Job 19:14 — Word Study
WLCחָדְל֥וּ קְרוֹבָ֑י וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃
BSAMy kinsmenqârôwb [nearest relatives, family members] have failed mechâdal■ [ceased to support, forsaken] and my friendsyâdaʻ [familiar friends, close companions] have forgotten meshâkach■ [dismissed from memory, overlooked]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חָדְל֥וּ | they have ceased | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| קְרוֹבָ֑י | kindred my | Suffix |
| וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י | and acquaintances my | Conjunction, verb pual participle (passive) masculine plural common, suffix |
| שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃ | they have forgotten me | Verb qal perfect third person common plural, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me. |
| KJV | My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. |
| ASV | My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me. |
| YLT | Ceased have my neighbours And my familiar friends have forgotten me, |
| WEB | My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me. |
| BBE | My relations and my near friends have given me up, and those living in my house have put me out of their minds. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of חָדְל֥וּ and שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses connected by a conjunction, showing the parallel nature of Job's feelings of abandonment.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָדַל
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 19:14
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 Lamentationgenerated
Job 19:14 shows Job's profound sense of loss as he describes how his family and friends have turned away from him during his suffering. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job expresses his feelings of abandonment and the deep pain of being forgotten by those closest to him. The surrounding verses illustrate Job's isolation further, as he feels estranged even from his servants and guests, amplifying his distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 38:11 | My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance. |
| 2 | Proverbs 18:24 | A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. |
| 3 | Micah 7:5–6 | Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms. |
| 4 | Matthew 10:21 | Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. |
| 5 | 2 Samuel 16:23 | Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָדְל֥וּ, cha.de.Lugenerated
The verb חָדַל (chadal) means 'to cease' or 'to come to an end.' It implies a stopping or ending of support, which in this context reflects Job's experience of being forsaken by his kin and friends.
The parsing indicates that it is a perfect tense verb, meaning the action has been completed in the past. This highlights that Job's relatives have definitively ceased their support, emphasizing his feelings of abandonment.
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 structure of the verse consists of two main clauses, each with a subject and verb. The first clause is governed by the verb חָדְל֥וּ, they have ceased, while the second clause features the verb שְׁכֵחֽוּ, they have forgotten.
The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the subjects, קְרוֹבָ֑י (my kinsmen) and וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י (my acquaintances), highlighting Job's personal loss.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חָדַל as ἀπέστησαν (they have departed), which suggests a broader sense of abandonment beyond just ceasing support.
For שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי, the LXX uses ἐπιλανθάνομαι (to forget), which retains the core meaning but may imply a more active disregard rather than simple forgetfulness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 19:14 expresses Job's deep sorrow as he laments that his family and friends have abandoned him. He feels forgotten and alone in his suffering, emphasizing the pain of losing those he once relied on.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing that his closest relatives, who should support him, have abandoned him in his time of need.
Job feels a profound sense of betrayal and loneliness, as friends are expected to stand by one another, especially in difficult times.
Job's experience reminds us of the pain that can come from losing support from loved ones, highlighting the importance of compassion and presence during others' struggles.
Yes, similar themes appear in verses like Psalm 38:11 and Proverbs 18:24, where friends and family fail to provide support.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I be a better support to those who are suffering, like Job wished his friends had been?
- What does it mean to truly remember someone who is in pain?
- In what ways can I reach out to those who may feel abandoned or forgotten?
- How can we balance our own struggles with the need to support others?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 19:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMy kinsfolk have failed,.... Or "ceased" (a), not to be, or that they were dead, which is sometimes the sense of the word; but they ceased from visiting him, or doing any good office for him; those
Read John Gill on Job 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMy kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. Failed - `cease' to come to me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 19 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMy kinsfolk have failed, to wit, to perform the offices of humanity and friendship which they owe to me. Have forgotten me, i.e. neglect and disregard me as much as if they had quite forgotten me.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 19 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 19:14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.Ver. 14. My kinsfolk have failed] scil. In courtesy, as Ruth’ s kinsman did. Job had many kinsfolk, but few friends; and this was a great grief to him, as it was afterwards also to David, Psalms 31:11; Psalms 38:11; Psalms 69:8; to Heman, Psalms 88:8; and to Paul, 2 Timothy 4:16. And my familiar friends] They whom I favoured, saith Broughton, according to Psalms 11:7. Have forgotten me] Out of sight out of mind. A thing forgotten is as if it had never been. All Job’ s courtesies were cast away upon these summer birds, who had well nigh forgotten there was ever such a man in the world as Job.
Read John Trapp on Job 19 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. My kinsfolk have failed] Literally, departed: they have all left my house, now there is no more hope of gain.
Read AdamClarke on Job 19 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13–19. The estrangement and abhorrence of men. Job’s complaint now is even more touching than before: God not only afflicted him with trouble but removed far from him all human sympathy. And there is something more breaking to the heart in the turning away of men from us than in the severest sufferings. It crushes us quite. We steel ourselves against it for a time and rise to it in bitterness and resentment, but gradually it breaks us and we are crushed at last. And this seems the way whether men frown on us with justice or no. And there came on Job when he contemplated his complete casting off by men, by his friends and his household and even by the little children, a complete break-down…
Read Cambridge on Job 19 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMy kinsfolk have failed - My neighbors (קרובי qârôbāy), those who were near to me. It may refer to “nearness” of affinity, friendship, or residence.
Read Albert Barnes 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
My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
My kinsmen have failed me; my friends have forgotten me.
Tyndale line
My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, And my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My kinsmen have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
My neighbours haue forsaken me, and my familiars haue forgotten me.
Strictly literal
My kinsfolk have failed, and my known friends have forgotten me.
Ceased have my neighbours And my familiar friends have forgotten me,
My neighbors have ceased || And my familiar friends have forgotten me,
My near of kin have withdrawn, and those befriended by me have forgotten me.
My kinsfolk have failed me; my close friends have forgotten me.
From the Latin
My kinsmen have forsaken me, and they that knew me, have forgotten me.
Simplified
My relatives have abandoned me; my close friends have forgotten me.
My relations and my near friends have given me up, and those living in my house have put me out of their minds.
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 of Job 19:14 states, "חָדְל֥וּ קְרוֹבָ֑י וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃" which translates to, "My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, aligns with three of the four key concepts found in the Masoretic Text, indicating a level of agreement, although the exact wording and structure differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. There are no significant variations noted in the Samaritan Pentateuch or the Dead Sea Scrolls for this verse, confirming the consistency of the Masoretic Text in this instance.
חָדְל֥וּ קְרוֹבָ֑י וּֽמְיֻדָּעַ֥י שְׁכֵחֽוּנִי׃
3 of the 4 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 19:14
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.
חָדַל (chadal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or come to an end. It conveys the idea of stopping, leaving off, or forgoing something. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including the Qal stem, which indicates simple action. There is a specific note in the Hophil form suggesting a passive sense of being made to leave.
חָדַל vb. cease
Qal
cease, come to an end
cease, leave off
Hoph. should I be made to leave
base
H2308 חָדַל cease .. cease, come to an end
. cease, leave off
. should I be made to leave
2308 chadal khaw-dal'
a primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. (by
implication) desist; (figuratively) be lacking or
idle:--cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let
alone, rest, be unoccupied, want.
חָדַל (cha.dal) — to cease.
1) to stop, cease, desist, forego, cease to be, leave undone, forbear
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cease, come to an end
1a2) to cease, leave off
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
קָרֹב (qarowb) means 'near' and can refer to proximity in place, time, or personal relationships, including kinship. It is derived from the root meaning to approach or be allied. The term appears in various contexts, such as describing the nearest city or a neighbor, as well as in relation to God.
קָרֹב, קָרוֹב 78 adj. near;—
of city, the nearest
of pers.:
the nearest to; his neighbour.
abs.
of near relationship
near to י׳
near to י׳ in ceremon. function
of God (י׳)
of word
of time
base
H7138 קָרֹב, קָרוֹב near
7138 qarowb kaw-robe'
or qarob {kaw-robe'}; from 7126; near (in place, kindred or
time):--allied, approach, at hand, + any of kin,
kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is)
next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly).
see HEBREW for 07126
קָרֹב (qa.rov) — near.
1) near
1a) of place
1b) of time
1c) of personal relationship
1c1) kinship
Adj | Suff — SuffixHAampc/Sp1bs
יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
יָדַע 943 vb. know
Qal
know, learn to know
perceive
perceive and see; find out and discern
discriminate, distinguish
know by experience
recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
consider
not know = not expect
know a person, be acquainted with
know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
be skilful in
abs. have knowledge, be wise
Niph.
be made known, be or become known, of things
make oneself known of pers.
be perceived
be instructed
Pi. cause to know
Pu. known
Hiph. make known, declare
Hoph. made known
Hithp. make oneself known
base
H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know
. perceive
. perceive and see; find out and discern
. discriminate, distinguish
. know by experience
. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
. consider
. not know = not expect
. know a person, be acquainted with
. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
. be skilful in
. abs. have knowledge, be wise
. . be made known, be or become known, of things
. make oneself known of pers.
. be perceived
. be instructed
. cause to know
. known
. make known, declare
. made known
. make oneself known
3045 yada` yaw-dah'
a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);
used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,
care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,
punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted
with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,
(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X
could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)
discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,
can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause
to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have
(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be
learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man
of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,
יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.
1) to know
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to know
1a1a) to know, learn to know
1a1b) to perceive
1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern
1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish
1a1e) to know by experience
1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
1a1g) to consider
1a2) to know, be acquainted with
1a3) to know (a person carnally)
1a4) to know how, be skilful in
1a5) to have knowledge, be wise
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed
1b2) to make oneself known
1b3) to be perceived
1b4) to be instructed
1c) (Piel) to cause to know
1d) (Poal) to cause to know
1e) (Pual)
1e1) to be known
1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)
1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare
1g) (Hophal) to be made known
1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c | Suff — Conjunction · verb pual participle (passive) masculine plural common · suffixHC/VPsmpc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word שָׁכַח (shakach) means 'to forget' and encompasses various nuances such as ignoring or ceasing to care. It can appear in different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), and Hiphil (to cause to forget). The entries highlight its primitive root nature and its usage in contexts where memory or attention is lacking.
שָׁכַח 102 vb. forget
Qal 86 forget
Niph. be forgotten
Pi. י׳ hath caused to forget
Hiph. to make my people forget my name
Hithp. they were forgotten in the city.
base
H7911 שָׁכַח forget
7911 shakach shaw-kakh'
or shakeach {shaw-kay'-akh}; a primitive root; to mislay,
i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention:--X
at all, (cause to) forget.
שָׁכַח (sha.khach) — to forget.
1) to forget, ignore, wither
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to forget
1a2) to cease to care
1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
1c) (Piel) to cause to forget
1d) (Hiphil) to make or cause to forget
1e) (Hithpael) to be forgotten
Aramaic equivalent: she.khach (שְׁכַח "to find" H7912)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person common plural · suffixHVqp3cp/Sp1bs