Job 40:10 — Word Study
WLCעֲדֵ֥ה נָ֣א גָֽא֣וֹן וָגֹ֑בַהּ וְה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃
BSAThennâʼ adorn yourselfʻâdâh [deck, put on] [with] majestygâʼôwn [excellency, pride] and splendorgôbahh [glory, beauty] and clothelâbash▸ [array, wrap] yourself with honorhôwd [dignity, beauty] and gloryhâdâr [majesty, splendor]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֲדֵ֥ה | deck yourself | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| נָ֣א | please | Particle |
| גָֽא֣וֹן | majesty | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וָגֹ֑בַהּ | and dignity | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְה֖וֹד | and glory | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְהָדָ֣ר | and honor | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃ | you will be clothed | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory. |
| KJV | Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. |
| ASV | Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honor and majesty. |
| YLT | Put on, I pray thee, excellency and loftiness, Yea, honour and beauty put on. |
| WEB | “Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty. |
| BBE | Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power: |
Where they part company is in the nuances of the Hebrew terms, but the core message remains consistent across translations.
The verse consists of one main imperative clause and a subordinate clause, emphasizing the actions Job is called to take.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָדָה
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 40:10
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 — God's Challenge to Jobgenerated
Job 40:10 is part of a larger section where God questions Job about his understanding of divine power and majesty. Job is invited to consider the greatness of God and the attributes that belong to Him alone. This passage emphasizes the contrast between God's infinite power and Job's limited understanding. The verses surrounding this one continue to explore themes of pride and humility, as God instructs Job to recognize his place in the grand scheme of creation.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 39:19 | Do you give strength to the horse or adorn his neck with a mane? |
| 2 | Psalm 93:1 | The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved. |
| 3 | Psalm 104:1–2 | Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. |
| 4 | Isaiah 59:17 | He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head; He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal. |
| 5 | 1 Chronicles 29:11 | Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָדָה, 'a.Dehgenerated
The verb עָדָה (*adah*) is an imperative form, calling Job to actively adorn himself. It conveys the idea of putting on or decorating oneself, suggesting a transformation or presentation of oneself in a grand manner.
This word is used in contexts of both movement and decoration, emphasizing its dual meaning. In this verse, it signifies the act of adorning oneself with attributes that reflect majesty and excellence, aligning with God's nature.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the rendering of this verse, with all versions reflecting the call to adorn oneself with majesty and glory.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs עֲדֵ֥ה and תִּלְבָּֽשׁ govern the main actions in the verse, with Job being instructed to adorn and clothe himself. The structure emphasizes the imperative nature of God's command.
The sentence is constructed with two main actions, each linked by conjunctions, creating a parallel structure that highlights the importance of both adorning and clothing oneself with divine attributes.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עָדָה as ἀνάλαβε (*analabe*), which means 'to take up' or 'to assume.' This rendering suggests an active engagement in taking on attributes of majesty and glory, aligning with the Hebrew meaning of adorning oneself.
This choice reflects a similar emphasis on transformation and the assumption of divine qualities, though it introduces a slight nuance of taking up rather than merely adorning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:10 invites Job to adorn himself with majesty and glory, reflecting God's attributes. This call emphasizes the greatness of God compared to Job's human limitations, suggesting that Job should recognize the divine qualities that are beyond his reach.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To adorn oneself with majesty and glory means to take on attributes that reflect excellence and divine beauty, emphasizing the greatness of God.
God challenges Job to help him recognize his limitations and the vastness of God's power, inviting him to see the difference between divine and human attributes.
This verse encourages us to reflect on our own lives and consider how we might embody qualities of dignity and honor, striving to reflect God's nature in our actions.
The word 'please' adds a tone of urgency and importance to God's command, suggesting that Job should earnestly consider this call to adorn himself.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I reflect God's majesty and glory in my daily life?
- How do I respond to challenges that invite me to recognize my limitations?
- What does it mean for me to 'clothe' myself with honor and dignity?
- How can I actively engage in adorning my life with attributes that reflect God's nature?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this passage, emphasizing the call to reflect divine attributes and the understanding of God's nature.
A slanderer conspired against you. Sometimes he said to me, “Stretch out your hand now.” He said to me, “Touch all that he has,” and he added about you that “you would have cursed me to my face.” But, on the contrary, you were victorious.Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
The thunder and all the rest exist not in order to impress but so that God may be known. See with how many arguments he convinces him that his nature is small.Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Surround thyself with beauty, and raise thyself on high, and be full of glory, and array thyself with beautiful garments. 8. Thou understandest, As I.Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:10 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleDeck thyself now [with] majesty and excellency,.... With excellent majesty, as I am decked and clothed, Psalms 93:1; and array thyself with glory and beauty; appear in the most glorious and splendid
Read John Gill on Job 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryDeck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSeeing thou makest thyself equal, yea, superior to me in justice, and consequently in power and majesty, take to thyself thy great power, come and sit in my throne, and display thy divine perfections in the sight of the world. These and the following are ironical expressions, to make Job more sensible of his distance from and subjection to God.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:10 Deck thyself now [with] majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.Ver. 10. Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency] Or, with magnificence and sublimity, &c., i.e. Deum age, show thyself as God; for he thus decks himself, Psalms 93:1; Psalms 96:6; Psalms 104:1-2; Job 29:14. And array thyself with glory and beauty] That thou mayest appear, Os humerosque Deo similis; as Herod afterwards in his cloth of silver, which being beaten upon by the sunbeams, saith Josephus, dazzled the people’ s eyes, and drew from them that fond acclamation, "It is the voice of a god," Acts 12:22.
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 10. Deck thyself now with majesty] Act like God, seeing thou hast been assuming to thyself perfections that belong to him alone.
Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges10. This verse reads literally, Deck thyself now with excellency and loftiness; And array thyself with honour and majesty. The two words in the second clause are so translated, Psalms 21:5; Psalms 96:6; Psalms 104:1.
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDeck thyself now with majesty and excellency - That is, such as God has.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleStrophe b. Job’s practical denial of God’s righteousness, and presumptuous readiness to supersede the righteousness of God by that of his own, leads to a challenge without parallel in all literature:
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 40 →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 adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
“Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.
Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and glory.
Adorn yourself, then, with majesty and excellency, and clothe yourself with glory and honor!
Tyndale line
Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; And array thyself with honor and majesty.
Deck thyself now with excellency and dignity; and array thyself with honour and majesty.
Deck thyself now with majesty and excellence; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
Behold now Behemoth (whom I made with thee) which eateth grasse as an oxe.
Strictly literal
Deck thyself now with glory and excellency, and clothe thyself with majesty and splendour.
Put on, I pray thee, excellency and loftiness, Yea, honour and beauty put on.
Now put on excellence and loftiness, || Indeed, put on splendor and beauty.
Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.
Now clothe yourself in glory and dignity; array yourself in honor and majesty.
From the Latin
Behold behemoth whom I made with thee, he eateth grass like an ox.
Simplified
Why don't you dress yourself with majesty and dignity, and clothe yourself with glory and splendor!
Put on the ornaments of your pride; be clothed with glory and power:
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 closely in their wording, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a strong consistency in how this verse has been transmitted across different traditions.
עֲדֵ֥ה נָ֣א גָֽא֣וֹן וָגֹ֑בַהּ וְה֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תִּלְבָּֽשׁ׃
7 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 40:10
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.
The Hebrew word עָדָה (*adah*) is built from a primitive root meaning to advance or pass on. It covers a range of meanings, including to remove and to adorn oneself. The entries indicate its use in contexts of both movement and decoration, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.
עָדָה vb. pass on, advance
Qal the fierce lion hath not advanced
Hiph. removing a garment
base
עָדָה vb. ornament, deck oneself
base
H5710a עָדָה pass on, advance .the fierce lion hath not advanced
. removing a garment
H5710b עָדָה ornament, deck oneself
5710 `adah aw-daw'
a primitive root; to advance, i.e. pass on or continue;
causatively, to remove; specifically, to bedeck (i.e. bring an
ornament upon):--adorn, deck (self), pass by, take away.
עָדָה (a.dah) — to advance.
1) to pass on, advance, go on, pass by, remove
1a) (Qal) to pass on, put on
1b) (Hiphil) to remove
Aramaic equivalent: a.dah (עֲדָה "to pass on/over/away" H5709)
עָדָה (a.dah) — to adorn.
to ornament, deck oneself
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.
נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
base
H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
4994 na' naw
a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may
usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly
to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,
occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)
thee (you), go to, now, oh.
נָא (na) — please.
1) I (we) pray, now, please
1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
Part — ParticleHTj
גָּאוֹן (ga'own) refers to exaltation, majesty, and excellence, but can also imply pride in a negative sense. It is derived from the root associated with arrogance and includes connotations of both divine and national majesty, as well as references to the Jordan. The entries consistently highlight these meanings without significant disagreement.
גָּאוֹן n.m. exaltation
exaltation, majesty, excellence
pride (bad sense)
base
H1347 גָּאוֹן exaltation . exaltation, majesty, excellence
. pride (bad sense)
1347 ga'own gaw-ohn'
from 1342; the same as 1346:--arrogancy, excellency(-lent),
majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling.
see HEBREW for 01342
see HEBREW for 01346
גָּאוֹן (ga.on) — pride.
1) exaltation, majesty, pride
1a) majesty, exaltation, excellence
1a1) of nations
1a2) of God
1a3) of the Jordan
1b) pride, arrogance (bad sense)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
→ Name of God Heb 1:3; 8:1
→ See GOD
גֹּ֫בַהּ (gobahh) refers to height or elevation, encompassing meanings like grandeur and haughtiness. It is derived from a root associated with elation and pride. The term can describe physical height, such as that of buildings or trees, as well as a more abstract sense of exaltation.
גֹּ֫בַהּ n.m. height
height, of buildings and trees
exaltation, grandeur
haughtiness
base
H1363 גֹּ֫בַהּ
1363 gobahh go'-bah
from 1361; elation, grandeur, arrogance:--excellency,
haughty, height, high, loftiness, pride.
see HEBREW for 01361
גֹּ֫בַהּ (go.vah) — height.
1) height, exaltation
1a) height
1b) exaltation, grandeur
1c) haughtiness
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word הוֹד (*hod*) encompasses meanings related to splendour, majesty, and vigour, primarily in a poetic context. It is derived from an unused root and conveys concepts of grandeur and beauty, as noted in various lexicons.
הוֹד n.m. splendour, majesty, vigour (chiefly poet.)
base
H1935 הוֹד splendour, majesty, vigour (chiefly poet.)
1935 howd hode
from an unused root; grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and
appearance):--beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory,
goodly, honour, majesty.
הוֹד (hod) — splendor.
splendour, majesty, vigour
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
glo'-ri (substantive):
I. METHOD OF TREATMENT
II. GENERAL USE OF THE TERM
1. As Applied to External Things
2. As Applied to Yahweh
III. THE USES OF KABHODH
1. Material Wealth
2. Human Dignity and Majesty
3. "My Soul": the Self
4. Self-Manifestation of God (Yahweh)
(1) Exodus 23:18 ff
(2) Isaiah 6
(3) Psalms 19:1
(4) Sinai and the Temple
(5) Ezekiel's Visions
(6) Messianic Ideal
(7) Its Ethical Content
IV. IN THE APOCRYPHA AND THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. In the Apocrypha:
(1) As Applied to External Things
(2) As Applied to God
2. In the New Testament:
(1) As Applied to Men
(2) As Applied to God
(3) As Applied to the Saints
(4) As Applied to the Messianic Kingdom
3. Its Ethical Significance
LITERATURE
I. Method of Treatment.
Glory
(Heb. kabhod; Gr. doxa). (1.) Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour (Ps. 49:12); glory (Gen. 31:1; Matt. 4:8; Rev. 21:24, 26).
(2.) Honour, dignity (1 Kings 3:13; Heb. 2:7 1 Pet. 1:24); of God (Ps. 19:1; 29:1); of the mind or heart (Gen. 49:6; Ps. 7:5; Acts 2:46).
- God is, to his people
- Christ is, to his people
- The gospel ordained to be, to saints
- Of the gospel, exceeds that of the law
הָדָר (hadar) refers to concepts of ornament, splendour, and honour, primarily in a poetic context. It is derived from a root meaning magnificence and encompasses beauty, glory, and majesty. The term captures a range of meanings related to excellence and goodliness.
הָדָר n.m. ornament, splendour, honour (chiefly poet.)
base
H1926 הָדָר ornament, splendour, honour (chiefly poet.)
1926 hadar haw-dawr'
from 1921; magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor:--beauty,
comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour,
majesty.
see HEBREW for 01921
הָדָר (ha.dar) — glory.
1) ornament, splendour, honour
1a) ornament
1b) splendour, majesty
1c) honour, glory
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word לָבֵשׁ (*labash*) means to put on or wear clothing, and it can refer to both literal and figurative clothing. It is built from a primitive root meaning to wrap around. The entries cover various forms, including Qal, Pual, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of dressing or being clothed. The word is also noted for its use in a figurative sense, such as being clothed with a spirit.
לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
Qal
lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)
very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with
lit. put on
once
clothed with
and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon
Pu. arrayed
Hiph. clothe, array with
base
H3847 לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
3847 labash law-bash'
or labesh {law-bashe'}; a primitive root; properly, wrap
around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe
(oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in)
apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on,
upon), wear.
לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) — to clothe.
1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear
1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed
1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress
Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)
V-Qal-Juss-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms