Job 40:7 — Word Study
WLCאֱזָר־ נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃
BSANownâʼ braceʼâzar [strengthen, prepare] yourselfchâlâts like a mangeber I will question youshâʼal▸ [demand, inquire of] and you shall inform Meyâdaʻ [declare, make known to, as your Lord, the all-knowing One]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֱזָר־ | gird up | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| נָ֣א | please | Particle |
| כְגֶ֣בֶר | like a man | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ | loins your | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ | I will ask you | Verb qal imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃ | and make known to me | Conjunction, verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. |
| KJV | Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. |
| ASV | Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. |
| YLT | Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know. |
| WEB | “Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me. |
| BBE | Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers. |
The translations agree on the imperative nature of the command to prepare, with no significant differences noted.
The sentence has a main clause followed by two subordinate clauses, emphasizing the command and the expected response.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָזַר
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 40:7
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 40:7 is part of God's response to Job from the whirlwind, where He challenges Job's understanding and perspective. This passage emphasizes the authority of God and the need for Job to be prepared to answer for his words and actions. It follows a series of questions posed by God that highlight His sovereignty and the limitations of human understanding, as seen in the verses surrounding it.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:22 | Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and You can reply. |
| 2 | Job 23:3–4 | If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat. |
| 3 | Job 38:3 | Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. |
| 4 | Job 42:4 | You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak. I will question you, and you shall inform Me.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֱזָר־, 'e.zor-generated
The imperative verb אָזַר (azar) means to gird or prepare oneself, conveying a sense of readiness for action. It is a call for Job to strengthen himself, much like a warrior would prepare for battle.
This word appears in various contexts in the Bible, often associated with physical readiness or moral courage. The parsing as an imperative second person masculine singular indicates a direct command to Job, emphasizing the urgency and seriousness of God's challenge.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we refer to the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses brace for אֱזָר־.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb אֱזָר־ governs the sentence, with two clauses following it: one describing the action of questioning and the other indicating what Job is to do in response. The structure emphasizes the command and the ensuing accountability.
The sentence is built around the imperative, reflecting a direct challenge from God to Job, with a clear expectation of Job's response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֱזָר־ as ζῶσαι (zōsai), which means 'gird' or 'prepare.' This choice reflects a similar understanding of readiness, aligning with the imperative nature of the Hebrew.
This translation maintains the call to action, emphasizing the need for Job to be prepared for the questions that will follow.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:7 records God instructing Job to brace himself like a man, indicating that He will question Job and expects him to respond. This is part of God's larger discourse challenging Job's understanding of divine justice and power.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To 'gird up' means to prepare oneself for action, often by tightening one's clothing to ensure readiness for physical activity.
God asks Job to brace himself to emphasize the seriousness of the questions He will pose, highlighting Job's need to be ready to respond.
God's questioning serves to remind Job of his limitations and the vastness of God's wisdom and power, challenging Job's understanding of his own situation.
This verse connects to the broader themes of suffering, divine justice, and human understanding, as God confronts Job about his complaints and assumptions regarding God's governance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to prepare myself for God's questions?
- How can I better understand the nature of God's authority over my circumstances?
- What does it mean for me to be 'like a man' in my faith and actions?
- How can I respond to God's inquiries with honesty and humility?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and, declare thou unto me,.... And prepare to give an answer to what should be demanded of him. The same way of speaking is used in Job 38:3; [See comments on Job 38:3].
Read John Gill on Job 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.Ver. 7. Gird up thy loins now like a man] Resume new strength, and prepare yourself for a second encounter; for I have not yet done with you. If, therefore, you think yourself able to stand in contention with me, show your valour.
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Gird up thy loins] See Job 38:1-3. Some think that this and the preceding verse have been repeated here from Job 38:1-3, and that several of the words there, here, and Job 42:3, have been repeated, in after times, to connect some false gatherings of the sheets of parchment, on which the end of this poem was originally written. See on Job 40:1, and at the end of the chapter. See Clarke on Job 40:24.
Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesChap. Job 40:6 to Job 42:6. The Lord’s Second Answer to Job out of the Storm Shall Man charge God with unrighteousness in His Rule of the World? All that the first speech of the Lord touched upon was the presumption of a mortal man desiring to contend with the Almighty. The display from Creation of that which God is had the desired effect on Job’s mind: he is abased, and will no more contend with the Almighty. But Job had not only presumed to contend with God, he had charged Him with unrighteousness in His rule of the world and in His treatment of himself. This is the point to which the second speech from the storm is directed. The passage has properly two parts. First, Job 40:6-14, as Job…
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleGird up thy loins now like a man - An expression taken from the ancient mode of dress.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible7. Gird up… man — Same as chap. Job 38:3. The objects contemplated by the following discourse, are similar to those of the preceding discourses, and on this account begin with a like appeal to Job,
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
“Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
“Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
“Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me.
“Get ready for a difficult task like a man. I will question you and you will inform me!
Tyndale line
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou to me.
Looke on euery one that is arrogant, and bring him lowe: and destroy the wicked in their place.
Strictly literal
Gird up now thy loins like a man: I will demand of thee, and inform thou me.
Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins, I ask thee, and cause thou Me to know.
“Now gird your loins as a man, || I ask you, and you cause Me to know.
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
“Now gird up your loins like a man, for I will ask you questions, and you must answer me.
From the Latin
Look on all that are proud, and confound them, and crush the wicked in their place.
Simplified
“Prepare yourself, be strong, for I am going to question you, and you must answer me.
Get your strength together like a man of war: I will put questions to you, and you will give me the answers.
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 content, with five of the six words matched. The Septuagint reflects the same imperative call to prepare, though its word order differs.
אֱזָר־ נָ֣א כְגֶ֣בֶר חֲלָצֶ֑יךָ אֶ֝שְׁאָלְךָ֗ וְהוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃
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 40:7
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.
אָזַר (azar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to gird, encompass, or equip. It has various forms, including Qal (to gird), Niphal (to be girded), and Piel (to hold close). The word conveys a sense of preparation and strength, often used in contexts related to readiness for action or war.
[אָזַר] vb. gird, encompass, equip
Qal gird, gird on
Niph. girded with might
Pi. gird
Hithp. gird oneself
base
H247 [אָזַר] gird, encompass, equip
247 'azar aw-zar'
a primitive root; to belt:--bind (compass) about, gird (up,
with).
אָזַר (a.zar) — to gird.
1) gird, encompass, equip, clothe
1a) (Qal) to gird, gird on (metaphorical of strength)
1b) (Niphal) be girded
1c)(Piel) hold close, clasp
1d) (Hiphpael) gird oneself (for war)
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
גֶּ֫בֶר (geber) refers to a man, particularly one who is strong or valiant, often distinguished from women and children. The term is used primarily in poetic contexts and emphasizes the qualities of strength and warrior-like attributes. It is derived from a root meaning to be strong, and lexicons highlight its use in describing a mighty or capable individual.
גֶּ֫בֶר 66 n.m. man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic
base
H1397 גֶּ֫בֶר man;—man as strong, disting. fr. women, children, and non-combatants whom he is to defend, chiefly poetic
1397 geber gheh'-ber
from 1396; properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a
person simply:--every one, man, X mighty.
see HEBREW for 01396
גָּבֶר (ga.ver) — great man.
man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
See ANTHROPOLOGY.
Man
(1.) Heb. ‘Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning “to be red,” and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10).
(2.) Heb. ‘ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33;
Four Hebrew terms are rendered "man" in the Authorized Version: Adam, the name of the man created in the image of God. It appears to be derived from adam , "he or it was red or ruddy," like Edom. This was the generic term for the human race. Ish , "man," as distinguished from woman, husband. Geber , "a man," from gabar , "to be strong," generally with reference to his strength. Methim , "men," always masculine. Perhaps it may be derived from the root muth , "he died."
חָלָץ (chalats) refers to the loins, specifically in the dual form, indicating a focus on this area as the seat of strength, virility, and pain, particularly in the context of childbirth. The term is associated with physical vigor and is noted for its use in describing the loins as girded.
[חָלָץ] n.[f.] only dual, loins
as seat of virility
as girded
as seat of pains, like a woman in travail
base
H2504 [חָלָץ] only dual, loins
2504 chalats khaw-lawts'
from 2502 (in the sense of strength); only in the dual; the
loins (as the seat of vigor):--loins, reins.
see HEBREW for 02502
חָלָץ (cha.lats) — loin.
1) loins
1a) as seat of virility
1b) as girded
1c) as seat of pain (woman's travail)
N-cd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp2ms
שָׁאַל (sha'al) means to ask or inquire, often in the context of requesting a favor or borrowing. It covers a range of uses, including seeking counsel, consulting deities, and even begging. The verb can appear in different forms, such as asking for oneself or granting requests. There is a noted Aramaic equivalent, שְׁאֵל (she.el), meaning 'to ask'.
שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire
Qal
ask, ask for
specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow
in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
inquire of
inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.
in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
Niph. ask for oneself
Pi.
inquire carefully
beg, practise beggary
Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)
base
H7592 שָׁאַל ask, inquire .. . ask, ask for
. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow
. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
. . inquire of
. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.
. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
. ask for oneself
. . inquire carefully
. beg, practise beggary
. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)
7592 sha'al shaw-al'
or shael {shaw-ale'}; a primitive root; to inquire; by
implication, to request; by extension, to demand:--ask
(counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand,
desire, X earnestly, enquire, + greet, obtain leave, lend,
pray, request, require, + salute, X straitly, X surely, wish.
שָׁאַל (sha.al) — to ask.
1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to ask, ask for
1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow
1a3) to enquire, enquire of
1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle)
1a5) to seek
1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully
1c2) to beg, practise beggary
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to be given on request
1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to
Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal imperfect first person common singular · suffixHVqi1cs/Sp2ms
יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
יָדַע 943 vb. know
Qal
know, learn to know
perceive
perceive and see; find out and discern
discriminate, distinguish
know by experience
recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
consider
not know = not expect
know a person, be acquainted with
know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
be skilful in
abs. have knowledge, be wise
Niph.
be made known, be or become known, of things
make oneself known of pers.
be perceived
be instructed
Pi. cause to know
Pu. known
Hiph. make known, declare
Hoph. made known
Hithp. make oneself known
base
H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know
. perceive
. perceive and see; find out and discern
. discriminate, distinguish
. know by experience
. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
. consider
. not know = not expect
. know a person, be acquainted with
. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
. be skilful in
. abs. have knowledge, be wise
. . be made known, be or become known, of things
. make oneself known of pers.
. be perceived
. be instructed
. cause to know
. known
. make known, declare
. made known
. make oneself known
3045 yada` yaw-dah'
a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);
used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,
care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,
punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted
with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,
(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X
could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)
discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,
can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause
to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have
(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be
learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man
of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,
יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.
1) to know
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to know
1a1a) to know, learn to know
1a1b) to perceive
1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern
1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish
1a1e) to know by experience
1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
1a1g) to consider
1a2) to know, be acquainted with
1a3) to know (a person carnally)
1a4) to know how, be skilful in
1a5) to have knowledge, be wise
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed
1b2) to make oneself known
1b3) to be perceived
1b4) to be instructed
1c) (Piel) to cause to know
1d) (Poal) to cause to know
1e) (Pual)
1e1) to be known
1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)
1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare
1g) (Hophal) to be made known
1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Conj | V-Hiphil-Impv-2ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHC/Vhv2ms/Sp1bs