Job 40:21 — Word Study
WLCתַּֽחַת־ צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃
BSAHe liesshâkab▸ [rests, takes his repose] undertachath the lotus plantstseʼel [shady trees, under the water-plants] hiddençêther [in secrecy, in a secret place] among the reedsqâneh [branches, tall reeds] of the marshbitstsâh [swamp, fen, mire]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תַּֽחַת־ | under | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| צֶאֱלִ֥ים | thorny lotus plants | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יִשְׁכָּ֑ב | it lies | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בְּסֵ֖תֶר | in a hiding place of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| קָנֶ֣ה | reed[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּבִצָּֽה׃ | and swamp | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. |
| KJV | He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. |
| ASV | He lieth under the lotus-trees, In the covert of the reed, and the fen. |
| YLT | Under shades he lieth down, In a secret place of reed and mire. |
| WEB | He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh. |
| BBE | He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants. |
Where they part company is יִשְׁכָּ֑ב — see How Translations Differ.
One main verb with three phrases providing location and context. The structure emphasizes the creature's peaceful repose.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁכַב
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 40:21
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 Discourse on Creationgenerated
Job 40:21 describes a creature, likely Behemoth, resting beneath the lotus plants, emphasizing its peaceful existence in a hidden environment. This verse is part of a larger section where God illustrates the power and majesty of His creations, contrasting them with human limitations. The surrounding verses (Job 40:20-23) further depict the creature's surroundings and how it remains untroubled by the raging river, showcasing its strength and security in nature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 19:6–7 | The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither. |
| 2 | Isaiah 35:7 | The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִשְׁכָּ֑ב, yish.Kavgenerated
The verb שָׁכַב (shakab) means 'to lie down' and indicates a state of rest or repose. It can refer to various contexts, including sleeping, resting, or even lying down in death. In this verse, it emphasizes the creature's tranquil position, lying beneath the protective cover of the lotus plants.
The imperfect form suggests ongoing action, meaning the creature is currently lying down, reinforcing the idea of its peaceful existence in the marsh.
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 main verb of the verse is יִשְׁכָּ֑ב, it lies, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes several prepositional phrases that describe the location and state of the subject, creating a vivid picture of the creature's resting place.
The prepositional phrases 'under the lotus plants' and 'in a hiding place of the reeds' provide essential details about the creature's environment, emphasizing its concealment and tranquility.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תַּחַת as ὑπὸ (hypo), meaning 'under.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a position beneath something.
For צֶאֱלִים, the LXX uses δένδρα (dendra), meaning 'trees.' This broadens the understanding of the environment, suggesting a more general reference to plant life rather than the specific thorny lotus.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:21 describes a creature lying under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. This verse emphasizes the creature's peaceful existence in a secluded environment, showing how it is protected from danger.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the creature finds a safe and comfortable resting place, protected by the shade of the lotus plants.
Being hidden among the reeds suggests that the creature is well-camouflaged and secure from threats, illustrating its strength and dominance in its habitat.
This description highlights the majesty of God's creation and the unique characteristics of the Behemoth, showcasing its power and the tranquility of its surroundings.
This verse is part of God's response to Job, emphasizing the greatness of His creation and the limitations of human understanding in contrast to divine wisdom.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the creature's resting place tell us about its nature and power?
- How can we find peace in our own lives, similar to the creature in this verse?
- In what ways does this description of creation challenge our understanding of God's power?
- How can we apply the lessons from this verse to our daily lives?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
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 BibleThe elephant lies down to rest himself; and it is but fabulous which some writers affirm, that they have no joints in their legs, and so cannot lie down, but sleep or rest themselves standing or leaning against a tree; which is denied and confuted by Aristotle in his History of Living Creatures, 2, 4. and by later writers. For the elephant, being a creature naturally hot, and living generally in hot countries, diligently seeks for and delights in shady and waterish places, as is noted by Aristotle, and after him by Pliny and Ælian.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.Ver. 21. He lieth under the shady trees] Vatablus readeth the words questioning thus, Lieth he under the shady trees, in the covert of the reeds and fens? No such matter, he is too big to be shaded by trees; neither can reeds and fens cover him (So R. Levi, and Kimchi). But Aristotle tells us, That he loves to lie by the banks of rivers beset with trees, as being naturally hot, and bred in hot countries; and yet he is impatient with cold and winter (De Hist. Anim. l. 9, c. 46). And therefore when Hannibal brought many elephants out of Africa into italy, they all perished in the cold Alps, except only that one…
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) He lieth under the shady trees.—If this description applies to any one animal, it seems on the whole more appropriate to the elephant than the hippopotamus. No doubt the judgment of critics has been biased by their pre-conceived notions about the circumstances under which they suppose the Book of Job to have been written; and the author was more likely, it is thought, to have been acquainted with the river-horse of Egypt than with the elephant of India, though, to be sure, elephants abound also in Africa, and may very well have been known to the writer of Job from that quarter, if the other is less likely.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 40 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. He lieth under the shady trees] This and the following verses refer to certain habits of the behemoth, with which we are and must be unacquainted,
Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. the shady trees] Rather, the lotus trees. And so in Job 40:22.
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe lieth under the shady trees - Referring to his usually inactive and lazy life.
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
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
He lies under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the marsh.
He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.
Under the lotus trees it lies, in the secrecy of the reeds and the marsh.
Tyndale line
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
He lieth under the lotus-trees, In the covert of the reed, and the fen.
He lieth under the lotus trees, in the covert of the reed, and the fen.
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
Canst thou cast an hooke into his nose? canst thou perce his iawes with an angle?
Strictly literal
He lieth under lotus-bushes, in the covert of the reed and fen:
Under shades he lieth down, In a secret place of reed and mire.
He lies down under shades, || In a secret place of reed and marsh.
Under shady trees he lieth down, in the covert of the reeds, and swamp.
He lies under the lotus plants in the shelter of the reeds, in the marshes.
From the Latin
Canst thou put a ring in his nose, or bore through his jaw with a buckle?
Simplified
It lies under the lotus; it hides in the reeds of the marsh.
He takes his rest under the trees of the river, and in the pool, under the shade of the water-plants.
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: תַּֽחַת־ צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃. The Septuagint matches five of the six words, maintaining the core meaning while altering the word order and articles.
תַּֽחַת־ צֶאֱלִ֥ים יִשְׁכָּ֑ב בְּסֵ֖תֶר קָנֶ֣ה וּבִצָּֽה׃
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 40:21
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.
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 — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
צֶאֱלִים (tse'el) refers to a type of lotus, specifically a thorny lotus shrub. It is derived from an unused root meaning to be slender. The entries indicate that it is associated with a shady tree, though the specific context in the Old Testament is not detailed.
צֶאֱלִים n.m.pl. a kind of lotus
base
H6628 צֶאֳלִים, צֶאֶל
6628 tse'el tseh'-el
from an unused root meaning to be slender; the lotus
tree:--shady tree.
צֶאֱלִים (tse.el) — lotus.
1) a kind of lotus
1a) a thorny lotus shrub
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
→ See BOTANY
The Hebrew word שָׁכַב (shakab) is a primitive root meaning 'to lie down.' It covers a range of meanings including resting, lodging, engaging in sexual relations, and lying down in death. The word appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Pual, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating different nuances of lying down. Notably, it can also figuratively mean to relax.
שָׁכַב 212 vb. lie down
Qal
lie down
= lodge (for night)
of sexual relations, lie with
lie down in death
esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers
fig. = relax
Niph. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.
Hiph. lay
Hoph. laid
base
H7901 שָׁכַב lie down .. lie down
. = lodge (for night)
. of sexual relations, lie with
. . lie down in death
. esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers
. fig. = relax
. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.
. lay
. laid
7901 shakab shaw-kab'
a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection,
decease or any other purpose):--X at all, cast down,
((lover-))lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to
sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: lay down.
: lay_down/lie_with
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)
1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)
1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down
1e) (Hophal) to be laid
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: sleep.
: sleep/rest
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)
1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)
1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down
1e) (Hophal) to be laid
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: have sex.
: have_sex
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) refers to concepts of covering, hiding, and secrecy, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can denote a hiding place or shelter, as well as the idea of secrecy, including slanderous speech. The feminine form, סִתְרָה (sit.rah), specifically means shelter or protection, with a reference to Deuteronomy 32:38.
ref
H5643a סֵ֫תֶר covering, hiding-place, secrecy H5643b סִתְרָה shelter, protection
5643 cether say'-ther
or (feminine) cithrah (Deut. 32:38), {sith-raw'}; from 5641;
a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative
sense):--backbiting, covering, covert, X disguise(-th),
hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place).
see HEBREW for 05641
סֵ֫תֶר (se.ter) — secrecy.
1) covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy
1a) covering, cover
1b) hiding place, shelter, secret place
1c) secrecy
1c1) secrecy (of tongue being slanderous)
סִתְרָה (sit.rah) — shelter.
shelter, protection
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…
The Hebrew word קָנֶה (*qaneh*) refers to a stalk or reed, often associated with plants like calamus. It has various derived meanings, including measuring-rod and unit of measure (6 cubits), as well as applications in scales and lampstands. The word is built from a root that implies an erect structure, covering a range of uses from botanical to functional.
קָנֶה 62 n.m. stalk, reed
stalk of grain
water-plant, reed
calamus, aromatic reed
derived meanings:
measuring-rod
unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)
beam of scales, for scales themselves
shaft of lamp-stand
branches thereof
shoulder-joint
base
H7070 קָנֶה stalk, reed . stalk of grain
. water-plant, reed
. calamus, aromatic reed
. derived meanings: . measuring-rod
. unit of measure, reed (of 6 cubits)
. beam of scales, for scales themselves
. shaft of lamp-stand
. branches thereof
. shoulder-joint
7070 qaneh kaw-neh'
from 7069; a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod
(especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of
the arm), beam (of a steelyard):--balance, bone, branch,
calamus, cane, reed, X spearman, stalk.
see HEBREW for 07069
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch.
: branch
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)
1d4) shaft (of lampstand)
1d5) branches (of lampstand)
1d6) shoulder-joint
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: stem.
: stem/reed
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
1d3) beam (of scales-for scales themselves)
1d4) shaft (of lampstand)
1d5) branches (of lampstand)
1d6) shoulder-joint
קָנֶה (qa.neh) — branch: measuring rod.
: measuring_rod
1) reed, stalk, bone, balances
1a) stalk
1b) water-plant, reed
1c) calamus (aromatic reed)
1d) derived meanings
1d1) measuring-rod
1d2) reed (as unit of measure-6 cubits)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
בִּצָּה (bitstsah) refers to a swamp or marsh. It is derived from a root meaning 'to be muddy' and is characterized as an intensive form. The entries consistently describe it as a wet, muddy place, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בִּצָּה n.f. swamp
base
H1207 בִּצָּה
1207 bitstsah bits-tsaw'
intensive from 1206; a swamp:--fen, mire(-ry place).
see HEBREW for 01206
בִּצָּה (bits.tsah) — swamp.
swamp, marsh
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa