Job 19:10 — Word Study
WLCיִתְּצֵ֣נִי סָ֭בִיב וָאֵלַ֑ךְ וַיַּסַּ֥ע כָּ֝עֵ֗ץ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
BSAHe tears me downnâthats▸ [breaks down, destroys] on every sideçâbîyb [around, surrounding me] He uprootsnâçaʻ▸ [plucks up, removes] my hopetiqvâh [expectancy, confidence] like a treeʻêts [a strong and firm object]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִתְּצֵ֣נִי | he has torn down me | Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| סָ֭בִיב | all around | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| וָאֵלַ֑ךְ | and I have gone | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect first person common singular |
| וַיַּסַּ֥ע | and he has uprooted | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| כָּ֝עֵ֗ץ | like a tree | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תִּקְוָתִֽי׃ | hope my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree. |
| KJV | He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. |
| ASV | He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; And my hope hath he plucked up like a tree. |
| YLT | He breaketh me down round about, and I go, And removeth like a tree my hope. |
| WEB | He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. He has plucked my hope up like a tree. |
| BBE | I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree. |
Where they part company is תִּקְוָתִי — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses with subordinate phrases that describe the conditions of Job's suffering and loss.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהלך
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 19:10
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 Lamentgenerated
Job 19:10 captures Job's deep despair as he feels utterly destroyed by God, surrounded by suffering, and stripped of his hope. This verse is part of a larger passage where Job expresses his feelings of abandonment and loss, reflecting on the severity of his afflictions and the perception of being targeted by divine wrath. His words resonate with the themes of suffering and the search for understanding in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 1:13–19 | One day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, |
| 2 | Job 2:7 | So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. |
| 3 | Psalm 88:13–18 | But to You, O LORD, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You. |
| 4 | Lamentations 2:5–6 | The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah. |
| 5 | 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 | We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִתְּצֵ֣נִי, yi.te.Tze.nigenerated
The verb יִתְּצֵ֣נִי (yi.te.Tze.ni) is a third person masculine singular form of the verb נָתַץ (nathats), meaning 'to tear down' or 'to destroy.' This word conveys a sense of total destruction, indicating that Job feels as if he is being dismantled from every angle.
The parsing shows it is in the imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing action. Job is not merely stating a past event; he is expressing a current and continuous experience of being torn down, which emphasizes his feeling of helplessness.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses connected by a semicolon: the first describes Job's feeling of being torn down, and the second illustrates the uprooting of his hope. The structure emphasizes the parallel between Job's physical and emotional devastation.
The finite verbs יִתְּצֵ֣נִי and וַיַּסַּ֥ע anchor the sentence, with the adverbial phrase סָ֭בִיב providing context for the destruction, indicating that it surrounds him completely.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יִתְּצֵ֣נִי as με (me), which means 'me' in Greek. This choice captures the personal nature of Job's suffering, emphasizing that the destruction is directed at him specifically.
For וַיַּסַּ֥ע, the LXX uses ἐχέκοψεν, which means 'he cut down.' This translation highlights the act of uprooting in a vivid way, aligning with the imagery of Job's hope being removed like a tree.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 19:10 expresses Job's feelings of being completely torn down and hopeless. He feels that God has destroyed him on every side and uprooted his hope like a tree. This verse reflects his deep anguish and the severity of his suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing his feeling of being overwhelmed and attacked from all directions, indicating a total sense of destruction.
Job compares his hope to a tree that has been uprooted, suggesting that it was once strong and firm but is now completely removed.
Job's lament highlights the depth of his suffering and his struggle to understand why he is experiencing such devastation.
This verse encapsulates the themes of suffering, loss, and the search for meaning in the midst of trials, which are central to the narrative of Job.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I felt surrounded by difficulties, similar to Job's experience?
- How can I find hope in situations where I feel like everything is being torn down around me?
- What does it mean to have hope like a tree, and how can I cultivate that in my life?
- How can understanding Job's lament help me support others who are going through tough times?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on Job's lament, interpreting it in the context of the Church's struggles and the feeling of being destroyed on every side.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone; and He hath removed mine hope like as with a tree torn away. The Church is, as it were, 'destroyed on every side,' and undone in her weak members, when those very ones that seemed strong,Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 19:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe hath destroyed me on every side,.... To be "troubled on every side" is much, as the apostles were, 2 Corinthians 4:8; but to be destroyed on every side, and all around, is more, and denotes utter
Read John Gill on Job 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 19 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOn every side, i.e. in all respects, and to all intents and purposes; my person, and family, and estate. I am gone, i.e. I am a lost and dead man. Going is oft put for dying, as . Mine hope, i.e. all my hopes of the present life, as he oft expresseth it; but not of the life to come, as appears from ,16 19:25, &c. Like a tree; which being once plucked up by the roots, never groweth again.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 19 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 19:10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.Ver. 10. He hath destroyed me on every side] Heb. He hath demolished me, he hath pulled me down piece meal, as an old house is taken down part by part. See Leviticus 14:45 Judges 8:17. God had made and fashioned Job’ s body together round about, Job 10:8, and now he destroyeth it round about. The body of a man is a wonderful fabric, wherein the bones are the timber work, the head the upper lodging, the eyes as windows, the eyelids as casements, the brows as pent houses, the ears as watch towers, the mouth as a door to take in that which shall uphold the building, and keep it in repair; the…
Read John Trapp on Job 19 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 10. Mine hope hath he removed like a tree.] There is no more hope of my restoration to affluence, authority, and respect, than there is that a tree shall grow and flourish, whose roots are extracted from the earth. I am pulled up by the roots, withered, and gone.
Read AdamClarke on Job 19 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges10. He hath destroyed] Rather, he breaketh me down; the figure of a building. In the second clause the image is that of a great tree torn up by the roots, whose fall is pitiful. The words, and I am gone, refer to his inevitable death from his disease, which he regards as already virtually come, as is expressed in the next clause—his hope (of life or recovery) is removed like a tree.
Read Cambridge on Job 19 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe hath destroyed me on every side - He has left me nothing. The word which is used here is that which is commonly applied to which is used here is that which is commonly applied to destroying cities, towns, and houses.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 19 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible10. Destroyed — ðúö, a word in common use for the pulling down of buildings. Removed — Uprooted. By these figures Job expresses complete destruction.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 19 →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
He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. He has plucked my hope up like a tree.
He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
He tears me down on every side until I perish; he uproots my hope like one uproots a tree.
Tyndale line
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone; And my hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
He hath broken me down on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he plucked up like a tree.
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and my hope hath he removed like a tree.
He hath destroyed mee on euery side and I am gone: and he hath remoued mine hope like a tree.
Strictly literal
He breaketh me down on every side, and I am gone; and my hope hath he torn up as a tree.
He breaketh me down round about, and I go, And removeth like a tree my hope.
He breaks me down all around, and I go, || And removes my hope like a tree.
He hath pulled me down on every side, and I am going hence; and he hath rooted up like a tree my hope.
He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone; he has pulled up my hope like a tree.
From the Latin
He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am lost, and he hath taken away my hope, as from a tree that is plucked up.
Simplified
He tears me down from all sides until I am finished; he has destroyed my hope like a tree that is uprooted.
I am broken down by him on every side, and I am gone; my hope is uprooted like a tree.
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 agree on the wording of Job 19:10, with all six words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of Job's lament across these ancient texts.
יִתְּצֵ֣נִי סָ֭בִיב וָאֵלַ֑ךְ וַיַּסַּ֥ע כָּ֝עֵ֗ץ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
6 of the 6 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 19:10
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.
The Hebrew word נָתַץ (nathats) is a primitive root meaning to tear down or break down. It encompasses various forms, including pulling down, destroying, and overthrowing, with different grammatical aspects indicating active and passive forms. The entries describe its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but do not reference specific verses.
נָתַץ vb. pull down, break down
Qal
lit. pull down a structure
fig.
Niph. be pulled, broken, down
Pi. tear down (chiefly late)
Pu. be torn down
Hoph. be broken down, broken
base
H5422 נָתַץ pull down, break down
5422 nathats naw-thats'
a primitive root; to tear down:--beat down, break down
(out), cast down, destroy, overthrow, pull down, throw down.
נָתַץ (na.tats) — to tear.
1) to pull down, break down, cast down, throw down, beat down, destroy, overthrow, break out (teeth)
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pull down
1a2) to break down, break off
1b) (Niphal) to be pulled or broken down
1c) (Piel) to tear down
1d) (Pual) to be torn down
1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be broken down
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqi3ms/Sp1bs
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
הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.
הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk
Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך
lit.
of persons
Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
in like manner of inanimate things
The inf. abs. is often used
as in other vbs., quite independently
to intensify meaning of finite form
most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.
with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance
twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
quite by itself
13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
In combination with other verbal forms
Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
pass away, die
H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons
. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
. in like manner of inanimate things
. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently
. to intensify meaning of finite form
. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance
. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
. quite by itself
. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
. In combination with other verbal forms
1980 halak haw-lak'
akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety
of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,
apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,
depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,
forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,
out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,
march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),
be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,
still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,
on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,
(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.
see HEBREW for 03212
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.
: went/go[away]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.
: come[nearer]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.
: walk/move
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
Hc/Vqw1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singularHc/Vqw1cs
נָסַע (naca`) means to pull out or up, particularly in the context of setting out on a journey. It encompasses actions like departing, marching, and removing, with nuances related to both physical movement and the wind. The word can also imply causing someone or something to set out or be led away.
נָסַע 147 vb. pull out or up, set out, journey
Qal 137
pull out or up
hence (from pulling up tent-pegs),
set out
depart
journey, march (by stages)
of wind
Niph. be pulled up, removed
Hiph.
cause to set out, lead out
remove
base
H5265 נָסַע pull out or up, set out, journey .. pull out or up
. hence (from pulling up tent-pegs), . set out
. depart
. journey, march (by stages)
. of wind
. be pulled up, removed
. . cause to set out, lead out
. remove
5265 naca` naw-sah'
a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the
tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey:--cause to blow, bring,
get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take)
journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), X still, be on
his (go their) way.
נָסַע (na.sa) — to set out.
1) to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pull out or up
1a2) to set out, depart
1a3) to journey, march
1a4) to set forth (of wind)
1b) (Niphal) to be pulled up, be removed, be plucked up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to set out, lead out, cause to spring up
1c2) to remove, quarry
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
עֵץ (ets) refers to a tree or wood, encompassing various forms such as timber, sticks, and planks. It can denote both singular and plural trees, as well as specific uses like gallows and firewood. The word is derived from a root meaning firmness, indicating its solid nature.
עֵץ 329 n.m. tree, trees, wood
(c. 150 t.)
a standing tree
coll. trees
(c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
base
H6086 עֵץ tree, trees, wood . (c. 150 t.) . a standing tree
. coll. trees
. (c. 175 t.; c. 120 t. pl., to denote pieces [or articles] of wood)
6086 `ets ates
from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural
sticks):--+ carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff,
stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.
see HEBREW for 06095
עֵץ (ets) — tree: wood.
: wood
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree.
: tree
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stick.
: stick/log
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: stake.
: stake/shaft
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
עֵץ (ets) — tree: carpenter.
: carpenter/wood(worker)
1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows
1a) tree, trees
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
תִּקְוָה (tiqvah) means both 'cord' and 'hope.' It is derived from a root meaning to attach or bind, reflecting a sense of expectancy or longing. The term encompasses concepts of hope, expectation, and the outcomes of what is hoped for, as noted in various lexicons.
[תִּקְוָה] n.f. cord
base
תִּקְוָה 34 n.f. hope
hope
= ground of hope
things hoped for, outcome
base
H8615a תִּקְוָה cord H8615b תִּקְוָה hope . hope
. = ground of hope
. things hoped for, outcome
8615 tiqvah tik-vaw'
from 6960; literally, a cord (as an attachment (compare
6961)); figuratively, expectancy:--expectation ((-ted)),
hope, live, thing that I long for.
see HEBREW for 06960
see HEBREW for 06961
תִּקְוָה (tiq.vah) — cord.
cord
תִּקְוָה (tiq.vah) — hope.
1) hope, expectation
1a) hope
1b) ground of hope
1c) things hoped for, outcome
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs