your eyes, and as completely without knowledge?
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 presents Job's question as it stands, while the Septuagint matches three of the five words, indicating a close alignment in meaning but differing in structure. This suggests that while the core message is preserved, the expression varies.
מַ֭דּוּעַ נֶחְשַׁ֣בְנוּ כַבְּהֵמָ֑ה נִ֝טְמִ֗ינוּ בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃
3 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 18:3
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.
מַדּוּעַ (maddua) means 'why?' or 'wherefore?'. It is derived from the root meaning 'to know' and is used to inquire about reasons or causes. The entries consistently define it as an adverbial term questioning the basis for something.
מַדּוּעַ 61 and מַדֻּעַ adv. wherefore?
base
H4069 מַדּוּעַ, מַדֻּעַ wherefore?
4069 madduwa` mad-doo'-ah
or madduaa {mad-doo'-ah}; from 4100 and the passive
participle of 3045; what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication)
(adverbially) why?:--how, wherefore, why.
see HEBREW for 04100
see HEBREW for 03045
מַדּוּעַ (mad.du.a) — why?.
why?, on what account?, wherefore?
Part — ParticleHTi
The Hebrew word חָשַׁב (chashab) is a primitive root meaning to think, account, or devise. It encompasses a range of actions including planning, valuing, and inventing, both for humans and in relation to God. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hithpael, each reflecting different nuances of thought and consideration.
חָשַׁב vb. think, account
Qal
of man:
think, account
devise, plan, mean
charge, impute
esteem, value, regard
invent ingenious and artistic things
of God:
think
devise, plan, mean
inpute, reckon
esteem, value, regard
invent ingenious and artistic things
Niph.
be accounted, thought, esteemed
be computed, reckoned
be imputed to any one
Pi.
think upon, consider, be mindful of
think to do, devise, plan
count, reckon, the years since a sale of land
Hithp. among the nations it shall not reckon itself
base
H2803 חָשַׁב think, account .. of man: . think, account
. devise, plan, mean
. charge, impute
. esteem, value, regard
. invent ingenious and artistic things
. of God: . think
. devise, plan, mean
. inpute, reckon
. esteem, value, regard
. invent ingenious and artistic things
. . be accounted, thought, esteemed
. be computed, reckoned
. be imputed to any one
. . think upon, consider, be mindful of
. think to do, devise, plan
. count, reckon, the years since a sale of land
. among the nations it shall not reckon itself
2803 chashab khaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e.
(literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to
plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from
the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:--(make)
account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work,
workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine,
impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made),
regard, think.
חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: design.
: design/skillful
1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to think, account
1a2) to plan, devise, mean
1a3) to charge, impute, reckon
1a4) to esteem, value, regard
1a5) to invent
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed
1b2) to be computed, be reckoned
1b3) to be imputed
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to think upon, consider, be mindful of
1c2) to think to do, devise, plan
1c3) to count, reckon
1d) (Hithpael) to be considered
חָשַׁב (cha.shav) — to devise: count.
: count/regard_as
1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to think, account
1a2) to plan, devise, mean
1a3) to charge, impute, reckon
1a4) to esteem, value, regard
1a5) to invent
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed
1b2) to be computed, be reckoned
1b3) to be imputed
V-Niphal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect first person common pluralHVNp1cp
בְּהֵמָה (bhemah) refers to a beast or animal, typically denoting domesticated livestock or cattle, and occasionally wild beasts. It is derived from a root that suggests being mute, implying a 'dumb beast.' The term encompasses all living creatures other than humans, with a specific mention of large quadrupeds.
בְּהֵמָה 187 n.f. beast, animal, cattle
of living creatures other than man
opp. also to wild beasts
rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
base
H929 בְּהֵמָה beast, animal, cattle . of living creatures other than man
. opp. also to wild beasts
. rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
929 bhemah be-hay-maw'
from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly,
a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often
collective):--beast, cattle.
בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) — animal.
1) beast, cattle, animal
1a) beasts (coll of all animals)
1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
1c) wild beasts
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
kat'-'-l (behemah, "a dumb beast"; miqneh, "a possession" from qanah, "to acquire" (compare Arabic qana', "to acquire," and Greek kienos, "beast," and plural ktenea, "flocks," from ktaomai, "to acquire," flocks being both with the Homeric peoples and with the patriarchs an important form of property; compare English "fee"); tso'n "small cattle," "sheep" or goats (compare Arabic da'n, "sheep"); seh, a single sheep or goat (compare Arabic shah); mela'khah, "property," from la'akh, "to minister" (compare Arabic malakah and mulk, "property," from malak, "to possess"); meri' "fatling" (1Ki 19); thremma (Joh 4:12), "cattle," i.e. "that which is nourished," from trepho, "to nourish"; baqar, "kine," "oxen" (compare Arabic baqar, "cattle"); shor, tor (Da 4:25), tauros (
Cattle
Abounded in the Holy Land. To the rearing and management of them the inhabitants chiefly devoted themselves (Deut. 8:13; 12:21; 1 Sam. 11:5; 12:3; Ps. 144:14; Jer. 3:24). They may be classified as,
(1.) Neat cattle. Many hundreds of these were yearly consumed in sacrifices or used for food. The finest herds were found in Bashan, beyond Jordan (Num. 32:4). Large herds also pastured on the wide fertile plains of Sharon. They were yoked to the plough (1 Kings 19:19), and were employed for carrying burdens (1 Chr.…
[BULL, BULLOCK].
טָמָה (tamah) primarily means to be defiled or regarded as unclean in a religious context. It is a verb found only in the Niphal form, indicating a passive or reflexive action. The entries suggest a connection to being 'stopped up' or 'stupid,' with a reference to Job 18:3 highlighting its use.
[טָמָה] vb. only Niph. we are stopped up, stupid Jb 18:3
ref
H2933 טָמָה
2933 tamah taw-maw'
a collateral form of 2930; to be impure in a religious
sense:--be defiled, be reputed vile.
see HEBREW for 02930
טָמָה (ta.mah) — to defile.
1) (Niphal) to be stopped up
1a) to be regarded as unclean (metaplastic)
V-Niphal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect first person common pluralHVNp1cp
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
Prep | N-cd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHR/Ncfdc/Sp2mp