Job 40:18 — Word Study
WLCעֲ֭צָמָיו אֲפִיקֵ֣י נְחוּשָׁ֑ה גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו כִּמְטִ֥יל בַּרְזֶֽל׃
BSAHis bonesʻetsem [strong pieces of brass, tubes] are tubesʼâphîyq of bronzenᵉchûwshâh [copper or bronze, a strong metal] his limbsgerem [legs, body parts] are rodsmᵉṭîyl△ [bars, strong sticks] of ironbarzel [a strong metal]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עֲ֭צָמָיו | bones its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| אֲפִיקֵ֣י | [are] tubes of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| נְחוּשָׁ֑ה | bronze | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו | limbs its | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| כִּמְטִ֥יל | [are] like a rod of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| בַּרְזֶֽל׃ | iron | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron. |
| KJV | His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. |
| ASV | His bones are as tubes of brass; His limbs are like bars of iron. |
| YLT | His bones [are] tubes of brass, His bones [are] as a bar of iron. |
| WEB | His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron. |
| BBE | His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron. |
All translations agree on the strength and durability of the creature's bones and limbs.
The sentence consists of two main clauses, each describing the strength of the creature's bones and limbs.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 40:18
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 — God's Description of His Creationgenerated
Job 40:18 is part of a passage where God speaks to Job, highlighting the majesty and strength of His creations. In this context, God uses vivid imagery to describe a powerful creature, emphasizing its physical attributes to illustrate His own power as the Creator. This description serves to remind Job of the greatness of God’s works and the limitations of human understanding.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 7:12 | Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard? |
| 2 | Isaiah 48:4 | For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עֲ֭צָמָיו, 'A.tza.mavgenerated
The word עֲצָמָיו ('A.tza.mav) means 'his bones' and is a masculine plural form that indicates the physical structure of the creature. The root suggests strength and substance, linking the idea of bones to the essence of being.
In this verse, the bones are described as strong and tubular, indicating not just physical strength but also the creature's formidable nature. The use of the construct form with a suffix highlights possession, indicating that these bones belong to the creature being described.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree in rendering the bones as strong and robust, with phrases like tubes of bronze and rods of iron consistently appearing across versions.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is implied in the structure, with the subject being the creature's bones and limbs. The sentence describes two main attributes: the bones as tubes of bronze and the limbs as rods of iron, creating a parallel structure that emphasizes the strength of both.
The word order places the subject first, followed by the descriptive phrases, which highlights the physical characteristics of the creature being discussed.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עֲצָמָיו as αὐτοῦ (autou), meaning 'his' or 'of him,' which maintains the possessive nature of the original Hebrew, though it does not specify the bones directly.
This choice narrows the focus from the physical description in Hebrew to a more general reference in Greek, which may reflect a different interpretive approach to the text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:18 describes the creature's bones as being like tubes of bronze and its limbs as rods of iron. This imagery highlights the strength and durability of the creature, emphasizing how formidable it is in God's creation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This metaphor indicates that the bones are strong and resilient, suggesting the creature's great physical power.
The description of the limbs as rods of iron emphasizes their strength and rigidity, reinforcing the idea of the creature's formidable nature.
This verse illustrates God's power in creation and serves as a reminder to Job of the limitations of human understanding compared to God's wisdom and might.
The strong imagery of bronze and iron encourages readers to reflect on the strength of God's creations and His sovereignty over all things.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the strength of the creature in this verse reveal about God's creative power?
- How can we apply the imagery of strength and durability in our own lives?
- In what ways does this verse challenge our understanding of God's creation?
- How can we find comfort in the knowledge that God is in control of all creation, even the most powerful beings?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers also reflected on this verse, using it to illustrate the strength and structure of God's creation.
His bones are as pipes of brass. His cartilage as plates of iron. 29. In the body they are bones which hold the members together, and members which are held together.Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHis bones [are as] strong pieces of brass: his bones [are] as bars of iron. Than which nothing is stronger.
Read John Gill on Job 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBehold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHis bones; under which title are comprehended his ribs (as the LXX here render it) and his teeth. As strong pieces of brass, exceeding hard and strong, as they are in both these creature.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:18 His bones [are as] strong pieces of brass; his bones [are] like bars of iron.Ver. 18. His bones are as strony pieces of brass] Or, as conduit pipes of brass, whereby may be understood his hollow bones, as by bars of iron the solid ones, and by both (together with his trunk, composed of gristles, and his teeth and tusks, eight feet long, some of them) we may conjecture to be the size of his whole body; the size of all earthly creatures, saith Pliny; nine cubits high, saith Aelian, of some. Now can Job look upon such a monstrous creature, or hear his noise, or stand before him, without great horror? and will he not submit to the great God, and give him all his glory.
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(18) Strong pieces.—Or, perhaps, tubes. His limbs are like bars of iron.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 40 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 18. His bones are as strong pieces of brass-bars of iron.] The tusk I have mentioned above is uncommonly hard, solid, and weighty for its size.
Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18. strong pieces of brass] Rather literally, are pipes of brass.
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHis bones are as strong pieces of brass - The circumstance here adverted to was remarkable, because the common residence of the animal was the water, and the bones of aquatic animals are generally
Read Albert Barnes 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
His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron.
His bones are like tubes of bronze. His limbs are like bars of iron.
His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are rods of iron.
Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs like bars of iron.
Tyndale line
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
His bones are as tubes of brass; His limbs are like bars of iron.
His bones are as tubes of brass; his limbs are like bars of iron.
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
Behold, he spoyleth the riuer, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw vp Iorden into his mouth.
Strictly literal
His bones are tubes of bronze, his members are like bars of iron.
His bones [are] tubes of brass, His bones [are] as a bar of iron.
His bones [are] tubes of bronze, || His bones [are] as a bar of iron.
His bones are like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars of iron.
His bones are like tubes of bronze; his legs are like bars of iron.
From the Latin
Behold, he will drink up a river, and not wonder: and he trusteth that the Jordan may run into his mouth.
Simplified
Its bones are like bronze tubes; its limbs like iron rods.
His bones are pipes of brass, his legs are like rods of iron.
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 עֲ֭צָמָיו אֲפִיקֵ֣י נְחוּשָׁ֑ה גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו כִּמְטִ֥יל בַּרְזֶֽל׃, and the Septuagint matches 5 of the 6 words, indicating a strong agreement in the core message of the verse while differing in word order and specific terms.
עֲ֭צָמָיו אֲפִיקֵ֣י נְחוּשָׁ֑ה גְּ֝רָמָ֗יו כִּמְטִ֥יל בַּרְזֶֽל׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 40:18
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.
עֶ֫צֶם (etsem) primarily means 'bone' but extends to concepts of substance and self. It can refer to the physical body, limbs, or essence. The word is derived from a root related to strength, indicating a connection between physicality and identity.
עֶ֫צֶם 125 n.f. bone, substance, self
base
H6106 עֶ֫צֶם bone, substance, self
6106 `etsem eh'tsem
from 6105; a bone (as strong); by extension, the body;
figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame:--body,
bone, X life, (self-)same, strength, X very.
see HEBREW for 06105
עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone.
: bone/limb
1) bone, essence, substance
1a) bone
1a1) body, limbs, members, external body
1b) bone (of animal)
1c) substance, self
עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: same.
: same/very
1) bone, essence, substance
1a) bone
1a1) body, limbs, members, external body
1b) bone (of animal)
1c) substance, self
עֶ֫צֶם (e.tsem) — bone: body.
: body
1) bone, essence, substance
1a) bone
1a1) body, limbs, members, external body
1b) bone (of animal)
1c) substance, self
N-fp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
אָפִיק (aphiyq) refers to a channel or a ravine, often associated with water. It can also denote a strong object or a hero. The word is built from a root meaning to contain, and it encompasses meanings related to streams, valleys, and strength.
[אָפִיק] n.m. channel (as holding, confining water; poet.)
base
H650 [אָפִיק] channel (as holding, confining water; poet.)
650 'aphiyq aw-feek'
from 622; properly, containing, i.e. a tube; also a bed or
valley of a stream; also a strong thing or a hero:--brook,
channel, mighty, river, + scale, stream, strong piece.
see HEBREW for 0622
אָפִיק (a.phiq) — channel.
1) channel
2) ravine
3) of hollow bones (fig.)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
נְחוּשָׁה (nchuwshah) refers to copper or bronze, indicating materials used in ancient metallurgy. It is a feminine form derived from the root word for copper, and it encompasses both pure copper and bronze, which is an alloy. The term appears in contexts related to metalworking and materials in the Old Testament.
נְחוּשָׁה and נְחֻשָׁה n.f. copper, bronze
base
H5154 נְחוּשָׁה and נְחֻשָׁה copper, bronze
5154 nchuwshah nekh-oo-shaw'
or nchushah {nekh-oo-shaw'}; feminine of 5153;
copper:--brass, steel. Compare 5176.
see HEBREW for 05153
see HEBREW for 05176
נְחוּשָׁה (ne.chu.shah) — bronze.
1) copper, bronze
1a) copper (made from melting copper ore)
1b) bronze (made from copper and alloy)
Aramaic equivalent: ne.chash (נְחָשׁ "bronze" H5174)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
גֶּ֫רֶם (gerem) primarily means 'bone' and can also refer to 'strength' or 'self.' It is derived from a root meaning related to bones, suggesting a figurative sense of being strong or foundational. The entries include some uncertainty about additional meanings like 'bare' or 'self.' The word appears in contexts that emphasize physical strength or structural integrity.
גֶּ֫רֶם n.[m.] bone, strength, self (?)
base
H1634 גֶּ֫רֶם bone, strength, self (?)
1634 gerem gheh'-rem
from 1633; a bone (as the skeleton of the body); hence, self,
i.e. (figuratively) very:--bone, strong, top.
see HEBREW for 01633
גֶּ֫רֶם (ge.rem) — bone.
1) bone, strength, bare?, self?
1a) bone
1b) strength, strong-boned
1c) self?, bare? (of stairs)
Aramaic equivalent: ge.rem (גְּרַם "bone" H1635)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
מְטִיל (mtiyl) refers to a wrought-metal rod or bar, typically made of iron. It is derived from a root meaning to hammer out, indicating its forged nature. The word appears in Job 40:18.
מְטִיל n.m. wrought-metal rod;—cstr. Jb 40:18
ref
H4300 מְטִיל
4300 mtiyl met-eel'
from 2904 in the sense of hammering out; an iron bar (as
forged):--bar.
see HEBREW for 02904
מְטִיל (me.til) — rod.
hammered bar, wrought iron bar, wrought metal rod
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בַּרְזֶל (barzel) means 'iron' and can refer to iron ore or iron implements like tools and utensils. It also carries figurative meanings related to harshness, strength, or oppression. The word may be derived from a root associated with cutting. There is an Aramaic equivalent, פַּרְזֶל (parzel), also meaning 'iron'.
בַּרְזֶל n.m. iron
iron, lit.
tool of iron
iron in fig. of unwatered earth
base
H1270 בַּרְזֶל iron
1270 barzel bar-zel'
perhaps from the root of 1269; iron (as cutting); by
extension, an iron implement:--(ax) head, iron.
see HEBREW for 01269
בַּרְזֶל (bar.zel) — iron.
1) iron
1a) iron
1a1) iron ore
1a2) as material of furniture, utensils, implements
2) tool of iron
3) harshness, strength, oppression (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: par.zel (פַּרְזֶל "iron" H6523)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Iron
Tubal-Cain is the first-mentioned worker in iron (Gen. 4:22). The Egyptians wrought it at Sinai before the Exodus. David prepared it in great abundance for the temple (1 Chr. 22:3: 29:7). The merchants of Dan and Javan brought it to the market of Tyre (Ezek. 27:19). Various instruments are mentioned as made of iron (Deut. 27:5; 19:5; Josh. 17:16, 18; 1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 12:31; 2 Kings 6:5, 6; 1 Chr.…
is mentioned with brass as the earliest of known metals. (Genesis 4:22) The natural wealth in iron of the soil of Canaan is indicated by describing it as a land whose stones are iron." (8:9) (Recent explorations have shown that iron ore is abundant in the northern part of Palestine. --ED.) The book of Job contains passages which indicate that iron was a metal well known. Sheet-iron was used for cooking utensils. (Ezekiel 4:3) cf. Levi 7:9 That it was plentiful in the time of David appears from (1 Chronicles 22:3) The market of Tyre was supplied with bright or polished iron by the merchants of by Dan and Javan. (Ezekiel 27:19) The Chalybes of the Pontus were celebrated as…
Was early known and wrought, Ge 4:22. Moses often alludes to it. He compares the bondage in Egypt to a furnace for smelting iron, and speaks of the iron ore of Canaan, De 3:11 4:20 8:9. Many different articles and tools were anciently made of it. Immense quantities were provided for the building of the temple, 1Ch 29:2,7. "Iron" is used to illustrated slavery, strength, obstinacy, fortitude, affliction, etc., De 28:48 Job 40:18 Isa 48:4 Jer 1:18 Eze 22:18,20…