Job 27:15 — Word Study
WLCשְׂ֭רִידָיו בַּמָּ֣וֶת יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃
BSAHis survivorssârîyd [those who remain, remnant] will be buriedqâbar▸ [interred, laid to rest] by the plaguemâveth [disease, death] and their widowsʼalmânâh [women who have lost their husbands, bereaved] will notlôʼ [absolutely not, none] weep for thembâkâh▸ [cry, mourn]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שְׂ֭רִידָיו | survivors his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| בַּמָּ֣וֶת | by death | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ | they will be buried | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו | and widows his | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃ | they will weep | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them. |
| KJV | Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. |
| ASV | Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, And his widows shall make no lamentation. |
| YLT | His remnant in death are buried, And his widows do not weep. |
| WEB | Those who remain of him will be buried in death. His widows will make no lamentation. |
| BBE | When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for them. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse without significant variation.
The structure is clear, with a main clause followed by additional phrases that provide context about the burial and the widows' reaction.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbקָבַר
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 27:15
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 Fate of the Wickedgenerated
Job 27:15 describes the grim fate of the wicked, emphasizing that even if they survive, their end is marked by death and their families will not mourn them. This reflects a broader theme in Job, where the consequences of one's actions are explored, particularly in relation to the fate of the unrighteous. The surrounding verses highlight the certainty of their demise and the futility of their wealth, as seen in Job 27:14 and Job 27:16.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Kings 14:10–11 | Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone! |
| 2 | 1 Kings 16:3–4 | So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat: |
| 3 | 1 Kings 21:21–24 | This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. |
| 4 | Psalm 78:64 | His priests fell by the sword, but their widows could not lament. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 22:18 | Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שְׂ֭רִידָיו, se.ri.dovgenerated
The word שָׂרִיד (sariyd) is a noun meaning 'survivor' or 'remnant.' It describes those who remain after a catastrophic event, emphasizing their existence despite adversity. This term is often used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a remnant of people, particularly in contexts of survival after conflict or disaster.
In this verse, the parsing as a masculine plural construct indicates a group of survivors, specifically those left after calamity. The suffix indicates possession, meaning 'his survivors.' This word underscores the bleak reality that even those who survive will face a harsh end, as indicated by the following phrases.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that the survivors will be buried and their widows will not weep.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ, they will be buried, which governs the subject שְׂ֭רִידָיו, his survivors. The structure is straightforward, with a prepositional phrase indicating the manner of burial and a clause that describes the widows' reaction.
The sentence is constructed with a clear subject-verb relationship, followed by additional clauses that provide context about the survivors and their widows. This simple structure highlights the inevitability of death and the lack of mourning.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew שְׂ֭רִידָיו is rendered as δὲ, which serves as a conjunction rather than a direct translation. This choice indicates a shift in emphasis, focusing on the survivors in a different light than the original Hebrew.
The Greek word for death, θανάτῳ, aligns closely with the Hebrew מָוֶת, maintaining the meaning of death but reflecting the translators' interpretation of the text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 27:15 states that those who survive will be buried by death, and their widows will not mourn for them. This verse highlights the fate of the wicked, emphasizing that even if they live through hardship, their end is marked by death, and their families will not express sorrow.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that their lives were so marked by wickedness that even their families do not grieve for them, reflecting their ultimate fate.
Burial signifies the finality of death, and in this case, it underscores the consequences of a life lived in wickedness.
Job suggests that the wicked's actions lead to a disconnection from their families, resulting in a lack of mourning when they die.
It reinforces the theme of divine justice, showing that the wicked may seem to prosper temporarily, but their end is ultimately grim.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I understand the consequences of my actions in light of this verse?
- What does it mean for a survivor to be buried without mourning?
- In what ways can I ensure that my life reflects values that lead to genuine mourning from loved ones?
- How does this verse challenge my understanding of justice and fate?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, interpreting it as a reflection on the fate of those who reject truth.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death. And his widows shall not weep. Doubtless 'the persons left' of that tribe of heretics 'are buried in death,' for whereas they return not to the light of truth,Early Church Fathers on Job 27 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 27:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThose that remain of him,.... Of the wicked man after his death; or such that remain, and have escaped the sword and famine: shall be buried in death: the pestilence, emphatically called death by the
Read John Gill on Job 27 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. These words are contrary to Job's previous sentiments (notes, Job 21:22-33; Job 24:22-25).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 27 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThose that remain of him; who survive and escape that sword and famine. Shall be buried in death; either, 1. Shall die, and so be buried. Or, 2. Shall be buried as soon as ever they are dead, either because their relations or dependents feared lest they shored come to themselves again, and trouble them and others longer; or because they were not able to bestow any funeral pomp upon them, or thought them unworthy of it. Or, 3. Shall be in a manner utterly extinct in or by death; all their hope, and glory, and name, and memory (which they designed to perpetuate to all ages) shall be buried with them, and they shall never rise again to a blessed life: whereas a good man hath hope in his death…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 27 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 27:15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.Ver. 15. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death] That is, shall be presently and privately buried (as some sense it), without any noise or notice. Or, they shall be so hated, that no man shall speak well of them when they are dead; but their name shall be buried, and shall rot with them: so others understand it. Or, they shall be buried alive; as was Zeno the emperor in a fit of an apoplexy. Sepelientur adhuc vivi moribundi (Vatab.). And when as he recovered of that fit in his sepulchre, and cried for help, his wife, Ariadne, was so kind as to deny it him. The like is recorded of Scotus…
Read John Trapp on Job 27 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) Those that remain of him shall be buried in death.—That is, as the context shows, it shall be obscure, and excite no sympathy; their very death shall be as it were a burial, and shall consign them to oblivion. His widows.—That is, those commonly hired for the purpose of making lamentation for the dead, or the widows of those that remain of him.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 27 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. Those that remain of him] שרידיו seridaiv, his remains, whether meaning himself personally, or his family. Shall be buried in death] Shall come to utter and remediless destruction. Death shall have his full conquest over them, and the grave its complete victory. These are no common dead. All the sting, all the wound, and all the poison of sin, remains: and so evident are God's judgments in his and their removal, that even widows shall not weep for them; the public shall not bewail them; for when the wicked perish there is shouting. Mr. Good, following the Chaldee, translates: Entombed in corruption, or in the pestilence. But I see no reason why we should desert the literal…
Read AdamClarke on Job 27 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. buried in death] “Death” is here, as often (Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 18:21; Jeremiah 43:11) pestilence. Those that sword and famine spare (Job 27:14) become the prey of the pestilence, and their burial shall be such as those so dying receive, without funeral rites and with no accompaniment of lamenting women. This idea is more distinctly expressed in the next clause, “his widows shall not weep”; comp. Psalms 78:64. Comp. Job’s previous words as to the “burial” of the wicked, ch. Job 21:32.
Read Cambridge on Job 27 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThose that remain of him - Those that survive him. Shall be buried in death - Hebrew “shall be buried BY death” (במות bamâveth), that is.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 27 →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
His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.
Those who remain of him will be buried in death. His widows will make no lamentation.
His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.
Those who survive him are buried by the plague, and their widows do not mourn for them.
Tyndale line
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, And his widows shall make no lamentation.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death, and his widows shall make no lamentation.
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
His remnant shall be buried in death, and his widowes shall not weepe.
Strictly literal
Those that remain of him shall be buried by death, and his widows shall not weep.
His remnant in death are buried, And his widows do not weep.
His remnant are buried in death, || And his widows do not weep.
Those of his that are left to escape will be buried by death; and his widows will not be able to weep.
Those who survive him will be buried by plague, and their widows will make no lament for them.
From the Latin
They that shall remain of him, shall be buried in death, and his widows shall not weep.
Simplified
Those who survive will die from disease, and even their widows will not mourn for them.
When those of his house who are still living come to their end by disease, they are not put into the earth, and their widows are not weeping for 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 states, "His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them," which translates to "שְׂ֭רִידָיו בַּמָּ֣וֶת יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃" In contrast, the Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, though its word order and articles differ. There are no significant variations in the core message between these witnesses, indicating a strong consistency in this verse across these ancient texts.
שְׂ֭רִידָיו בַּמָּ֣וֶת יִקָּבֵ֑רוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃
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 27:15
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.
שָׂרִיד (sariyd) means 'survivor' or 'remnant,' referring to what remains after a defeat. It is derived from the root word meaning 'to remain.' The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts of survival and what is left over.
שָׂרִיד n.m. survivor (from a defeat, etc.)
base
H8300 שָׂרִיד survivor (from a defeat, etc.)
8300 sariyd saw-reed'
from 8277; a survivor:--X alive, left, remain(- ing),
remnant, rest.
see HEBREW for 08277
שָׂרִיד (sa.rid) — survivor.
1) survivor, remnant, that which is left
1a) survivor
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
מָ֫וֶת (maveth) means 'death' and encompasses various aspects such as natural or violent death, the state of being dead, and the realm of the dead (hades). It can also refer to pestilence or ruin. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to die' and has an Aramaic equivalent, מוֹת (mot).
מָ֫וֶת 161 n.m. death
death, opp. life
death by violence
state of death or place of death
base
H4194 מָ֫וֶת death
4194 maveth maw'-veth
from 4191; death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead,
their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence,
ruin:--(be) dead((-ly)), death, die(-d).
see HEBREW for 04191
מָ֫וֶת (ma.vet) — death.
1) death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead
1a) death
1b) death by violence (as a penalty)
1c) state of death, place of death
Aramaic equivalent: mot (מוֹת "death" H4193)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
(maweth; thanatos):
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW
The word "Death" is used in the sense of
(1) the process of dying (Ge 21:16);
(2) the period of decease (Ge 27:7);
(3) as a possible synonym for poison (2Ki 4:40);
(4) as descriptive of person in danger of perishing (Jud 15:18; "in deaths oft" 2Co 11:23). In this sense the shadow of death is a familiar expression in Job, the Psalms and the Prophets;
Death
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) “The dust shall return to the earth as it was” (Eccl. 12:7).
(2.) “Thou takest away their breath, they die” (Ps. 104:29).
(3.) It is the dissolution of “our earthly house of this tabernacle” (2 Cor. 5:1); the “putting off this tabernacle” (2 Pet. 1:13, 14).
(4.) Being “unclothed” (2 Cor. 5:3, 4).
(5.) “Falling on sleep” (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39;
Is taken in Scripture, first, for the separation of body and soul, the first death, Ge 25:11; secondly, for alienation from God, and exposure to his wrath, 1Jo 3:14, etc.; thirdly, for the second death, that of eternal damnation. Death was the penalty affixed to Adam’s transgression, Ge 2:17 3:19; and all his posterity are transgressors, and share the curse inflicted upon him. CHRIST is "our life." All believers share his life, spiritually and eternally; and though sin and bodily is taken away, and in the resurrection the last enemy shall be trampled under foot, Ro 5:12-21 1Co 15:1-58.
קָבַר (qabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to bury.' It has several forms, including Qal (to bury), Niphal (to be buried), Piel (to bury in masses), and Pual (to be buried). The entries indicate its use in various contexts, including a reference to Genesis 25:10.
קָבַר 132 vb. bury
Qal 86 bury
Niph. 39 be buried
Pi. bury (in masses)
Pu. Gn 25:10.
base
H6912 קָבַר bury
6912 qabar kaw-bar'
a primitive root; to inter:--X in any wise, bury(-ier).
קָבַר (qa.var) — to bury.
1) to bury
1a) (Qal) to bury
1b) (Niphal) to be buried
1c) (Piel) to bury, bury (in masses)
1d) (Pual) to be buried
V-Niphal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVNi3mp
The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.
אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow
base
H490 אַלְמָנָה widow
490 'almanah al-maw-naw'
fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house
(palace), widow.
see HEBREW for 0488
אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.
widow
Conj | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/Ncfpc/Sp3ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
בָּכָה (bakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to weep or bewail. It encompasses various forms of weeping, including expressions of grief, humiliation, or joy, and can denote lamentation or crying bitterly. The entries highlight its use in both the Qal and Piel stems, indicating different nuances of weeping.
בָּכָה 114 vb. weep, bewail
Qal
weep
weep bitterly
weep upon
bewail
in sense of burden, annoy with weeping
of penitent weeping
Pi. lament; bewail
base
H1058 בָּכָה weep, bewail
1058 bakah baw-kaw'
a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan:--X at all,
bewail, complain, make lamentation, X more, mourn, X sore, X
with tears, weep.
בָּכָה (ba.khah) — to weep.
1) to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to weep (in grief, humiliation, or joy)
1a2) to weep bitterly (with cognate acc.)
1a3) to weep upon (embrace and weep)
1a4) to bewail
1b) (Piel) participle
1b1) lamenting
1b2) bewailing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine pluralHVqi3fp