Job 30:4 — Word Study
WLCהַקֹּטְפִ֣ים מַלּ֣וּחַ עֲלֵי־ שִׂ֑יחַ וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ רְתָמִ֣ים לַחְמָֽם׃
BSAThey pluckedqâṭaph [cut up, cropped] mallowmallûwach△ [a type of plant, salt-wort] amongʻal the shrubssîyach [bushes, small plants] and the rootssheresh [underground part, source] of the broom treerethem [Spanish broom, juniper] were their foodlechem [meat, bread, sustenance]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַקֹּטְפִ֣ים | those [who] pluck off | Particle, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural |
| מַלּ֣וּחַ | mallow | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| עֲלֵי־ | on | Preposition |
| שִׂ֑יחַ | bush[es] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ | and [the] root of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| רְתָמִ֣ים | broom plants | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| לַחְמָֽם׃ | [for] food their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food. |
| KJV | Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat. |
| ASV | They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food. |
| YLT | Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And broom-roots [is] their food. |
| WEB | They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food. |
| BBE | They are pulling off the salt leaves from the brushwood, and making a meal of roots. |
The translations consistently use מַלּוּחַ for mallow, indicating a shared understanding of the term across versions.
The sentence has a main clause with two additional phrases detailing the action and the source of food.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 30:4
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 Lament on Povertygenerated
Job 30:4 illustrates the desperate measures taken by the impoverished, who resort to foraging for food in the wilderness. Job paints a vivid picture of their struggle against hunger and their social ostracism, as they scrape by on what little they can find. This scene is part of a larger reflection on suffering and loss, as Job contrasts his past prosperity with his current misery.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Kings 4:38–39 | When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.” |
| 2 | Amos 7:14 | “I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees. |
| 3 | Luke 15:16 | He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — מַלּוּחַ, ma.Lu.achgenerated
The word מַלּוּחַ (malluwach) refers to a type of plant known as mallow, which grows in salty environments and is used as food. Its connection to saltiness is significant, as it indicates the harsh conditions under which the impoverished were forced to survive.
In this verse, mallow represents the meager sustenance available to those in dire straits, emphasizing their desperation and the lengths they must go to in order to survive.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the word is rendered as mallow, which is consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is קֹּטְפִ֣ים, those who pluck off, which governs the action of the subject. The structure includes a noun phrase for the object, מַלּוּחַ, mallow, followed by prepositional phrases that describe the context and location of the action.
The sentence is built around the main action of foraging, with additional phrases providing details about what is being gathered and where.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַקֹּטְפִ֣ים as περικλῶντες, which conveys a sense of gathering or collecting. This choice emphasizes the act of foraging, aligning with the desperate circumstances described in the verse.
The Greek term used here captures the essence of the Hebrew verb, suggesting an active engagement in the search for food.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 30:4 shows how the poor gathered mallow and roots from the broom tree to eat. This illustrates their struggle for survival in a harsh environment, relying on whatever they could find to sustain themselves.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Mallow represents the meager food source available to those living in poverty, emphasizing their desperation.
The broom tree's roots indicate another source of sustenance, showing the lengths to which the impoverished must go to survive.
It highlights their lowly status, as they are reduced to foraging for food and are ostracized from society.
It serves to illustrate Job's reflections on suffering and the stark contrast between his past and present circumstances.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can empathize with those in need, as described in this verse?
- How can I better understand the struggles of people who are marginalized in society today?
- In what ways can I support those who are facing poverty or hunger?
- What lessons can I learn from Job's experience about resilience in the face of hardship?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 30:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWho cut up mallows by the bushes,.... Which with the Troglodytes were of a vast size (r); or rather "upon the bush" (s) or "tree"; and therefore cannot mean what we call mallows, which are herbs on
Read John Gill on Job 30 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWho cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat. Mallows - rather, salt wort, which grows in deserts, and is eaten as a salad by the poor, having a salt taste (Maurer). By the bushes - among the bushes.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 30 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMallows; or, purslain, or salt or bitter herbs, as the word seems to import, which shows their extreme necessity. By the bushes; or, by the shrubs, nigh unto which they grew; or, with the barks of trees, as the Vulgar Latin renders it. Juniper roots: possibly the word may signify some other plant, for the Hebrews themselves are at a loss for the signification of the names of plants.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 30 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 30:4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots [for] their meat.Ver. 4. Who cut up mallows by the bushes] Pitiful poor fare they are glad of; not so good as that of the Baptist, locusts and wild honey, Matthew 3:4, but mallows, which, together with asphodelus, Hesiod mentioneth as poor folk’ s fare. Tremellius rendereth it, Herbas e salsilagine cum stirpibus, salt, and bitter herbs and stalks; Brentius rendereth it, nettles; some take it for samphire, which is a kind of sea mallows, or sea purslain. The Hebrew word comes from another that signifieth salt; and sounds like the Latin malva, and the English mallows. Coarse and homely provision the wretches were glad to make use…
Read John Trapp on Job 30 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Who cut up mallows by the bushes] מלוח malluach, which we translate mallows, comes from מלח melach, salt; some herb or shrub of a salt nature, sea-purslane, or the salsaria, salsola, or saltwort. Bochart says it is the αλιμος of the Greeks, and the halimus of the Romans. Some translate it nettles. The Syriac and Arabic omit the whole verse. The halimus, or atriplex halimus, grows near the sea in different countries, and is found in Spain, America, England, and Barbary. The salsaria, salsola, or saltwort, is an extensive genus of plants, several common to Asia, and not a few indigenous to a dry and sandy soil. And juniper roots for their meat.] רתמים rethamim. This is variously…
Read AdamClarke on Job 30 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. by the bushes] i. e. beside or among the bushes. The “mallows” or “salt-wort” which they pluck as food is found among the bushes, which cover it from the heat and drought, and under the shadow of which it thrives. juniper roots] Or, roots of the broom.
Read Cambridge on Job 30 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWho cut up mallows - For the purpose of eating. Mallows are common medicinal plants, famous for their emollient or softening properties, and the size and brilliancy of their flowers.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 30 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4. Mallows — Probably the sea purslain or orach, a kind of bramble without thorns, of an exceedingly bitter and saltish taste, whence the Hebrew name, like our word salad, from sal, salt.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 30 →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
They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food.
By the brush they would gather herbs from the salt marshes, and the root of the broom tree was their food.
Tyndale line
Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food.
They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; and the roots of the broom are their meat.
Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their food.
They cut vp nettels by the bushes, and the iuniper rootes was their meate.
Strictly literal
They gather the salt-wort among the bushes, and the roots of the broom for their food.
Those cropping mallows near a shrub, And broom-roots [is] their food.
Those cropping mallows near a shrub, || And their food [is] root of broom trees.
Who crop off mallows by the bushes, and have broom-bush roots as their bread;
They plucked saltwort and bushes' leaves; the roots of the broom tree were their food.
From the Latin
And they ate grass, and barks of trees, and the root of junipers was their food.
Simplified
There they pick desert herbs and the leaves of bushes, and eat the roots of broom trees.
They are pulling off the salt leaves from the brushwood, and making a meal of roots.
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 six of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same desperate imagery found in the Hebrew text, maintaining the overall meaning and context.
הַקֹּטְפִ֣ים מַלּ֣וּחַ עֲלֵי־ שִׂ֑יחַ וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ רְתָמִ֣ים לַחְמָֽם׃
6 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 30:4
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.
קָטַף (qataph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pluck off or cut down. It can refer to stripping off twigs or similar items, with forms indicating both an active sense (to pluck off) and a passive sense (to be plucked off). The entries consistently emphasize its application in contexts involving removal or cutting.
[קָטַף] vb. pluck off (twigs, etc.), or out
Qal he [i.e. eagle, in fig.] plucked off twigs
Niph. it is not plucked off.
base
H6998 [קָטַף] pluck off (twigs, etc.), or out
6998 qataph kaw-taf'
a primitive root; to strip off:--crop off, cut down (up),
pluck.
קָטַף (qa.taph) — to pluck.
1) to pluck off or out, cut off
1a) (Qal) to pluck off
1b) (Niphal) to be plucked off
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine pluralHTd/Vqrmpa
מַלוּחַ (malluwach) refers to mallow, a plant that typically grows in salt marshes. The word is derived from a root meaning 'salty' and is noted in Job 30:4. The entries consistently identify it as a type of plant without significant disagreement.
מַלוּחַ n.[m.] mallow; plant growing in salt-marsh; Jb 30:4
ref
H4408 מַלוּחַ
4408 malluwach mal-loo'-akh
from 4414; sea-purslain (from its saltness):--mallows.
see HEBREW for 04414
מַלּוּחַ (mal.lu.ach) — mallow.
1) mallow
1a) a plant that grows in salt marshes
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
On
Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…
(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…
See HELIOPOLIS.
pain; force; iniquity
שִׂיחַ (siyach) refers to a bush, shrub, or plant. It is derived from a root meaning to put forth or utter, suggesting growth. The term is consistently used across lexicons to denote various types of vegetation.
שִׂיחַ n.[m.] bush, shrub, plant
base
H7880 שִׂיחַ bush, shrub, plant
7880 siyach see'-akh
from 7878; a shoot (as if uttered or put forth), i.e.
(generally) shrubbery:--bush, plant, shrub.
see HEBREW for 07878
שִׂיחַ (si.ach) — bush.
bush, plant, shrub
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (*sheresh*) means 'root' and can refer to both literal roots and metaphorical uses, such as a foundation or source of something. It is associated with concepts of depth and permanence. The word is derived from a related term, שָׁרַשׁ (*sharash*, H8327), which also pertains to roots.
שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ n.m. root
base
H8328 שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ root
8328 sheresh sheh'-resh
from 8327; a root (literally or figuratively):--bottom,
deep, heel, root.
see HEBREW for 08327
שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (she.resh) — root.
1) root
1a) root (literal)
1b) root (of people involving firmness or permanence) (fig)
1c) root, bottom (as lowest stratum) (fig)
Aramaic equivalent: sho.resh (שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ "root" H8330)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
רֹ֫תֶם (rethem) refers to a type of broom plant, specifically the Spanish broom, characterized by its pole-like stems. The entries consistently identify it as a shrub or plant without significant disagreement among lexicons.
רֹ֫תֶם n.m. a kind of broom-shrub, broom-plant, retem
base
H7574 רֹ֫תֶם, רֶתֶם
7574 rethem reh'-them
or rothem {ro'-them}; from 7573; the Spanish broom (from its
pole-like stems):--juniper (tree).
see HEBREW for 07573
רֹ֫תֶם (re.tem) — broom.
1) broom-plant, retem
1a) a kind of broom plant
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
→ See BOTANY
לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.
לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food
base
H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food
3899 lechem lekh'-em
from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or
grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,
loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
see HEBREW for 03898
see HEBREW for 01036
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.
: food(eating)
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.
: bread/loaf
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.
: allowance
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp