Job 24:7 — Word Study
WLCעָר֣וֹם יָ֭לִינוּ מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃
BSAWithoutbᵉlîy [lacking, having no] clothinglᵉbûwsh [garments, outer covering] they spend the nightlûwn▸ [lie all night, take their rest] ◂nakedʻârôwm [exposed, unclothed] they have noʼayin [nothing, none] coveringkᵉçûwth [protection, garment] against the coldqârâh [low temperature, chill]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עָר֣וֹם | naked | Adj |
| יָ֭לִינוּ | they spend [the] night | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִבְּלִ֣י | because not | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| לְב֑וּשׁ | clothing | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְאֵ֥ין | and there not | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| כְּ֝ס֗וּת | [is] covering | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בַּקָּרָֽה׃ | in the coldness | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold. |
| KJV | They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. |
| ASV | They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold. |
| YLT | The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold. |
| WEB | They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold. |
| BBE | They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold. |
There are no significant differences among the translations on this verse.
The sentence has a main clause with two phrases providing additional context about the subjects' state and their lack of protection.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectלְבוּשׁ
verbלין
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 24:7
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 — The Plight of the Oppressedgenerated
Job 24:7 illustrates the harsh reality faced by those who are destitute, emphasizing their lack of clothing and protection from the cold. This verse is part of a larger discourse on social injustice, where Job highlights the suffering of the vulnerable in society, contrasting their plight with the actions of the wicked who exploit them, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 24:10 | Without clothing, they wander about naked. They carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. |
| 2 | Job 22:6 | For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing. |
| 3 | Job 31:19–20 | if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak, |
| 4 | Exodus 22:26–27 | If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 24:11–13 | You are to stand outside while the man to whom you are lending brings the security out to you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָרוֹם, a.Romgenerated
The word עָרוֹם (a.Rom) means 'naked' or 'bare,' indicating a state of being without clothing. It can refer to being fully or partially unclothed, often symbolizing vulnerability or shame. In this context, it underscores the extreme deprivation faced by those without shelter.
This adjective appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often highlighting themes of innocence or exposure. Here, it emphasizes the dire situation of those who are left unprotected against the elements.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse uses naked for עָרוֹם, and this is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יָלִינוּ (Ya.li.nu), meaning 'they spend the night.' The structure of the sentence shows that it describes the conditions of the subjects, emphasizing their state of being without clothing and protection.
The sentence is constructed with an adverbial clause describing the state of being naked, followed by the main action of spending the night, and concludes with the negation of having a covering against the cold. This structure highlights the severity of their plight.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עָרוֹם as γυμνοὺς (gymnous), which also means 'naked.' This choice maintains the emphasis on exposure and vulnerability, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
The use of γυμνοὺς in the Septuagint reflects a consistent interpretation of the Hebrew text, focusing on the physical state of the subjects.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 24:7 describes how the destitute spend the night without clothing, exposed to the cold. This verse highlights their vulnerability and the injustices they face, as they lack basic protection against harsh conditions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this verse, 'naked' signifies a lack of clothing and protection, highlighting the vulnerability of those who are destitute and exposed to the elements.
Job mentions the cold to emphasize the harsh conditions faced by the poor, illustrating their suffering and the lack of basic necessities.
This verse underscores the injustices faced by the vulnerable in society, serving as a critique of those who exploit the poor and highlighting the need for compassion and care.
Job's observations remind us of the importance of recognizing and addressing the needs of the marginalized and ensuring that justice is served.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I be more aware of the needs of those who are vulnerable in my community?
- How can I take action to support those who are facing hardships similar to those described in this verse?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of compassion and care for the less fortunate?
- How can I apply the lessons from Job's reflections on social justice in my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, using it to illustrate the importance of good works in covering the soul, just as garments cover the body.
They send men away naked, taking away their garments, who have no covering in the cold. As garments cover the body, so do good works the soul.Early Church Fathers on Job 24 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 24:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey cause the naked to lodge without clothing,.... That is, such as are poorly clothed, thinly arrayed, have scarce anything but rags, and yet so cruel the wicked men above described, that they take
Read John Gill on Job 24 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySome remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. Instances of the wicked doing the worst deeds with seeming impunity. Some - the wicked.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 24 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe naked, i.e. those whom they have made naked, whom they stripped of their garments and coverings; so far were they from exercising justice or charity towards them. To lodge; to sleep in the night, which is the coldest season. Without clothing; without bed-clothes to cover them: compare . In the cold of the night of the winter season. This verse is and may fitly be rendered thus, They cause men to lodge naked, because they have no clothing, (i.e. because they leave them nothing wherewith they can clothe themselves,) and no covering in the cold; they leave them neither raiment to wear in the day, nor a covering for the night.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 24:7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that [they have] no covering in the cold.Ver. 7. They cause the naked to lodge without clothing] viz. By denying and detaining from them what they have earned, wherewith they should provide them garments, which are so called, quasi gardments: because they serve to guard men’ s bodies from the injury of the weather. They cause them to lodge naked, because they have no clothing, so some read the text; they lay them open to the pinching cold of the night. And what a misery it is to lie cold and wet, and not to have wherewith to keep us warm and dry, in winter season especially, who knows not? Hic disce Deo gratus esse, saith Lavater.…
Read John Trapp on Job 24 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. They cause the naked to lodge without clothing] Or rather, They spend the night naked, without clothing; and without a covering from the cold: another characteristic of the wandering Arabs. They are ill-fed, ill-clothed. and often miserable off, even for tents. They can have little household stuff: as they are plunderers, they are often obliged to fly for their lives, and cannot encumber themselves with what is not absolutely needful.
Read AdamClarke on Job 24 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7. The verse means, They lie all night naked, without clothing, They have no covering in the cold.
Read Cambridge on Job 24 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey cause the naked to lodge without clothing - They strip others of their clothing, and leave them destitute.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 24 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible7. They cause the naked — The verb, here, is not causative. Naked, they pass the night without clothing. Travellers in Arabia Petrea uniformly speak of the days as intensely hot and the nights as correspondingly cold.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 24 →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
Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
Without clothing, they spend the night naked; they have no covering against the cold.
They spend the night naked because they lack clothing; they have no covering against the cold.
Tyndale line
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
They lie all night naked without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.
They lie all night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without couering in the colde.
Strictly literal
They pass the night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;
The naked they cause to lodge Without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
They cause the naked to lodge without clothing. And there is no covering in the cold.
They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
They lie naked all night without clothing; they have no covering in the cold.
From the Latin
They send men away naked, taking away their clothes who have no covering in the cold:
Simplified
They spend the night naked because they have no clothes; they have nothing to cover themselves against the cold.
They take their rest at night without clothing, and have no cover in the cold.
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 in their wording, with five of the seven words matched. The Septuagint presents a different word order, but the core meaning remains the same, emphasizing the lack of clothing and protection.
עָר֣וֹם יָ֭לִינוּ מִבְּלִ֣י לְב֑וּשׁ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת בַּקָּרָֽה׃
5 of the 7 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 24:7
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.
עָרוֹם (arowm) means 'naked' or 'bare,' indicating a state of being without clothing, whether partially or completely. It is derived from a root meaning related to nudity. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, but no specific verses are cited in the entries.
עָרוֹם, עָרֹם adj. naked
base
H6174 עָרוֹם, עָרֹם naked
6174 `arowm aw-rome'
or marom {aw-rome'}; from 6191 (in its original sense); nude,
either partially or totally:--naked.
see HEBREW for 06191
עָרוֹם (a.rom) — naked.
naked, bare
Adj — AdjHAamsa
Naked
This word denotes (1) absolute nakedness (Gen. 2:25; Job 1:21; Eccl. 5:15; Micah 1:8; Amos 2:16); (2) being poorly clad (Isa. 58:7; James 2:15). It denotes also (3) the state of one who has laid aside his loose outer garment (Lat. nudus), and appears clothed only in a long tunic or under robe worn next the skin (1 Sam. 19:24; Isa. 47:3; comp. Mark…
In the Bible, often means no more than "not fully dressed." So in Joh 21:7, Peter is said to have been "naked," that is, he had laid off his outer garment, and had on only his inner garment or tunic. See GARMENT. So probably in Isa 20:2 Mic 1:8 Ac 19:16. Sometimes poorness and insufficiency of clothing are meant, as in Jas 2:15. So in Isa 58:7 2Co 11:27. A nation is said to be "naked," when stripped of its defenses, wealth, etc., Ge 42:9
לוּן (luwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lodge or pass the night, and it can also imply abiding or remaining. It has a negative connotation when referring to murmuring or complaining. The word can be used in various forms, including Qal, Hiphil, and Hithpalpel, indicating different nuances of lodging and grumbling.
לוּן, לִין vb. lodge, pass the night, fig. abide
Qal
lodge, pass the night
fig. abide, remain
Hiph. cause to rest, lodge
Hithpalp. dwell, abide, of eagle
base
[לוּן] vb. murmur
Niph. murmur against
Hiph. murmur; cause to murmur
base
H3885a לוּן, לִין lodge, pass the night, fig. abide H3885b לוּן murmur
3885 luwn loon
or liyn {leen}; a primitive root; to stop (usually over
night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad
sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to
complain):--abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure,
grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night,
in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all
night, that night).
לוּן (lun) — to lodge.
1) to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lodge, pass the night
1a2) to abide, remain (fig.)
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to rest, lodge
1c) (Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide
לוּן (lun) — to grumble.
1) to grumble, complain, murmur
1a) (Niphal) to grumble, murmur
1b) (Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
nit.
See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.
1. In the Old Testament:
Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…
[DAY]
The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.
The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
לְבוּשׁ (lebush) refers to clothing or garments in a literal or figurative sense, and can also imply a euphemism for a wife. It encompasses terms like apparel and raiment. The word is derived from a root meaning related to clothing, and its Aramaic equivalent is noted as well.
לְבוּשׁ, לְבֻשׁ n.m. garment, clothing, raiment
base
H3830 לְבוּשׁ, לְבֻשׁ garment, clothing, raiment
3830 lbuwsh leb-oosh'
or lbush {leb-oosh'}; from 3847; a garment (literally or
figuratively); by implication (euphem.) a wife:--apparel,
clothed with, clothing, garment, raiment, vestment, vesture.
see HEBREW for 03847
לְבוּשׁ (le.vush) — clothing.
clothing, garment, apparel, raiment
Aramaic equivalent: le.vush (לְבוּשׁ "garment" H3831)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Conj | Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
כְּסוּת (kcuwth) refers to a covering or clothing, with implications for concealment. It is derived from the root meaning to cover. The entries consistently emphasize its use in the context of garments or veiling.
כְּסוּת n.f. covering
covering, clothing
covering, for concealment
base
H3682 כְּסוּת covering . covering, clothing
. covering, for concealment
3682 kcuwth kes-ooth'
from 3680; a cover (garment); figuratively, a
veiling:--covering, raiment, vesture.
see HEBREW for 03680
כְּסוּת (ke.sut) — covering.
1) covering, clothing
1a) covering, clothing
1b) covering (for concealment)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
קָרָה (qarah) is a feminine noun meaning 'cold' or 'coolness.' It is derived from a related root, קָרָה (H7119), which also pertains to coolness. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
קָרָה n.f. id. [s.dk.ac]
base
H7135 קָרָה
7135 qarah kaw-raw'
feminine of 7119; coolness:--cold.
see HEBREW for 07119
קָרָה (qa.rah) — cold.
cold
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa