Job 26:5 — Word Study
WLCהָרְפָאִ֥ים יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ מִתַּ֥חַת מַ֝֗יִם וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶֽם׃
BSAThe deadrâphâʼ [deceased, shades, Rephaim] tremblechûwl▸ [twist in fear, are formed] those beneathtachath [inhabitants, dwellers, spirits, underneath, below] the watersmayim [liquid, source of refreshment] and those who dwell in themshâkan [live, stay, the deep, the underworld]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הָרְפָאִ֥ים | the shades | Particle, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ | they are made to tremble | Verb, Pual, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִתַּ֥חַת | under | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מַ֝֗יִם | [the] waters | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶֽם׃ | and [those which] dwell in them | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them. |
| KJV | Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. |
| ASV | They that are deceased tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof. |
| YLT | The Rephaim are formed, Beneath the waters, also their inhabitants. |
| WEB | “The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them. |
| BBE | The shades in the underworld are shaking; the waters and those living in them. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of הָרְפָאִ֥ים — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is followed by two prepositional phrases that elaborate on the location and inhabitants, creating a layered understanding of the dead's fear.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחיל
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 26:5
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 Deadgenerated
Job 26:5 presents a vivid image of the dead, referred to as shades or Rephaim, trembling in fear. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job contemplates the power of God and the implications of death. The surrounding verses highlight the stark reality of Sheol and the vastness of God's creation, emphasizing the contrast between earthly wisdom and divine power.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 41:1–34 | “Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope? |
| 2 | Genesis 6:4 | The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and afterward as well—when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown. |
| 3 | Psalm 104:25–26 | Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 29:3–5 | Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הָרְפָאִ֥ים, ha.re.fa.'Imgenerated
The term רְפָאִים (rephaim) refers specifically to the spirits of the dead, often translated as 'shades'. It is always used in the plural form and conveys the notion of deceased spirits lingering in a state of awareness.
This word is derived from a root that suggests a sense of 'laxity' or 'weakness', indicating a state of existence that is not fully alive. The use of רְפָאִים in this context emphasizes the idea that these spirits are not at peace, but rather are conscious of their surroundings.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the term used is the dead, which aligns with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ (they are made to tremble) governs the entire verse, with two main clauses following it: the first describes the dead, and the second specifies their location. The structure emphasizes the action of trembling as central to the understanding of the verse.
The word order places the subject of the dead at the forefront, followed by their trembling and the description of their dwelling beneath the waters, highlighting the depth of their fear.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הָרְפָאִ֥ים as γίγαντες (giants), which suggests a broader interpretation of these spirits, possibly indicating their formidable nature.
This choice reflects a different nuance, as the term 'giants' carries connotations of strength and power, contrasting with the more passive 'shades' in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 26:5 tells us that the dead tremble, particularly those who are beneath the waters and those who dwell in them. This verse highlights the fear and awareness of the dead, suggesting they are not at peace but are conscious of their surroundings.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the spirits of the deceased are aware and fearful, suggesting a state of unrest or anxiety in the afterlife.
The term Rephaim signifies shades or spirits of the dead, emphasizing their existence in a state that is not fully alive.
Being beneath the waters may symbolize a place of darkness and separation from the living, enhancing the imagery of fear and isolation.
This verse aligns with the understanding of Sheol as a realm of the dead, where spirits exist in a state of awareness but not in peace.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I understand the concept of life after death based on this verse?
- What does the trembling of the dead suggest about their awareness of God?
- In what ways can I reflect on the fear of the unknown in my own life?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of death and the afterlife?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Julian of Eclanum and Gregory the Dialogist refer to this verse, discussing the nature of the dead and their state beneath the waters.
“Behold, giants groan under the waters.” After proposing the division that he made between power and wisdom, Job puts forward his evidence. He distinguishes the deep and the underworld.Early Church Fathers on Job 26 →
Lo, the giants groan under the waters. For it was fitting that by rebuking he should first beat down the swelling of earthly wisdom, and by instruction afterwards pass on to words replete with mysteries.Early Church Fathers on Job 26 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 26:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDead [things] are formed from under the waters,.... It is difficult to say what things are here meant; it may be understood of "lifeless" things, as Mr.
Read John Gill on Job 26 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 26 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleJob having censured Bildad’ s discourse concerning God’ s dominion and power, as insignificant and impertinent to their question, he here proceedeth to show how little he needed his information in that point, and that he was able to instruct him in that doctrine, of which accordingly he gives divers proofs or instances. Here he showeth that the power and providence of God reacheth not only to the things which we see, but also to the invisible parts of the world; not only to the heavens above, and their inhabitants, and to men upon earth, of which Bildad discoursed ,3, but also to such persons or things as are under the earth, or under the waters, which are under the earth; which are out of…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 26 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 26:5 Dead [things] are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.Ver. 5. Dead things are formed from under the waters] Here Job’ s tongue, like a silver bell, begins to sound out the great things of God far better than Bildad had done, beginning at the bottom, and declaring that nothing is bred or brought forth, whether animate or inanimate, fish or other things in all the vast and deep ocean, but it is by his decree and power (Abbots). The Septuagint or Vulgate, for dead and lifeless things render giants, and understand thereby whales, those huge sea monsters formed under the waters. And the inhabitants thereof] That is, saith one, other fishes in general, which are in…
Read John Trapp on Job 26 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Dead things are formed.—The Hebrew word is the Rephaim, who were among the aboriginal inhabitants of the south of Palestine and the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea, and it is used to express the dead and the inhabitants of the nether world generally. The word rendered are formed probably means either are pierced or tremble: that is, they are pierced through with terror, or they tremble, with a possible reference to the state of the dead as the prey of corruption, though spoken of them where they are beyond the reach of it. All the secrets of this mysterious, invisible, and undiscoverable world are naked and open before Him—the grave lies naked and destruction is uncovered.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 26 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. Dead things are formed from under the waters] This verse, as it stands in our version, seems to convey no meaning; and the Hebrew is obscure; הרפאים, harephaim, "the Rephaim," certainly means not dead things; nor can there be any propriety in saying that dead things, or things without life, are formed under the waters, for such things are formed everywhere in the earth, and under the earth, as well as under the waters. The Vulgate translates: Ecce gigantes gemunt sub aquis, et qui habitant cum eis. "Behold the giants, and those who dwell with them, groan from under the waters." The Septuagint: Μηγιγαντεςμαιωθησονταιὑποκατωθενὑδατος, καιτωνγειτονωναυτου; "Are not the giants formed…
Read AdamClarke on Job 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–13. That Job has no need to be instructed regarding the greatness of God he now shews, by entering upon an exhibition of its operations in every sphere of that which exists, Hades, the Earth and Heaven, in which he far outstrips the feeble effort of Bildad.
Read Cambridge on Job 26 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDead things - Job here commences his description of God, to show that his views of his majesty and glory were in no way inferior to those which had been expressed by Bildad, and that what Bildad had
Read Albert Barnes on Job 26 →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
The dead tremble— those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.
“The departed spirits tremble, those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
The dead tremble—those beneath the waters and those who dwell in them.
“The dead tremble – those beneath the waters and all that live in them.
Tyndale line
Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
They that are deceased tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.
They that are deceased tremble beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.
Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
The dead things are formed vnder the waters, and neere vnto them.
Strictly literal
The shades tremble beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof;
The Rephaim are formed, Beneath the waters, also their inhabitants.
The Rephaim are formed, || Also their inhabitants beneath the waters.
The departed are called into being beneath the waters, and their inhabitants.
The dead are made to tremble, those who are beneath the waters and all who dwell in them.
From the Latin
Behold the giants groan under the waters, and they that dwell with them.
Simplified
The dead tremble, those beneath the waters.
The shades in the underworld are shaking; the waters and those living in them.
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 this verse, with all five words matched in the translation. This indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these ancient witnesses.
הָרְפָאִ֥ים יְחוֹלָ֑לוּ מִתַּ֥חַת מַ֝֗יִם וְשֹׁכְנֵיהֶֽם׃
5 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 26:5
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.
רְפָאִים (rapha'im) refers to shades or ghosts, specifically the spirits of the deceased. The term is derived from a root meaning 'lax' and is used in the plural form. Various lexicons consistently describe it as relating to the dead or deceased.
רְפָאִים n.m. pl. shades, ghosts
base
H7496 רְפָאִים shades, ghosts
7496 rapha' raw-faw'
from 7495 in the sense of 7503; properly, lax, i.e.
(figuratively) a ghost (as dead; in plural only):--dead,
deceased.
see HEBREW for 07495
see HEBREW for 07503
רְפָאִים (ra.pah) — shade.
ghosts of the dead, shades, spirits
Art | N-mp — Particle · noun common masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ncmpa
The Hebrew word חוּל (chuwl) is built from a primitive root meaning to twist or whirl. It covers a range of meanings, including to dance, writhe in pain, bear children, and wait anxiously. The word can also imply strength or firmness, as noted in some entries. Various forms indicate different nuances, such as being made to writhe or suffering anguish.
חוּל [חִיל] vb. whirl, dance, writhe
Qal
dance
twist, writhe
whirl, whirl about
Po‛lel
dance
writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)
wait anxiously
Po‛lal
be made to writhe
be brought forth
Hiph. cause to be in anguish
Hoph. be born
Hithpol.
whirling
writhing, suffering torture
wait longingly
Hithpalp. and she writhed in anxiety
base
[חול, חִיל] vb. be firm, strong
base
H2342a חוּל [חִיל] whirl, dance, writhe .. dance
. twist, writhe
. whirl, whirl about
.. dance
. writhe in travail with, bear, bring forth (poet.)
. wait anxiously
.. be made to writhe
. be brought forth
. cause to be in anguish
. be born
. . whirling
. writhing, suffering torture
. wait longingly
. and she writhed in anxiety
H2342b חול, חִיל br firm, strong
2342 chuwl khool
or chiyl {kheel}; a primitive root; properly, to twist or
whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to
dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear;
figuratively, to wait, to pervert:--bear, (make to) bring
forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously
(with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope,
look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake,
shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain),
tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.
חוּל (chul) — to twist: tremble.
: tremble/fear
1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to dance
1a2) to twist, writhe
1a3) to whirl, whirl about
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to dance
1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth
1b3) to wait anxiously
1c) (Pulal)
1c1) to be made to writhe, be made to bear
1c2) to be brought forth
1d) (Hophal) to be born
1e) (Hithpolel)
1e1) whirling (participle)
1e2) writhing, suffering torture (participle)
1e3) to wait longingly
1f) (Hithpalpel) to be distressed
חִיל (chil) — be firm.
to be firm, strong
חוּל (chul) — to twist: give birth.
: give_birth
1) to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to dance
1a2) to twist, writhe
1a3) to whirl, whirl about
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to dance
1b2) to writhe (in travail with), bear, bring forth
1b3) to wait anxiously
V-O-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Pual · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVPi3mp
תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.
תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
base
H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
8478 tachath takh'-ath
from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only
adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix
underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,
in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead
of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,
with.
see HEBREW for 08430
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.
: under/below
1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m
1a) the under part adv accus
1b) beneath prep
1c) under, beneath
1c1) at the foot of (idiom)
1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)
1c3) of subjection or conquest
1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands
1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)
1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)
1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)
conj
1e) instead of, instead of that
1f) in return for that, because that in compounds
1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)
1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.
: instead/in_place/exchange
Prep | Prep — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.
The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…
שָׁכַן (shakan) is a Hebrew verb meaning to settle down, abide, or dwell. It encompasses various forms of residing, both literally and figuratively, and includes nuances of establishing or causing to dwell. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hiphil, which express actions related to dwelling and establishing habitation.
שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell
Qal
settle down to abide
abide, dwell
Pi.
make settle down, establish
make to dwell
Hiph.
lay
cause birds to settle
cause to dwell
base
H7931 שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן settle down, abide, dwell
7931 shakan shaw-kan'
a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901
through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925); to reside or
permanently stay (literally or figuratively):--abide,
continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation,
inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
see HEBREW for 05531
see HEBREW for 07925
שָׁכַן (sha.khan) — to dwell.
1) to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to settle down to abide
1a2) to abide, dwell, reside
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make settle down, establish
1b2) to make or cause to dwell
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to lay, place, set, establish, settle, fix
1c2) to cause to dwell or abide
Aramaic equivalent: she.khan (שְׁכֵן "to dwell" H7932)
Conj | V-Qal | Suff — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHC/Vqrmpc/Sp3mp