Job 41:16 — Word Study
WLCאֶחָ֣ד בְּאֶחָ֣ד יִגַּ֑שׁוּ וְ֝ר֗וּחַ לֹא־ יָב֥וֹא בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם׃
BSAheartlêb to pouryâtsaq likekᵉmôw stoneʼeben to pouryâtsaq millstonepelach lowertachtîy
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֶחָ֣ד | one | |
| בְּאֶחָ֣ד | on one | Preposition |
| יִגַּ֑שׁוּ | they draw near | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְ֝ר֗וּחַ | and a breath | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| יָב֥וֹא | it goes | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם׃ | between them | Suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them. |
| KJV | One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. |
| ASV | One is so near to another, That no air can come between them. |
| YLT | One unto another they draw nigh, And air doth not enter between them. |
| WEB | One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. |
| BBE | One is so near to the other that no air may come between them. |
Where they part company is אֶחָד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has one main clause followed by a subordinate clause that describes the condition of the scales.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectוְ
verbכְּמוֹ
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 41:16
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 — The Description of a Powerful Creaturegenerated
Job 41:16 describes the scales of a mighty creature, illustrating their tight arrangement that leaves no space for air to pass through. This imagery serves to highlight the creature's formidable nature, as seen in the surrounding verses, which paint a picture of its strength and pride.
Cross References
The Key Word — אֶחָד, 'e.Chadgenerated
The word אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and signifies unity or singularity. It is often used in contexts where something is described as unique or tightly bound, as in this verse where it refers to the closeness of the scales.
In this instance, the word emphasizes the compactness of the scales, suggesting that they are not merely close but are joined in such a way that they function as a single unit, enhancing the description of the creature's impenetrable armor.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of this verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is יִגַּ֑שׁוּ, they draw near, which governs the structure of the sentence. It is followed by a conjunction and a noun phrase that describes the scales, emphasizing their proximity.
The construction illustrates a clear relationship between the scales and the air, with the negation of air passing through being a critical component of the description.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the word καρδία to translate אֶחָד, which means 'heart.' This choice may imply a deeper connection or unity, as the heart is often seen as central to life and being.
This translation choice reflects a different interpretative angle, suggesting not just physical closeness but an essential unity or essence.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 41:16 describes how the scales of a powerful creature fit so closely together that no air can pass between them. This highlights the strength and impenetrability of the creature's armor.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The closeness indicates the creature's strength and protection, making it difficult for anything to penetrate.
It emphasizes the formidable nature of the creature, showcasing its defenses and the awe it inspires.
It illustrates the extreme tightness of the scales, enhancing the idea of the creature's invulnerability.
We can understand the significance of strength and protection in the context of the creature's overall portrayal.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the imagery of tightly packed scales suggest about the nature of the creature?
- How does this description relate to themes of strength and protection in the Book of Job?
- In what ways can we apply the concept of impenetrability to our own lives or challenges?
- How does the unity implied by the word 'one' enhance our understanding of the creature's characteristics?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse to discuss the impenetrability of the scales, suggesting they prevent any breath of life from entering.
One is joined to another, and not even a breath comes between them. 54. These scales of sinners are both hardened and joined together, so as not to be penetrated by any breath of life from the mouth of preachers.Early Church Fathers on Job 41 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 41:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOne is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
Read John Gill on Job 41 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOne is so near to another, that no air can come between them. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 41 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhich plainly shows that the shields or scales are several; which agrees better to the crocodile than to the whale, whose skin is all one entire piece, unless there were a sort of whales having thick and strong scales, which some have affirmed, but is not yet known and proved.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 41 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 41:16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.Ver. 16. One is so near to another, that no air, &c.] One scale or flake is. This is more proper, say some, to the crocodile than to the whale; but who can tell the different kinds of whales, some whereof are said to have great and thick scales close compacted, as here? Quod si squammae Leviathan ita cohaereant, ut earum opere textili densato, &c. (Vide Cocceium in locum). Let the saints strengthen themselves by close sticking the one to the other, as the primitive Christians did; so that the very heathens acknowledged that no people under heaven did so hold together and love one another as they, being like that Sacra…
Read John Trapp on Job 41 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. One is so near to another] It has already been stated, that a musket-ball fired at him in any direction cannot make a passage through his scales.
Read AdamClarke on Job 41 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12–34. Description of the parts of Leviathan.
Read Cambridge on Job 41 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible16. No air — Rouahh, used in an active sense for air in motion, and poetically rendered by Scott, “no breath of wind.”
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 41 →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
One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
One scale is so near to another that no air can pass between them.
each one is so close to the next that no air can come between them.
Tyndale line
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
One is so near to another, That no air can come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
The mightie are afrayd of his maiestie, and for feare they faint in themselues.
Strictly literal
One is so near to another that no air can come between them;
One unto another they draw nigh, And air doth not enter between them.
They draw near to one another, || And air does not enter between them.
(41:8) One is joined to another; and no breath can come between them.
One is so near to another that no air can come between them.
From the Latin
When he shall raise him up, the angels shall fear, and being affrighted shall purify themselves.
Simplified
Its scales are so close together that no air can pass between them.
One is so near to the other that no air may come between them.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint's translation, while maintaining the same words, reflects a different syntactical structure.
אֶחָ֣ד בְּאֶחָ֣ד יִגַּ֑שׁוּ וְ֝ר֗וּחַ לֹא־ יָב֥וֹא בֵֽינֵיהֶֽם׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 41:16
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.
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
HAcfsa — HAcfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
HR/Acfsa — PrepositionHR/Acfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
נָגַשׁ (nagash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw near or approach. It can refer to humans or inanimate subjects and includes various forms such as causing to approach or being brought near. The term also has euphemistic uses, including sexual intercourse. The entries indicate a range of applications, from physical proximity to religious worship.
[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach
Qal draw near or come near
Niph. draw near
Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring
Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
Hithp. draw near!
base
H5066 [נָגַשׁ] draw near, approach .draw near or come near
. draw near
. cause to approach, bring near, bring
. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
. draw near!
5066 nagash naw-gash'
a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near
(for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an
enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present;
figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand
back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither,
near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go
hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake,
present, put, stand.
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: approach.
: approach
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
Also means: na.gash (נָגַשׁ ": bring" H5066H)
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
HVqi3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
רוּחַ (ruach) means breath, wind, or spirit. It encompasses various meanings, including the breath of life, emotional disposition, and the spirit of God. The term can refer to both physical phenomena, like wind, and abstract concepts, such as moral character or mental acts. Notably, it is used frequently in the context of divine inspiration and the Holy Spirit.
רוּחַ 378 n.f. (less oft. m.) breath, wind, spirit
breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
wind (117 t.)
spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
spirit of the living, breathing being
spirit as seat of emotion
occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
rarely of the will
רוּחַ esp. of moral character
spirit of God (94 t.)
base
H7307 רוּחַ breath, wind, spirit . breath of mouth or nostrils (33 t.)
. wind (117 t.)
. spirit, as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation = temper, disposition (76 t.)
. spirit of the living, breathing being
. spirit as seat of emotion
. occasionally (and late) = seat or organ of mental acts
. rarely of the will
. רוּחַ esp. of moral character
. spirit of God (94 t.)
7307 ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or
even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger,
unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by
resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including
its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X
cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)),
tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).
see HEBREW for 07306
רוּחַ (ru.ach) — spirit.
: spirit
1) wind, breath, mind, spirit
1a) breath
1b) wind
1b1) of heaven
1b2) quarter (of wind), side
1b3) breath of air
1b4) air, gas
1b5) vain, empty thing
1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)
1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour
1c2) courage
1c3) temper, anger
1c4) impatience, patience
1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented)
1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse
1c7) prophetic spirit
1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals)
1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being
1e) spirit (as seat of emotion)
1e1) desire
1e2) sorrow, trouble
1f) spirit
1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts
1f2) rarely of the will
1f3) as seat especially of moral character
HC/Ncfsa — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
HTn — ParticleHTn
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
HVqi3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
בַּ֫יִן (beyn) is a noun meaning 'interval' or 'space between.' It primarily functions as a preposition meaning 'between' or 'among,' and can also indicate distinctions or choices. The dual form בֵּנַ֫יִם refers specifically to the space between two entities, such as armies. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement.
בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between
always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between
Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies
base
H996 בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between . always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between
. Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies
996 beyn bane
(sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly,
the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a
distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before
each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction,
either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), +
from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.
see HEBREW for 0995
בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between.
: between
between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between
בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between: among.
: among
between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between
A sub-meaning of ben (בַּ֫יִן ": between" H0996)
HAcmpc/Sp3mp — SuffixHAcmpc/Sp3mp