Job 26:6 — Word Study
WLCעָר֣וֹם שְׁא֣וֹל נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת לָֽאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
BSASheolshᵉʼôwl [the underworld, grave, place of the dead] is nakedʻârôwm [exposed, uncovered, laid bare] before [God]neged [the Almighty, All-Knowing] and Abaddonʼăbaddôwn [destruction, ruin, the place of perishing] has noʼayin coveringkᵉçûwth [veil, concealment, hiding place]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עָר֣וֹם | [is] naked | Adj |
| שְׁא֣וֹל | Sheol | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| נֶגְדּ֑וֹ | before him | Suffix |
| וְאֵ֥ין | and not | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| כְּ֝ס֗וּת | a covering | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לָֽאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃ | [belongs] to Abaddon | Preposition, noun |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. |
| KJV | Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. |
| ASV | Sheol is naked before God, And Abaddon hath no covering. |
| YLT | Naked [is] Sheol over-against Him, And there is no covering to destruction. |
| WEB | Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. |
| BBE | The underworld is uncovered before him, and Destruction has no veil. |
Where they part company is כְּס֗וּת — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents Sheol's exposure, followed by a conjunction leading to the subordinate clause about Abaddon, emphasizing the theme of transparency before God.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשְׁאוֹל
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 26:6
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 Sheol and Abaddongenerated
Job 26:6 presents a stark image of Sheol, the place of the dead, and Abaddon, a realm of destruction, both laid bare before God. This verse emphasizes God's omniscience and the inescapability of His presence, even in the depths of the underworld. Job's poetic language invites contemplation on life, death, and the divine oversight of all things, echoing themes found throughout the book of Job.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 11:8 | They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know? |
| 2 | Psalm 139:8–11 | If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. |
| 3 | Proverbs 15:11 | Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men! |
| 4 | Isaiah 14:9 | Sheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you— all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones. |
| 5 | Amos 9:2 | Though they dig down to Sheol, from there My hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there I will pull them down. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲבַדּוֹן, La.'a.va.Dongenerated
The Hebrew word אֲבַדּוֹן ('abaddown) refers to a place of destruction or ruin, derived from a root meaning 'to perish.' It often symbolizes the finality of death and the fate of the wicked, as seen in various contexts in the Old Testament.
In this verse, Abaddon signifies a realm that is devoid of life and hope, reinforcing the idea that even the most desolate places are known to God. The term carries a weight of despair, as it is associated with the ultimate fate of those who reject life.
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 finite verb עָר֣וֹם governs the main clause, with two phrases extending from it: a prepositional phrase indicating the location and a second subject phrase describing Abaddon. The structure emphasizes the stark reality of Sheol's exposure before God.
The word order places שְׁאֹול at the forefront, highlighting its significance as the subject, while the absence of a covering for Abaddon underscores its state of desolation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, שְׁאוֹל is rendered as ᾅδης (Hades), which aligns with the Greek understanding of the underworld. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of Sheol as a place of the dead.
The word אֲבַדּוֹן is translated as ἀπωλείᾳ, emphasizing destruction, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning while also suggesting a more active sense of ruin.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 26:6 states that Sheol, the place of the dead, is completely exposed before God, and Abaddon, a place of destruction, has no covering. This verse illustrates that nothing is hidden from God, not even in death.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Sheol represents the underworld or grave, a place where the dead reside, emphasizing the finality of death.
Abaddon signifies destruction and ruin, often associated with a fate of perishing, highlighting the ultimate consequence of separation from God.
The verse illustrates God's omniscience, showing that nothing, not even the deepest realms of death, can be concealed from Him.
Nakedness symbolizes exposure and vulnerability, indicating that all things, including death and destruction, are laid bare before God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I acknowledge God's presence in my life, especially during difficult times?
- How does understanding Sheol and Abaddon shape my view of life and death?
- What does it mean for me to live in a way that is transparent before God?
- How can I find hope in the reality of death, knowing that nothing is hidden from God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Father Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse to illustrate God's omniscience, noting that both Sheol and destruction are laid bare before Him.
Hell is naked before Him, and destruction hath no covering. Which same Paul likewise saith, But all things are naked and opened unto His eyes.Early Church Fathers on Job 26 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 26:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHell [is] naked before him,.... Which may be taken either for the place of the damned, as it sometimes is; and then the sense is, that though it is hidden from men, and they know not where it is, or
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 BibleHell, as this word is frequently used, as , &c. And so it seems to be explained by the following word, destruction, i.e. the place of destruction, which interpreters generally understand of hell, or the place of the damned. Others, the grave, the most secret and obscure places and things. Is naked before him, i.e. it is in his presence, and under his providence. So far am I from imagining that God cannot see through a dark cloud, as you traduced me, , that I very well know that even hell itself, that place of utter darkness, is not hid from his sight. Destruction, i.e. the place of destruction, as it is also used, , by a metonymy of the adjunct. Hath no covering, to wit, such as to keep it…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 26 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 26:6 Hell [is] naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.Ver. 6. Hell and destruction are before him] Here beginneth a magnificent and stately description of the majesty of God; and, 1. From his omniscience; 2. From his omnipotence. For the first, "Hell and destruction are before him." Not the grave only, but the nethermost hell, that most abstruse part of the universe, and most remote from heaven, God’ s court. Of hell we know nothing save only what the Scripture saith of it in general, that there is a hell, and that the pains of it are endless, easeless, and remediless, &c., but God only knoweth who are in hell, and who is yet to be hereafter hurled into it. It is the saints’…
Read John Trapp on Job 26 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. Hell is naked before him] Sheol, the place of the dead, or of separate spirits, is always in his view. And there is no covering to Abaddon - the place of the destroyer, where destruction reigns, and where those dwell who are eternally separated from God. The ancients thought that hell or Tartarus was a vast space in the centre, or at the very bottom of the earth. So VIRGIL, AEn. lib. vi., ver. 577: - ___________________ Tum Tartarus ipse Bis patet in praeceps tantum, tenditque sub umbras, Quantus ad aethereum coeli suspectus Olympum Hic genus antiquum terrae, Titania pubes, Fulmine dejecti, fundo volvuntur in imo. "Full twice as deep the dungeon of the fiends, The huge Tartarean…
Read AdamClarke on Job 26 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. Hell] is in Heb. Sheol, the place where deceased persons congregate, the world beneath. It is not a place of pain, though a dark and dreary abode, ch. Job 10:21-22. Those there are the dead, who still subsist, though they do not live. “Destruction,” Heb. abaddon, is a synonym for Sheol, ch. Job 28:22. This as well as all things is naked to the eyes of Jehovah. Comp. Amos 9:2; Psalms 139:8.
Read Cambridge on Job 26 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHell - Hebrew שׁאול she'ôl, Sheol; Greek ᾅδης Hadēs Hades. The reference is to the abode of departed spirits - the nether world where the dead were congregated; see the notes at Job 10:21-22.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 26 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6. Hell — Hebrew, sheol. Naked — Compare Hebrews 4:13.Destruction — Hebrews Abaddon.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.
The underworld is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered.
Tyndale line
Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
Sheol is naked before God, And Abaddon hath no covering.
Sheol is naked before him, and Abaddon hath no covering.
Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
The graue is naked before him, and there is no couering for destruction.
Strictly literal
Sheol is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.
Naked [is] Sheol over-against Him, And there is no covering to destruction.
Sheol [is] naked before Him, || And there is no covering to destruction.
Naked is the nether world before him, and there is no covering for the place of corruption.
Sheol is naked before God; destruction itself has no covering against him.
From the Latin
Hell is naked before him, and there is no covering for destruction.
Simplified
Sheol lies naked before God, Abaddon is uncovered.
The underworld is uncovered before him, and Destruction has no veil.
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 for this verse, with five out of six words matching. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message remains consistent across both texts.
עָר֣וֹם שְׁא֣וֹל נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ין כְּ֝ס֗וּת לָֽאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
5 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 26:6
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
שְׁאוֹל (sh'owl) refers to the underworld or the realm of the dead in Hebrew. It encompasses concepts such as hell, the grave, and a pit, often associated with punishment for the wicked and a place from which the righteous are not abandoned. The term implies a location of extreme degradation and is noted for its lack of praise for God.
שְׁאוֹל, שְׁאֹל n.f. Shᵉ’ōl, underworld (√ dub.; i.e. place of inquiry)
base
H7585 שְׁאוֹל, שְׁאֹל Shᵉ’ōl, underworld (√ dub.; i.e. place of inquiry)
7585 sh'owl sheh-ole'
or shol {sheh-ole'}; from 7592; Hades or the world of the
dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories
and inmates:--grave, hell, pit.
see HEBREW for 07592
שְׁאוֹל (she.ol) — hell: Sheol.
Sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit
1a) the underworld
1b) Sheol-the OT designation for the abode of the dead
1b1) place of no return
1b2) without praise of God
1b3) wicked sent there for punishment
1b4) righteous not abandoned to it
1b5) of the place of exile (fig)
1b6) of extreme degradation in sin
N-proper — Noun common · both singular absoluteHNcbsa
she'-ol (she'ol):
1. The Name
2. The Abode of the Dead
(1) Not a State of Unconsciousness
(2) Not Removed from God's Jurisdiction
(3) Relation to Immortality
3. Post-canonical Period
1. The Name:
Sheol
(Heb., “the all-demanding world” = Gr. Hades, “the unknown region”), the invisible world of departed souls. (See HELL.)
→ See HELL (Hades)
נֶ֫גֶד (neged) refers to something that is conspicuous or in front, functioning as both a noun and an adverb. It denotes a position opposite or before someone, often used to indicate presence or visibility. The word can imply a counterpart or mate, and it appears in contexts emphasizing sight or proximity.
נֶ֫גֶד 151 subst. what is conspicuous or in front, always as adv. or prep. in front of, in sight of, opposite to
base
H5048 נֶ֫גֶד subst. what is conspicuous or in front, always as adv. or prep. in front of, in sight of, opposite to
5048 neged neh'-ghed
from 5046; a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a
counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with
preposition) over against or before:--about, (over) against,
X aloof, X far (off), X from, over, presence, X other side,
sight, X to view.
see HEBREW for 05046
נֶ֫גֶד (ne.ged) — before.
subst
1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of
adv
2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of
3) in front of oneself, straightforward
4) before your face, in your view or purpose
with prep
5) what is in front of, corresponding to
6) in front of, before
7) in the sight or presence of
8) parallel to
9) over, for
10) in front, opposite
11) at a distance
prep
12) from the front of, away from
13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from
14) from before, in front of
15) as far as the front of
Aramaic equivalent: ne.ged (נֶ֫גֶד "before" H5049)
Prep | Suff — SuffixHAcmsc/Sp3ms
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
The Hebrew word אֲבַדּוֹן ('abaddown) refers to a place of destruction or ruin, often associated with Hades. It is derived from a root meaning 'to perish' and appears in contexts related to death and the afterlife, notably in Job and Proverbs. There is some discussion about its specific implications in relation to Sheol and the condition of the dead.
אֲבַדּוֹן n.f. ? Pr 27:20 abstr. nearly = n.pr. (place of) Destruction, Ruin, ’Abaddôn (cf. Syriac 𝔖 Jb 28:22 etc.)—אֲבַדּֽוֹן Jb 26:6 (+ 4 t.); abbrev. אבדה Kt אֲבַדּֽוֹ Qr Pr 27:20.—Place of ruin in Shᵉʼôl for lost or ruined dead, as development of earlier distinction of condition in Shᵉʼôl (v. שְׁאוֹל). Only in WisdLt; Jb 31:12; ∥ שׁאול Jb 26:6 Pr 15:11 27:20; ∥ מות Jb 28:22; ∥ קבר ψ…
Read the full entry →H11 אֲבַדּוֹן abstr. nearly = n. pr. (place of) Destruction, Ruin, ’Abaddôn
11 'abaddown ab-ad-done'
intensive from 6; abstract, a perishing; concrete,
Hades:--destruction.
see HEBREW for 06
אֲבַדּוֹן (a.vad.don) — Abaddon.
Abaddon, a place of destruction, destruction, ruin
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · nounHRd/Ntfsa
a-bad'-on ('abhaddon, "ruin," "perdition," "destruction"): Though "destruction" is commonly used in translating 'abhaddon, the stem idea is intransitive rather than passive--the idea of perishing, going to ruin, being in a ruined state, rather than that of being ruined, being destroyed.
The word occurs six times in the Old Testament, always as a place name in the sense in which Sheol is a place name. It denotes, in certain aspects, the world of the dead as constructed in the Hebrew imagination. It is a common mistake to understand such expressions in a too mechanical way. Like ourselves, the men of the earlier ages had to use picture language when they spoke of the conditions that existed after death, however their picturing of the matter may have differed from ours. In three instances Abaddon is parallel with Sheol (Job 26:6;
Abaddon
Destruction, the Hebrew name (equivalent to the Greek Apollyon, i.e., destroyer) of “the angel of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:11). It is rendered “destruction” in Job 28:22; 31:12; 26:6; Prov. 15:11; 27:20. In the last three of these passages the Revised Version retains the word “Abaddon.” We may regard this word as a personification of the idea of destruction, or as sheol, the realm of the dead.
See APOLLYON.
the destroyer