Job 39:16 — Word Study
WLCהִקְשִׁ֣יחַ בָּנֶ֣יהָ לְּלֹא־ לָ֑הּ לְרִ֖יק יְגִיעָ֣הּ בְּלִי־ פָֽחַד׃
BSAShe treats her youngbên [deals harshly with, is hardened against, offspring, sons] harshlyqâshach■ as if notlôʼ [as though] with nobᵉlîy concernpachad [without fear, dread] that her laboryᵉgîyaʻ [toil, hard work] was in vainrîyq [empty, worthless, without purpose]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ | it treats roughly | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person masculine singular |
| בָּנֶ֣יהָ | young its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| לְּלֹא־ | to not | Preposition, particle |
| לָ֑הּ | [belonging] to it | Preposition, suffix |
| לְרִ֖יק | [is] to emptiness | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יְגִיעָ֣הּ | labor its | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְּלִי־ | not | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| פָֽחַד׃ | fear | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain. |
| KJV | She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; |
| ASV | She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers: Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear; |
| YLT | Her young ones it hath hardened without her, In vain [is] her labour without fear. |
| WEB | She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear, |
| BBE | She is cruel to her young ones, as if they were not hers; her work is to no purpose; she has no fear. |
Where they part company is לְּלֹא־ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by subordinate phrases that elaborate on the nature of the treatment and the implications of the mother's actions.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectפַּחַד
verbקָשַׁח
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 39:16
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 — Observations on Animal Behaviorgenerated
Job 39:16 illustrates the behavior of a mother animal who treats her young harshly, as if they do not belong to her. This verse is part of a larger discourse on the instincts and behaviors of various creatures, emphasizing the wild and often harsh realities of nature. The surrounding verses, such as Job 39:15 and Job 39:17, further explore the theme of neglect and instinctive behavior in the animal kingdom.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 4:3 | Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 28:56–57 | The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter |
| 3 | 1 Kings 3:26–27 | Then the woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she yearned with compassion for her son. “Please, my lord,” she said, “give her the living baby. Do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!” |
| 4 | 2 Kings 6:28–29 | Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ |
| 5 | Lamentations 2:20 | Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ, hik.Shi.achgenerated
The verb הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ (hik.Shi.ach) is a Hiphil perfect form, meaning 'to treat harshly' or 'to harden.' It indicates an action that causes something to become unfeeling or rough. In this context, it describes a mother who is unyielding towards her young, suggesting a deliberate harshness.
The use of this verb highlights the emotional distance the mother has from her offspring, as if she is intentionally ignoring her maternal instincts. The Hiphil form emphasizes the causative aspect of the verb, indicating that the mother is actively choosing to harden her heart against her young.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase treats her young harshly.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the sentence is הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ, it treats roughly, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a noun phrase for the subject, a prepositional phrase indicating the nature of the treatment, and additional clauses that describe the implications of that treatment.
The sentence structure emphasizes the harshness of the mother's actions, with the verb leading the description of her neglect and the consequences of her lack of concern.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ as ἀπεσκλήρυνεν, which conveys a similar meaning of hardening or treating roughly. This choice reflects a consistent interpretation of the mother's behavior as one of emotional detachment.
The use of ἀπεσκλήρυνεν in the LXX indicates a direct connection to the idea of harsh treatment, aligning with the original Hebrew intent while also presenting it in a Greek context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 39:16 describes how a mother animal treats her young with harshness, as if they do not belong to her. She shows no concern for the effort she put into bringing them into the world, indicating a lack of maternal instinct. This verse highlights the sometimes cruel realities of nature.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that the mother animal shows no tenderness or care towards her offspring, almost as if they are not hers.
This implies that despite the effort she put into giving birth, she does not value or acknowledge her young.
It suggests that not all animals exhibit nurturing behavior, and some may act harshly towards their young.
It reflects the theme of suffering and the harsh realities of life, paralleling Job's own struggles and the nature of creation.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some examples of neglect in nature that you have observed?
- How can we apply the lessons of this verse to our understanding of responsibility and care?
- In what ways do we sometimes harden our hearts towards those we should care for?
- How does this verse challenge our perceptions of maternal instincts in the animal kingdom?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight the harshness of the mother animal's behavior, with quotes from Gregory the Dialogist arguing from this observation in his writings.
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers. She hath laboured in vain; no fear compelling her. 17.Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers. She hath laboured in vain, no fear compelling her. [MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION] 39.Early Church Fathers on Job 39 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 39:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleShe is hardened against her young ones, as though [they were] not hers,.... Hence said to be cruel, Lamentations 4:3; not against the young ones she hatches, for Aelianus (c) reports her as very
Read John Gill on Job 39 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryShe is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; On a slight noise often she forsakes her eggs, and returns not, as if she were 'hardened
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 39 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleShe is hardened; or, he, i.e. God, hardens her; or, she hardeneth herself. Against her young ones, i.e. against her eggs, which he calls her young ones emphatically, to aggravate her fault and folly in destroying those eggs, which, if not neglected, would have been young ones. As though they were not hers; as if they were laid by some other bird. Or, that they may not be to her, i.e. that they may be utterly lost and destroyed; or as if it were her design to destroy their very being. Her labour, to wit, in laying her egg’ s, is wholly lost. In vain without fear: this may be added as a further aggravation. She doth this, not because she is compelled to forsake her eggs for fear of men or…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 39 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 39:16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though [they were] not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;Ver. 16. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers] Heb. her sons. So are those peremptores potius quam parentes, as Bernard calleth them, rather parricides than parents, who look not to the precious souls of their poor children; who labour not to mend that by education which they have marred by propagation. These are worse than those daughters of Jerusalem, who, slain almost with grief and hunger, became cruel to their sucklings, like the ostriches of the wilderness, Lamentations 4:3. What a cruel mother was Medea! and the mother of King Edward…
Read John Trapp on Job 39 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. She is hardened against her young] See before, and the extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of the chapter. See Clarke on Job 39:30. She neglects her little ones, which are often found half starved, straggling, and moaning about, like so many deserted orphans, for their mother.
Read AdamClarke on Job 39 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. she is hardened against] Or, she treateth hardly. her young ones] The words refer here to her eggs, from which the young come forth, not to the young brood—as the second clause explains. in vain without fear] The meaning is that she is without fear, has no apprehension of danger, and consequently her labour is often in vain—“she forgetteth that the foot may crush” her eggs. The verses refer to the popular belief that the ostrich did not brood but left her eggs to be hatched in the sun; hence she is a type of unnatural cruelty, Lamentations 4:3, “Even the sea monsters (the jackals, Streane, Jerem. and Lam.) draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my…
Read Cambridge on Job 39 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleShe is hardened against her young ones - The obvious meaning of this passage, which is a fair translation of the Hebrew, is, that the ostrich is destitute of natural affection for her young; or that
Read Albert Barnes on Job 39 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible16. She is hardened against her young ones — More correctly, she deals hardly with her young. Dr.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 39 →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
She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.
She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear,
She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.
She is harsh with her young, as if they were not hers; she is unconcerned about the uselessness of her labor.
Tyndale line
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;
She dealeth hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers: Though her labor be in vain, she is without fear;
She is hardened against her young ones, as if they were not hers: though her labour be in vain, she is without fear;
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labor is in vain without fear;
Hast thou giuen the pleasant wings vnto the peacockes? or winges and feathers vnto the ostriche?
Strictly literal
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labour is in vain, without her concern.
Her young ones it hath hardened without her, In vain [is] her labour without fear.
It has hardened her young ones without her, || Her labor [is] in vain, without fear.
He hath made her callous against her young, as though they were not hers: her labor is in vain, [but she feeleth] no dread;
She deals roughly with her young ones as if they were not hers; she does not fear that her labor might have been in vain,
From the Latin
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers, she hath laboured in vain, no fear constraining her.
Simplified
She is tough towards her young, acting as if they didn't belong to her. She doesn't care that all her work was for nothing.
She is cruel to her young ones, as if they were not hers; her work is to no purpose; she has no fear.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all eight words matched. The Septuagint preserves the meaning of the original Hebrew, reinforcing the observation of the mother's harsh treatment.
הִקְשִׁ֣יחַ בָּנֶ֣יהָ לְּלֹא־ לָ֑הּ לְרִ֖יק יְגִיעָ֣הּ בְּלִי־ פָֽחַד׃
8 of the 8 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 39:16
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.
קָשַׁח (qashach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to harden or to treat harshly. It is primarily used in the Hiphil form, indicating causation, such as making something hard or unfeeling. The entries suggest a range of meanings from making stubborn to treating someone roughly.
[קָשַׁח] vb. Hiph. 1. make hard. 2. treat hardly
base
H7188 [קָשַׁח] Hiph. 1. make hard. 2. treat hardly
7188 qashach kaw-shakh'
a primitive root; to be (causatively, make)
unfeeling:--harden.
קָשַׁח (qa.shach) — to harden.
1) to make hard, treat hardly, treat severely
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to make hard, make stubborn
1a2) to treat hardly, treat roughly
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singularHVhp3ms
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
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)
Prep | Part — Preposition · particleHR/Tn
הָ (ha) — her.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular
HR/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3fs
רִיק (riq) refers to concepts of emptiness and vanity. It is used to describe something that is worthless or serves no purpose, appearing in various forms such as 'empty' or 'in vain.' The word is derived from another Hebrew root, רָק (raq), which also relates to emptiness.
רִיק n.[m.] emptiness, vanity
base
H7385 רִיק emptiness, vanity
7385 riyq reek
from 7324; emptiness; figuratively, a worthless thing;
adverbially, in vain:--empty, to no purpose, (in) vain
(thing), vanity.
see HEBREW for 07324
רִיק (riq) — vain.
emptiness, vanity, empty, idle, vain
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
יְגִיעַ (ygiya`) refers to toil or work, and also to the product or property resulting from that labor. It is derived from the root meaning to labor, emphasizing the connection between effort and its outcomes.
[יְגִיעַ] n.m. toil, product
base
H3018 יְגִיעַ toil, product
3018 ygiya` yeg-ee'-ah
from 3021; toil; hence, a work, produce, property (as the
result of labor):--labour, work.
see HEBREW for 03021
יְגִיעַ (ye.gi.a) — toil.
1) toil, work
2) product, produce, acquired property (as a result of work)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3fs
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Part — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
פַּ֫חַד (pachad) refers to the concept of dread or terror, often indicating both the feeling of fear and the object that inspires it. The word is derived from a root meaning to be alarmed, and it encompasses a range of meanings related to fear and terror.
פַּ֫חַד 49 n.m. dread
dread
= object of dread
as design. dei
base
H6343 פַּ֫חַד dread . dread
. = object of dread
. as design. dei
6343 pachad pakh'-ad
from 6342; a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by
implication, the feeling):--dread(-ful), fear, (thing) great
(fear, -ly feared), terror.
see HEBREW for 06342
פַּ֫חַד (pa.chad) — dread.
1) terror, dread
1a) dread
1b) object of dread
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
fer (yir'ah, yare'; phobos, phobeo):
Terms, etc.:
"Fear" is the translation of many words in the Old Testament; the chief are: yir'ah, "fear," "terror," "reverence," "awe," most often "the fear of God," "fear of Yahweh" (Ge 20:11; 2Ch 19:9, etc.); also of "fear" generally (Job 22:4; Isa 7:25; Eze 30:13, etc.); yare', "to be afraid," "to fear," "to reverence" (Ge 15:1; Le 19:3,14; De 6:2, etc.); pachadh, "fear," "terror," "dread" (
→ See COWARDICE
→ Also see FEAR OF GOD, below