Job 40:12 — Word Study
WLCרְאֵ֣ה כָל־ גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃
BSALook onrâʼâh [gaze upon, regard with attention] everykôl proud mangêʼeh [arrogant, lofty] and humble himkânaʻ [bring low, bend the knee] tramplehâdak△ [tread down, crush] the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty] where they standtachath [in their place, underneath]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רְאֵ֣ה | see | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| כָל־ | every | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| גֵּ֭אֶה | proud [person] | Adj |
| הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ | humble him | Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ | and tread down | Conjunction, verb qal imperative second person masculine singular |
| רְשָׁעִ֣ים | wicked [people] | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תַּחְתָּֽם׃ | in place their | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand. |
| KJV | Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. |
| ASV | Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand. |
| YLT | See every proud one — humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place. |
| WEB | Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. |
| BBE | Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places. |
The translations agree on the key terms in this verse.
The verse consists of one main command followed by two imperative phrases, emphasizing the actions God expects Job to take.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָאָה
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 40:12
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 40:12 is part of God's response to Job, where He emphasizes His authority and the need for humility among the proud. This section highlights God's sovereignty and the moral order He upholds, contrasting human pride with divine judgment. The verses around it build a picture of God's expectation for justice and humility, as seen in Job 40:11 and Job 40:13.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 60:12 | With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies. |
| 2 | Proverbs 15:25 | The LORD tears down the house of the proud, but He protects the boundaries of the widow. |
| 3 | Isaiah 10:6 | I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets. |
| 4 | Zechariah 10:5 | They will be like mighty men in battle, trampling the enemy in the mire of the streets. They will fight because the LORD is with them, and they will put the horsemen to shame. |
| 5 | Malachi 4:3 | Then you will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,” says the LORD of Hosts. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גֵּ֭אֶה, Ge.'ehgenerated
The word גֵּאֶה (ge'eh) is an adjective meaning 'proud' or 'arrogant.' It describes a person with an inflated sense of self-importance, often looking down on others. This term is rooted in the idea of being lofty, indicating a haughty attitude.
In this verse, God instructs Job to look upon every proud man, which emphasizes the need to recognize and confront arrogance. The use of this term highlights the moral failing of pride and sets the stage for the call to humble such individuals.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses humble for הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ and trample for הֲדֹ֖ךְ.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb רְאֵ֣ה (re'eh, 'look') governs the entire verse, with two imperative clauses following it. The structure emphasizes God's command to Job, making it clear that observing the proud and wicked is a direct instruction.
The verse is structured with a clear sequence: first, Job is commanded to see, then the actions of humbling and trampling are presented. This arrangement highlights the authority of God's words and the expected response from Job.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ is rendered as σβέσον, which means 'to extinguish' or 'to put out.' This choice reflects a more forceful interpretation of humbling, suggesting a complete removal of pride.
The LXX's rendering of רְשָׁעִ֣ים as ἀσεβεῖς indicates a focus on moral wickedness, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but emphasizing the ungodly nature of the wicked.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:12 shows God commanding Job to look at every proud person and humble them, as well as to trample the wicked where they stand. This highlights God's authority over pride and wickedness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To humble the proud means to bring them low, showing that their arrogance is unfounded and that they must recognize their place before God.
God sees the wicked as morally wrong and guilty, deserving of judgment and punishment for their actions.
Pride is considered a sin because it leads to arrogance and a lack of humility before God, often resulting in actions that go against His will.
To trample the wicked signifies God's judgment against those who act unjustly, demonstrating His power to crush evil.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see pride manifesting in my own life?
- How can I practice humility in my daily interactions with others?
- What does God's judgment of the wicked teach me about justice?
- How can I encourage others to recognize and confront their pride?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of Job 40:12 by the Church Fathers highlight the themes of divine judgment and human humility, as they reflect on the nature of God's authority.
These words are not spoken with an offended mind but with zealous affection, so that they may be useful in consoling and instructing him and that he may understand that to perform such a great judgment is beyond human strength.Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Look on all the proud, and confound them, and tread down the wicked in their place. 11. Thou understandest, As I. For the proud are confounded at the look of the Lord, either here, by His mercy,Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLook on everyone [that is] proud, [and] bring him low,.... As the Lord often does; see Isaiah 2:11; this is the same as before; and tread down the wicked in their place; the same with the proud, for
Read John Gill on Job 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLook on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Proud - high (Daniel 4:37, "Those that walk in pride He is able to abase").
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleEither, 1. Wheresoever they are. Or, 2. Where they are in their greatest strength and glory, and therefore are most secure and confident. Or, 3. Forthwith, upon the spot, that the quickness and immediateness of the strike may discover that it comes from a Divine hand.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:12 Look on every one [that is] proud, [and] bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.Ver. 12. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low] This God doeth, Isaiah 2:11-12; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 5:15. The builders of Babel, Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Dioclesian, Attilas, and others, for instances. Amurath III, king of Turks, in the pride of his heart, styled himself, God of the earth, governor of the whole world, the messenger of God, and faithful servant of the great prophet. This proud prince was slain by a half dead Christian soldier, who, coming to crave his life of him after a battle, stabbed him in the bottom of his belly with a short dagger…
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. in their place] That is, where they stand; suddenly and on the spot, comp. ch. Job 34:26.
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd tread down the wicked in their place - Even in the very place where they are, crush them to the dust, as God can. It is implied that God was able to do this, and he appeals to it as a proof of his power.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible12. In their place — Same as Job 36:20. See note.
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
Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place.
Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
Look at every proud man and abase him; crush the wicked on the spot!
Tyndale line
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; And tread down the wicked where they stand.
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked where they stand.
Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
When hee taketh pleasure, his taile is like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapt together.
Strictly literal
Look on every one that is proud, bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place:
See every proud one — humble him, And tread down the wicked in their place.
See every proud one—humble him, || And tread down the wicked in their place.
Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
Look at everyone who is proud and bring him low; trample down wicked people where they stand.
From the Latin
He setteth up his tail like a cedar, the sinews of his testicles are wrapped together.
Simplified
Bring down the proud with your gaze; tread the wicked underfoot right where they are.
Send destruction on all who are lifted up, pulling down the sinners from their places.
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: רְאֵ֣ה כָל־ גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃. The Septuagint matches four of the seven words, indicating a close relationship between the two texts, although the word order and specific wording differ.
רְאֵ֣ה כָל־ גֵּ֭אֶה הַכְנִיעֵ֑הוּ וַהֲדֹ֖ךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃
4 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 40:12
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.
רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.
רָאָה 1315 vb. see
Qal 1141
see, subj.
see, c. acc. rei
see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design
see, so as to learn to know
abs. see, have (power of) vision
see = perceive
look at, see, by direct volition
of mental observation
c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
see, c. acc. rei
Niph.
appear
be seen
be visible
Pu. appar. his bones are not detected
Hithp. recipr. look at each other
Hiph.
cause one to see something, shew
cause to experience something
cause to look intently at, to behold
Hoph.
be caused to see, be shewn
be exhibited to
base
H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.
. see, c. acc. rei
. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design
. see, so as to learn to know
. abs. see, have (power of) vision
. see = perceive
. look at, see, by direct volition
. of mental observation
. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
. see, c. acc. rei
. . appear
. be seen
. be visible
. appar. his bones are not detected
. recipr. look at each other
. . . cause one to see something, shew
. cause to experience something
. cause to look intently at, to behold
. . be caused to see, be shewn
. be exhibited to
H7200b רְאוּת look
7200 ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in
numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,
intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,
behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have
experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look
(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,
upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,
regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one
another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X
surely, X think, view, visions.
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.
: see/show
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish
1a6) to look at, gaze at
1a7) to provide, choose
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to appear, present oneself
1b2) to be seen
1b3) to be visible
1c) (Pual) to be seen
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to see, show
1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be caused to see, be shown
1e2) to be exhibited to
1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.
: examine/consider
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have
(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
גֵּאֶה (ge'eh) means 'proud' and is derived from the root meaning 'lofty.' It covers the sense of being arrogant or haughty. The entries consistently emphasize this prideful aspect without significant disagreement among the lexicons.
גֵּאֶה adj. proud
base
H1343 גֵּאֶה proud
1343 ge'eh gay-eh'
from 1342; lofty; figuratively, arrogant:--proud.
see HEBREW for 01342
גֵּאֶה (ge.eh) — proud.
proud
Adj — AdjHAamsa
כָּנַע (kana) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be humble or to humble oneself. It conveys the idea of subjugation or bringing down, whether in a reflexive sense (humbling oneself) or in an active sense (humbling others or subduing enemies). The entries indicate its use in different forms, including passive and active, but do not provide specific verse references.
[כָּנַע] vb. be humble, only in der. conj.
Niph.
reflex. humble oneself
pass. be humbled, subdued
Hiph.
humble
subdue enemies
base
H3665 [כָּנַע] be humble, only in der. conj. . . reflex. humble oneself
. pass. be humbled, subdued
. . humble
. subdue enemies
3665 kana` kaw-nah'
a primitive root; properly, to bend the knee; hence, to
humiliate, vanquish:--bring down (low), into subjection,
under, humble (self), subdue.
כָּנַע (ka.na) — be humble.
1) to be humble, be humbled, be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to humble oneself
1a2) to be humbled, be subdued
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to humble
1b2) to subdue
V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVhv2ms/Sp3ms
הָדַךְ (hadak) is a primitive root meaning to crush or tread down, primarily used in the Qal form. The entries indicate its application in contexts like Job 40:12, where it conveys the action of casting down.
H1915 הָדַךְ
1915 hadak haw-dak'
a primitive root (compare 1854); to crush with the
foot:--tread down.
see HEBREW for 01854
הָדַךְ (ha.dakh) — to tread down.
(Qal) to cast down, tread down
Conj | V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Conjunction · verb qal imperative second person masculine singularHC/Vqv2ms
רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
base
H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal
7563 rasha` raw-shaw'
from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad
person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did
wrong.
see HEBREW for 07561
רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.
1) wicked, criminal
1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
1b) wicked (hostile to God)
1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.
תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
base
H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
8478 tachath takh'-ath
from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only
adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix
underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,
in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead
of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,
with.
see HEBREW for 08430
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.
: under/below
1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m
1a) the under part adv accus
1b) beneath prep
1c) under, beneath
1c1) at the foot of (idiom)
1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)
1c3) of subjection or conquest
1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands
1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)
1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)
1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)
conj
1e) instead of, instead of that
1f) in return for that, because that in compounds
1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)
1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.
: instead/in_place/exchange
Prep | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3mp