Job 31:22 — Word Study
WLCכְּ֭תֵפִי מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה תִפּ֑וֹל וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י מִקָּנָ֥ה תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃
BSAthen may my armʼezrôwaʻ [upper limb] fallnâphal▸ [to be torn away, to drop down] from my shouldershikmâh△ [shoulder blade, upper end of the arm] and be tornshâbar▸ [broken, shattered] from its socketqâneh [joint, base of the arm]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כְּ֭תֵפִי | shoulder my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה | from its shoulder | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| תִפּ֑וֹל | let it fall | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י | and arm my | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| מִקָּנָ֥ה | from arm its | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃ | let it be broken | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket. |
| KJV | Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. |
| ASV | Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone. |
| YLT | My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken. |
| WEB | then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone. |
| BBE | May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base. |
Where they part company is תִפּ֑וֹל and תִשָּׁבֵֽר — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has two main clauses connected by a conjunction, with a prepositional phrase providing additional detail about the action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָפַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 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 31:22
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 Defense of His Integritygenerated
Job 31:22 is part of Job's final defense, where he asserts his righteousness and challenges the accusations against him. He uses vivid imagery to emphasize the seriousness of his claims, suggesting that if he has wronged anyone, he would deserve severe punishment. This chapter reflects Job's struggle to understand his suffering in light of his moral conduct, as he pleads his case before God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 31:10–40 | then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her. |
| 2 | Joshua 22:22–23 | “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today. |
| 3 | Psalm 7:4–5 | if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause, |
| 4 | Psalm 137:6 | May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כְּ֭תֵפִי, Ke.te.figenerated
The word כָּתֵף (katheph) means 'shoulder' and refers to the upper end of the arm, where garments hang. It indicates a physical part of the body that is significant in the context of strength and support.
The construct form here, with a suffix, shows possession, indicating Job's own shoulder. This emphasizes the personal nature of his plea, as he wishes for his own body to suffer if he has acted wrongly.
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 verbs תִפּ֑וֹל (let it fall) and תִשָּׁבֵֽר (let it be broken) govern the structure of the verse. The sentence is built around these actions, with Job's arm and shoulder as the subjects affected by these verbs.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions Job wishes to occur to his own body, highlighting the gravity of his statement. The two clauses are parallel, each expressing a consequence of his potential wrongdoing.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כְּ֭תֵפִי as μου (my), indicating a direct connection to Job's personal experience. This choice emphasizes the personal nature of Job's plea.
For תִשָּׁבֵֽר, the Greek συντριβείη (let it be crushed) suggests a strong sense of destruction, aligning with the severity of Job's wish for punishment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 31:22 shows Job wishing that if he has wronged anyone, his arm should fall from his shoulder and be broken. This vivid imagery highlights the seriousness of his claim to innocence and the consequences he believes he deserves for wrongdoing.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing that he would accept severe punishment, even physical harm, if he has acted unjustly.
The shoulder and arm symbolize strength and action; Job's plea indicates that he is willing to suffer loss of strength if he is guilty.
This verse is part of Job's insistence on his innocence, using strong imagery to assert that he would deserve punishment if he were guilty.
Job's wish highlights the seriousness of his claims and the depth of his integrity, as he appeals to God for justice.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to you that Job is willing to accept such severe consequences for wrongdoing?
- How can Job's plea for justice inform your understanding of integrity in your own life?
- In what ways can you relate to Job's feelings of injustice?
- How does this verse challenge you to think about your own actions and their consequences?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on Job's plea emphasizes the physicality of his wish, arguing from this verse to illustrate the seriousness of moral integrity.
Then let my shoulder fall from its joining, and mine arm be broken in pieces along with its bones. Because bodily action is carried on by the shoulder and the arm,Early Church Fathers on Job 31 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 31:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade,.... With which the upper part of it is connected; let it be disjointed from it, or rot and drop off from it; a dreadful calamity this, to lose an arm
Read John Gill on Job 31 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryIf I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; Job affirms his freedom from unfairness toward his servants: from harshness and oppression toward the needy.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 31 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI am contented that that arm which hath been so wickedly employed may either rot off, or fall out of joint, and so be useless and burdensome to me.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 31 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 31:22 [Then] let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.Ver. 22. Then let mine arm fall from the shoulder blade] That unworthy arm of mine (as Cranmer cried out of that unworthy right hand of his, which he therefore burnt first), so injuriously lifted up against the fatherless, Job 31:21, let it never be useful to me any more, but let me be punished with that wherewith I have sinned. God sometimes takes notice of the offending member; as in Jeroboam’ s withered hand, Abimelech’ s head, which had stolen the crown, Samson’ s eyes, the rich man’ s tongue, the adulteress’ s thigh, Numbers 5:27. This Job knew, and therefore subjoineth this imprecation…
Read John Trapp on Job 31 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 22. Let mine arm fall] Mr. Good, as a medical man, is at home in the translation of this verse: - "May my shoulder-bone be shivered at the blade, And mine arm be broken off at the socket." Let judgment fall particularly on those parts which have either done wrong, or refused to do right when in their power.
Read AdamClarke on Job 31 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges22. The imprecation is closely connected in form with the preceding verse—if I have lifted up mine hand, then let mine arm, &c. mine arm fall] Or, my shoulder fall. from the bone] Marg. the chanel bone, “an old term for the collar bone” (Wright, Bible Word-Book). The word is lit. tube, or shaft.
Read Cambridge on Job 31 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen let mine arm - The strong language which Job uses here, shows his consciousness of innocence, and his detestation of the offences to which he here refers, Job 31:16-22.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 31 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible22. Mine arm — There is a striking grandeur in this imprecation on the arm that was lifted up to threaten an orphan in the court of justice. (Scott.)
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 31 →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
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let my arm be broken off at the socket.
Tyndale line
Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone.
Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.
Then let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.
Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
Strictly literal
[Then] let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone!
My shoulder from its blade let fall, And mine arm from the bone be broken.
Let my shoulder fall from its blade, || And the bone from my arm be broken.
Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.
From the Latin
Let my shoulder fall from its joint, and let my arm with its bones be broken.
Simplified
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
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 reads כְּ֭תֵפִי מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה תִפּ֑וֹל וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י מִקָּנָ֥ה תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃, while the Septuagint matches five of the six words, indicating a strong correspondence between the two texts, though the Septuagint's word order differs.
כְּ֭תֵפִי מִשִּׁכְמָ֣ה תִפּ֑וֹל וְ֝אֶזְרֹעִ֗י מִקָּנָ֥ה תִשָּׁבֵֽר׃
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 31:22
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.
כָּתֵף (katheph) means 'shoulder' and can refer to the shoulder-blade, side, or slope of a mountain. It is derived from a root meaning to clothe, indicating the shoulder as the place where garments hang. The term can also describe shoulder-pieces of animals and supports, as well as lateral projections.
כָּתֵף n.f. shoulder, shoulder-blade, side
base
H3802 כָּתֵף shoulder, shoulder-blade, side
3802 katheph kaw-thafe'
from an unused root meaning to clothe; the shoulder (proper,
i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the
garments hang); figuratively, side-piece or lateral projection
of anything:--arm, corner, shoulder(-piece), side,
undersetter.
כָּתֵף (ka.teph) — shoulder.
1) shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope
1a) shoulder, shoulder-blade (of man)
1b) shoulder, shoulder-pieces (of animals)
1c) side, slope (of mountain)
1d) supports (of laver)
HNcfsc/Sp1bs — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
שְׁכֶם (shikmah) refers to the shoulder or shoulder blade, and can also denote the back in a general sense. It is a feminine noun derived from a related term for the shoulder bone. The entries consistently emphasize its anatomical reference without significant disagreement.
שְׁכֶם n.m. shoulder
neck (sometimes incl. back of neck)
in gen. back
base
H7929 שְׁכֶם
7929 shikmah shik-maw'
feminine of 7926; the shoulder-bone:--shoulder blade.
see HEBREW for 07926
שִׁכְמָה (shikh.mah) — shoulder.
1) shoulder, back
1a) shoulder, shoulder-blade
1b) back (in general)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sd
shol'-der (shekhem, katheph, zeroa` or zerowa`, or zero`ah, shoq; omos, brachion (Sirach 7:31 only)): The meanings of the Hebrew words are rather varied. The first (shekhem) has perhaps the widest application. It is used for the part of the body on which heavy loads are carried (Ge 21:14; 24:15,45; Ex 12:34; Jos 4:5; Jud 9:48). King Saul's impressive personality is thus described: "There was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people" (1Sa 9:2; 10:23). To carry loads on the shoulder or to have "a staff on the shoulder" is expressive of…
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVqi3fs
fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5…
אֶזְרוֹעַ (ezrowa`) means 'arm' in Hebrew. It is a feminine noun and is a variation of another word for 'arm' (H2220). The entries consistently define it simply as 'arm' without additional nuances or disagreements.
אֶזְרוֹעַ n.f. arm
base
H248 אֶזְרוֹעַ
248 'ezrowa` ez-ro'-a
a variation for 2220; the arm:--arm.
see HEBREW for 02220
אֶזְרוֹעַ (ez.ro.a) — arm.
arm
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word קָנֶה (*qaneh*) refers to a stalk or reed, often associated with plants like calamus. It has various derived meanings, including measuring-rod and unit of measure (6 cubits), as well as applications in scales and lampstands. The word is built from a root that implies an erect structure, covering a range of uses from botanical to functional.
קָנֶה 62 n.m. stalk, reed
stalk of grain
water-plant, reed
calamus, aromatic reed
derived meanings:
measuring-rod
unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)
beam of scales, for scales themselves
shaft of lamp-stand
branches thereof
shoulder-joint
base
H7070 קָנֶה stalk, reed . stalk of grain
. water-plant, reed
. calamus, aromatic reed
. derived meanings: . measuring-rod
. unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)
. beam of scales, for scales themselves
. shaft of lamp-stand
. branches thereof
. shoulder-joint
7070 qaneh kaw-neh'
from 7069; a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod
(especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of
the arm), beam (of a steelyard):--balance, bone, branch,
calamus, cane, reed, X spearman, stalk.
see HEBREW for 07069
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch.
: branch
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)
1d4) shaft (of lampstand)
1d5) branches (of lampstand)
1d6) shoulder-joint
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: stem.
: stem/reed
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)
1d4) shaft (of lampstand)
1d5) branches (of lampstand)
1d6) shoulder-joint
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: measuring rod.
: measuring_rod
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs
שָׁבַר (shabar) means to break or shatter, with various nuances including breaking in pieces, causing to break out (like bringing to birth), and being broken or crushed. It appears in different forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating active and passive meanings. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreements.
שָׁבַר 148 vb. break, break in pieces
Qal 53 break, lit.
Niph. 57 be broken
Pi. 26 shatter, break
Hiph. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth
Hoph. be broken, shattered (in heart)
base
H7665 שָׁבַר break, break in pieces .break, lit.
. be broken
. shatter, break
. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth
. be broken, shattered (in heart)
7665 shabar shaw-bar'
a primitive root; to burst (literally or
figuratively):--break (down, off, in pieces, up),
broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt,
quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).
see HEBREW for 07663
שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to break.
1) to break, break in pieces
1a) (Qal)
1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench
1a2) to break, rupture (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked
1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig)
1c) (Piel) to shatter, break
1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth
1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered
Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)
V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVNi3fs
bro'-k'-n: Occurs both as past participle of the verb translated "to break" and as an adjective, the former use will be dealt with here only so far as verbs occur which are thus translated but do not present the non-participial forms. Such are: meroach = "bruised," "emasculated" (Le 21:20); chathath = "to frustrate," hence, "to break down" either by violence or by confusion and fear (1Sa 2:10; Jer 48:20,39); dakhah = "to collapse" (Ps 44:19; 51:8); ratsats = "to crack in pieces" "crush" (Ec 12:6); kathath = "to bruise or violently strike," "break in pieces" (Isa…