Job 4:18 — Word Study
WLCהֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃
BSAIfhên God puts nolôʼ [the supreme Creator, Elohim] trustʼâman▸ [faith, credence] in His servantsʻebed [attendants, slaves] and He chargessûwm▸ [sets, lays] ◂His angelsmălʼâk [messengers, representatives] with errortohŏlâh△ [folly, foolishness]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֵ֣ן | there! | Particle |
| בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו | in servants his | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| יַאֲמִ֑ין | he trusts | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו | and against messengers his | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| יָשִׂ֥ים | he charges | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| תָּהֳלָֽה׃ | error | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, |
| KJV | Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: |
| ASV | Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly: |
| YLT | Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.' |
| WEB | Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error. |
| BBE | Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels; |
All translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, focusing on God's lack of trust.
The sentence features a conditional structure with two main clauses connected by 'and', emphasizing the relationship between God's trust and His judgment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָמַן
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 4:18
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 Reflections on Divine Trustgenerated
Job 4:18 presents a profound statement about God's relationship with His creation. Eliphaz argues that if God does not trust even His angels, then humans, who are frail and flawed, should not presume to be righteous. This sets the stage for a discussion on the nature of humanity's standing before God, emphasizing the inherent limitations of mankind compared to the divine.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 15:15–16 | If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes, |
| 2 | Job 25:5–6 | If even the moon does not shine, and the stars are not pure in His sight, |
| 3 | Psalm 103:20–21 | Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command. |
| 4 | Psalm 104:4 | He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants. |
| 5 | Isaiah 6:2–3 | Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַאֲמִ֑ין, ya.'a.Mingenerated
The verb אָמַן (aman) means to be faithful or to trust, indicating a sense of reliability and support. It is often used in contexts where faithfulness is central, such as in relationships with God or others.
In this verse, the Hiphil form indicates that God actively chooses not to trust His servants. This choice highlights the seriousness of human fallibility and the expectation of divine oversight.
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 verse contains two main clauses connected by 'and', with the first clause stating God's lack of trust in His servants and the second detailing His charge against His angels. The structure emphasizes the parallel between God's treatment of both His servants and His heavenly messengers.
The finite verbs יַאֲמִ֑ין (he trusts) and יָשִׂ֥ים (he charges) drive the clauses, showing a direct action taken by God regarding His creations.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יַאֲמִ֑ין as πιστεύει (he trusts), which maintains the meaning of faithfulness and reliability. This choice reflects the understanding of God's nature in relation to His creation.
The translation of יָשִׂ֥ים as ἐπενόησεν (he charges) indicates a similar sense of accountability, emphasizing God's authority over His messengers.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 4:18 states that if God does not trust His servants and charges His angels with error, it highlights the seriousness of human limitations. Eliphaz uses this to illustrate the frailty of humanity compared to God's divine nature.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It emphasizes the idea that even those who serve God are not beyond reproach, highlighting human fallibility.
He uses angels to illustrate that if even divine beings are not trusted, humans should be cautious in their assumptions of righteousness.
It underscores the theme of divine justice and the limitations of human understanding in the face of God’s sovereignty.
It teaches that trust must be earned and that even the highest beings are subject to scrutiny.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see my own limitations reflected in this verse?
- How can I cultivate a deeper trust in God despite my imperfections?
- What does it mean for me to serve faithfully, knowing that even God's angels are not above reproach?
- How can I apply the lessons from this verse to my relationships with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of human imperfection and divine judgment, illustrating the limitations of both angels and humanity.
In truth, to be faultless is not easy for human beings. Faultlessness is beyond human possibilities. The order of the angels is itself subject to such weakness.Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
Behold, His servants are not stedfast, and in His Angels He found folly: How much more in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which shall be consumed as by the moth? Though the Angelical nature,Early Church Fathers on Job 4 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 4:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBehold, he put no trust in his servants,.... Some think the divine oracle or revelation ends in Job 4:17, and that here Eliphaz makes some use and improvement of it, and addresses Job, and argues
Read John Gill on Job 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBehold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: Folly. Imperfection (Job 2:10) is to be attributed to the angels, in comparison with Him.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 4 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBehold; this deserves thy serious consideration. These and the following words seem to be the words of Eliphaz, explaining the former vision, and applying it to Job’ s case, and enforcing it by further arguments. In his servants, i.e. in his angels, as appears both by the next words of this verse, where they are called by way of explication and restriction his angels; and by the next verse, where men are opposed to them. They are called his servants by way of eminency, that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind, as is very usual in all authors in like cases; and withal, to intimate that sovereign dominion which the great God hath over the glorious angels, and much…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:Ver. 18. Lo, he put no trust in his servants, &c.] Those menial, domestic servants of his, the holy angels that wait upon him, and are at his hand to do his will. Servant is a name of office; and they delight rather to be called angels (that is, messengers) and ministering spirits, than principalities, thrones, dominions, &c. Now in these God put no trust, he found no such cause to confide in them, because not perfectly sure and loyal to him, further than upheld and assisted by himself. The Vulgate Latin hath it thus, They that serve him are not stable; that is, the good angels are not stable by their own…
Read John Trapp on Job 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) Behold, he put no trust in his servants.—The statement is a general one; it does not refer to any one act in the past. We should read putteth and chargeth. Eliphaz repeats himself in Job 15:15.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 4 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 18. Behold, he put no trust in his servants] This verse is generally understood to refer to the fall of angels; for there were some of those heavenly beings who kept not their first estate: they did not persevere to the end of their probation, and therefore fell into condemnation, and are reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day; Jude 1:6. It is said he put no trust in them-he knew that nothing could be absolutely immutable but himself; and that no intelligent beings could subsist in a state of purity, unless continually dependent on himself, and deriving constant supplies of grace, power, and light, from him who gave them their being. And his angels he…
Read AdamClarke on Job 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18. he put no trust] Better, he putteth. he charged with folly] Rather, he chargeth with error. The “servants” of God are here His heavenly ministers, as the parallel, “angels”, indicates. The word “folly” (tohŏ ?lah) does not occur again in Heb., and its meaning must be in some measure conjectural. Dillmann has drawn attention to an Ethiopic root tahala, to err, and the word may be connected with this stem and mean error.
Read Cambridge on Job 4 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBehold, he put no trust in his servants - These are evidently the words of the oracle that appeared to Eliphaz; see Schultens, in loc.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 4 →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
If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
If God puts no trust in his servants and attributes folly to his angels,
Tyndale line
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly:
Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; and his angels he chargeth with folly:
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
Beholde, he founde no stedfastnesse in his Seruants, and laid follie vpon his Angels.
Strictly literal
Lo, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'
Behold, He puts no credence in His servants, || Nor sets praise in His messengers.
Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,
From the Latin
Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:
Simplified
If he doesn't even trust his servants, and he says his angels make mistakes,
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
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 rendering, however, presents a different word order and structure, reflecting its own interpretative choices.
הֵ֣ן בַּ֭עֲבָדָיו לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֑ין וּ֝בְמַלְאָכָ֗יו יָשִׂ֥ים תָּהֳלָֽה׃
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 4:18
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.
הֵן (hen) is a demonstrative adverb or interjection meaning 'lo!' or 'behold!'. It is primarily used to draw attention to a fact that prompts action or leads to a conclusion. The word can also express surprise and is less common than its counterpart הִנֵּה (hinneh). Additionally, it can function hypothetically as 'if'.
הֵן 100 demonstr.adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based
base
H2005 הֵן demonstr. adv. or interj. lo!, behold (on etym. v. הִנֵּה), less widely used than הִנֵּה, and in prose mostly confined to calling attention to some fact upon which action is to be taken, or a conclusion based
2005 hen hane
a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise)
if:--behold, if, lo, though.
הֵן (hen) — look!.
interj
1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part
2) if
Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)
Part — ParticleHTj
The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.
עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant
slave, servant of household
Subjects, of chief
Servants, worshippers of God
Servant of י׳, in a special sense
Israel as a people is servant of י׳
In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
Phrases
base
H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household
. Subjects, of chief
. Servants, worshippers of God
. Servant of י׳, in a special sense
. Israel as a people is servant of י׳
. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
. Phrases
5650 `ebed eh'-bed
from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,
(man-)servant.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.
1) slave, servant
1a) slave, servant, man-servant
1b) subjects
1c) servants, worshippers (of God)
1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)
1e) servant (of Israel)
1f) servant (as form of address between equals)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/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
אָמַן (aman) is a Hebrew root meaning to support or confirm, with applications ranging from nurturing (as a foster parent or nurse) to establishing trust and reliability. It encompasses concepts of faithfulness, permanence, and assurance. The entries highlight its use in various forms, including verbs and nouns, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
[אָמַן] vb. confirm, support
Qal
as vb. support, nourish
as subst. foster-father
foster-mother, nurse
pillars, supporters of the door
Niph.
carried by nurse
made firm, sure, lasting
confirmed, established, sure
verified, confirmed
reliable, faithful, trusty
Hiph.
stand firm
trust, believe
base
H539 אָמַן confirm, support .. as vb. support, nourish
. as subst. foster-father
. foster-mother, nurse
. pillars, supporters of the door
. . carried by nurse
. made firm, sure, lasting
. confirmed, established, sure
. verified, confirmed
. reliable, faithful, trusty
. . stand firm
. trust, believe
539 'aman aw-man'
a primitive root; properly, to build up or support; to foster
as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or
faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet;
morally to be true or certain; once (Isa. 30:21;
interchangeable with 541) to go to the right hand:--hence,
assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful
(of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty,
verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the
right.
see HEBREW for 0541
אָמַן (a.man) — be faithful.
1) to support, confirm, be faithful
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish
1a1a) foster-father (subst.)
1a1b) foster-mother, nurse
1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm
1b1a) to be carried by a nurse
1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting
1b1c) confirmed, established, sure
1b1d) verified, confirmed
1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
1c1a) stand firm
1c1b) trust, believe
Aramaic equivalent: a.man (אֲמַן "to trust" H0540)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person masculine singularHVhi3ms
מַלְאָךְ (mal'ak) means 'messenger' and can refer to an angel, particularly as a messenger of God. It is derived from a root meaning to dispatch as a deputy and encompasses roles such as ambassador, prophet, and teacher. The term is used in contexts that include divine communication.
מַלְאָךְ 214 n.m. messenger
messenger
angel, as messenger of God
the theophanic angel
base
H4397 מַלְאָךְ messenger . messenger
. angel, as messenger of God
. the theophanic angel
4397 mal'ak mal-awk'
from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a
messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a
prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king,
messenger.
מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger.
: messenger
1) messenger, representative
1a) messenger
1b) angel
1c) the theophanic angel
מַלְאָךְ (ma.le.akh) — messenger: angel.
: angel
1) messenger, representative
1a) messenger
1b) angel
1c) the theophanic angel
Conj | Prep | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHC/R/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set
Qal
put, set, in a place
put something upon
put, lay, set
put, c. בֵּין
set, direct
set, ordain, in a place
set, establish a law, statute
set, found a nation
set, appoint (as ruler, official)
set, constitute, make
set, determine, fix, bounds
set, station, at a post
put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
set up altars
= plant, wheat
set, fix (countenance)
make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
make, constitute
work, bring to pass
appoint, give
set, fix (countenance)
Hiph. I will make him for a sign
Hoph. there was set before him
base
שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32
ref
H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place
. put something upon
. put, lay, set
. put, c. בֵּין
. set, direct
. . set, ordain, in a place
. set, establish a law, statute
. set, found a nation
. set, appoint (as ruler, official)
. set, constitute, make
. set, determine, fix, bounds
. . set, station, at a post
. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
. set up altars
. = plant, wheat
. set, fix (countenance)
. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
. make, constitute
. work, bring to pass
. appoint, give
. set, fix (countenance)
. I will make him for a sign
. there was set before him
H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl
7760 suwm soom
or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great
variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,
and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a
name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,
convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap
up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),
mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,
purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set
(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,
((over-))turn, X wholly, work.
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix
1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give
1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign
1c) (Hophal) to be set
שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.
token of unluckiness, scowl
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.
: put/give
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
char'-jiz (dapanao, "to spend"): "Be at charges for them" (Ac 21:24, the King James Version "with them"), i.e. pay the sacrificial expenses of these poorer Nazirites (compare Josephus, Ant, XIX, xvi, 1).
תׇּהֳלָה (toholah) is a feminine noun that appears to derive from an unused root. It is glossed as 'error' in the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon and is associated with meanings like 'bluster' and 'fatuity' in Strong's. The only biblical reference noted is Job 4:18.
תׇּהֳלָה n.f. error;—Jb 4:18
ref
H8417 תׇּהֳלָה
8417 toholah to-hol-aw'
feminine of an unused noun (apparently from 1984) meaning
bluster; braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) fatuity:--folly.
see HEBREW for 01984
תׇּהֳלָה (to.ho.lah) — error.
error
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa