Job 5:3 — Word Study
WLCאֲֽנִי־ רָ֭אִיתִי אֱוִ֣יל מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ וָאֶקּ֖וֹב נָוֵ֣הוּ פִתְאֹֽם׃
BSA◂Iʼănîy [the speaker] have seenrâʼâh■ [observed, looked upon] ◂a foolʼĕvîyl [one who despises wisdom] taking rootshârash [growing strong, becoming established] but suddenlypithʼôwm [in an instant] his housenâveh [his dwelling or habitation] was cursedqâbab▸ [spoken against, brought under a divine judgment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֲֽנִי־ | I | Pronoun |
| רָ֭אִיתִי | I have seen | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| אֱוִ֣יל | a fool | Adj |
| מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ | taking root | Verb, Hiphil, participle (active) masculine singular |
| וָאֶקּ֖וֹב | and I cursed | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect first person common singular |
| נָוֵ֣הוּ | habitation his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| פִתְאֹֽם׃ | suddenly | Adverb |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed. |
| KJV | I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. |
| ASV | I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation. |
| YLT | I — I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway, |
| WEB | I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation. |
| BBE | I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house. |
Translations agree here, rendering the Hebrew terms consistently.
One main clause with two phrases elaborating on the fool's actions and the sudden outcome.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbרָאָה
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 5:3
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 — Job's Reflection on the Foolgenerated
Job 5:3 presents a reflection on the nature of foolishness and its consequences. Job observes that a fool may seem to thrive and take root, but this apparent stability is deceptive, as sudden calamity can strike at any moment. This verse is part of a broader discourse that explores themes of wisdom and folly, particularly in the context of suffering and divine justice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 27:8 | For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? |
| 2 | Psalm 37:35–36 | I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, |
| 3 | Psalm 73:3–9 | For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. |
| 4 | Psalm 92:7 | that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 12:1–3 | Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֱוִיל, 'e.Vilgenerated
The Hebrew word אֱוִיל ('eviyl) describes a person who despises wisdom and acts foolishly. It conveys a sense of moral and intellectual deficiency, often associated with mockery and quarrelsomeness. The parsing indicates it is an adjective, used here to characterize the subject of Job's observation.
In this verse, the use of אֱוִיל highlights the contrast between the fool's apparent success and the inevitable downfall that follows. Job's choice of this term suggests a critique of those who lack discernment and understanding, emphasizing the transient nature of their achievements.
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 finite verb רָ֭אִיתִי, I have seen, governs the main clause, with the subject אֲֽנִי and the object אֱוִ֣יל clearly marked. The structure emphasizes Job's personal observation and the immediacy of the fool's situation.
The phrase מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ indicates an ongoing action, while the conjunction וָאֶקּ֖וֹב introduces the sudden turn of events, highlighting the abruptness of the curse that follows.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֱוִיל as ἄφρονας, which also denotes foolishness but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the character's moral state.
The use of ἑώρακα for רָ֭אִיתִי emphasizes the act of seeing, suggesting a deeper awareness of the fool's condition and its consequences.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 5:3 tells us that Job has seen a fool taking root, suggesting that he seemed to thrive. However, this stability is deceptive, as suddenly, his house was cursed. This verse illustrates the temporary nature of the fool's success and the swift judgment that can come upon him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job refers to a foolish person who appears to be establishing themselves successfully, but this is only temporary.
The curse signifies divine judgment, indicating that despite the fool's apparent stability, calamity can strike unexpectedly.
This verse contrasts the foolishness of those who despise wisdom with the reality of their eventual downfall, underscoring the importance of discernment.
We learn that outward appearances of success can be misleading, and that true wisdom recognizes the transient nature of such achievements.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life might I be pursuing foolishness instead of wisdom?
- How can I remain vigilant against the sudden changes that can occur in life?
- What does it mean to me to have seen the consequences of foolishness in others?
- How can I apply the lessons from this verse to my own choices and actions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have drawn on this verse to discuss the nature of foolishness and its consequences. Quotations from John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist illustrate different interpretations and reflections on the text.
Notice how Eliphaz anticipates possible objections. “Do not say to me, ‘Often they also had children.’ Yes, but never for a long time.” Since it made good sense to ask, “If Job was a sinner,Early Church Fathers on Job 5 →
MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION. I have seen the foolish taking root; but suddenly I cursed his beauty. For the Jewish people shewed itself to be 'foolish,' in that it slightly regarded the very Presence of Eternal Wisdom in the flesh.Early Church Fathers on Job 5 →
MORAL INTERPRETATION. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his beauty. 'The foolish' is as it were made fast in the earth by 'taking root,' in that he is fixed in the love of earth with all his heart's desire.Early Church Fathers on Job 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 5:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI have seen the foolish taking root,.... Such foolish wicked men as before described; those Eliphaz had observed to prosper in the world, and increase in riches, and even to have attained to a
Read John Gill on Job 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. The foolish - the wicked.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleI have oft observed it in my experience. Having severely rebuked Job for his transports of passion and intemperate speeches against God, he now returns to his former argument, and proves that such dreadful and destructive judgments of God do not befall the righteous, but the wicked, as he observed, ,8. Withal, he answers an objection concerning the present and seeming prosperity of the wicked, which he confesseth that he himself had sometimes observed. The foolish, i. e. the wicked man, who is quite destitute of true, i.e. of spiritual and heavenly, wisdom. Taking root; not only prosperous for the present, but, as it seemed, from all secure for the future, being strongly fortified with…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 5:3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.Ver. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root] q.d. I grant that wicked men are not always presently punished, sed Nemesis in tergo; et subito tollitur, qui diu toleratur. God’ s wrath is such as no wicked man can avert or avoid. This had Eliphaz well observed, "I have seen"; he had set a memorandum on God’ s just judgments, and marked his spits with his own stars, as one speaketh. Eliphaz was a man of much experience. See Job 4:8. In him that was true which Elihu saith should be, that days spake, and multitude of years taught wisdom, Job 32:7. Only herein he is mistaken, that he misapplieth all to Job, arguing…
Read John Trapp on Job 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) I cursed.—The word means, “I was able to declare distinctly, and I did declare without hesitation, that his lot would be as follows.” All these general results of experience have the sting of insinuation in them that they contain the key to Job’s unfortunate condition. There is secret unsoundness there which is the cause of the manifest and open misery. It is impossible that a man so stricken should be otherwise than, for some unknown reason, the guilty victim of the righteous wrath of a just judge.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. I have seen the foolish taking root] I have seen wicked men for a time in prosperity, and becoming established in the earth; but I well knew, from God's manner of dealing with men, that they must soon be blasted. I even ventured to pronounce their doom; for I knew that, in the order of God's providence, that was inevitable. I cursed his habitation.
Read AdamClarke on Job 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. the foolish] Rather perhaps, a foolish man, the same word as in Job 5:2. Eliphaz cites an instance from his own experience confirming the truth stated in Job 5:2. He saw a man of this character taking root, and for the moment appearing to give promise of prosperity. but suddenly I cursed] The meaning is not that Eliphaz cursed his habitation before-hand, foreseeing that destruction would certainly overtake him; but that, though this fool appeared prosperous and seemed preparing for enduring happiness, suddenly God’s judgment fell on him, and Eliphaz, seeing his desolation and knowing the true meaning of it, pronounced his habitation accursed; and this he did “suddenly,” so speedily in…
Read Cambridge on Job 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI have seen the foolish - The wicked. To confirm the sentiment which he had just advanced, Eliphaz appeals to his own observation, and says that though the wicked for a time seem to be prosperous,
Read Albert Barnes on Job 5 →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
I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his place of residence.
Tyndale line
I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I haue seene the foolish well rooted, and suddenly I cursed his habitation, saying,
Strictly literal
I myself saw the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I — I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway,
I have seen the perverse taking root, || And I mark his habitation straight away,
I have myself seen the foolish taking root; but I suddenly held his habitation as accursed.
I have seen a foolish person taking root, but suddenly I cursed his home.
From the Latin
I have seen a fool with a strong root, and I cursed his beauty immediately.
Simplified
I have seen a fool growing strong, but I immediately cursed his house.
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
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 of Job 5:3 states, "I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed." The Septuagint largely agrees with the Masoretic Text, as five out of the seven words match in meaning, although the exact wording and structure differ due to the nature of Greek translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide a direct comparison for this verse, so their agreement or disagreement with the Masoretic Text is not applicable here.
אֲֽנִי־ רָ֭אִיתִי אֱוִ֣יל מַשְׁרִ֑ישׁ וָאֶקּ֖וֹב נָוֵ֣הוּ פִתְאֹֽם׃
5 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 5:3
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.
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bs
רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.
רָאָה 1315 vb. see
Qal 1141
see, subj.
see, c. acc. rei
see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design
see, so as to learn to know
abs. see, have (power of) vision
see = perceive
look at, see, by direct volition
of mental observation
c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
see, c. acc. rei
Niph.
appear
be seen
be visible
Pu. appar. his bones are not detected
Hithp. recipr. look at each other
Hiph.
cause one to see something, shew
cause to experience something
cause to look intently at, to behold
Hoph.
be caused to see, be shewn
be exhibited to
base
H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.
. see, c. acc. rei
. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design
. see, so as to learn to know
. abs. see, have (power of) vision
. see = perceive
. look at, see, by direct volition
. of mental observation
. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest
. see, c. acc. rei
. . appear
. be seen
. be visible
. appar. his bones are not detected
. recipr. look at each other
. . . cause one to see something, shew
. cause to experience something
. cause to look intently at, to behold
. . be caused to see, be shewn
. be exhibited to
H7200b רְאוּת look
7200 ra'ah raw-aw'
a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in
numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,
intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,
behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have
experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look
(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,
upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,
regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one
another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X
surely, X think, view, visions.
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.
: see/show
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out
1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish
1a6) to look at, gaze at
1a7) to provide, choose
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to appear, present oneself
1b2) to be seen
1b3) to be visible
1c) (Pual) to be seen
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to see, show
1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be caused to see, be shown
1e2) to be exhibited to
1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face
רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.
: examine/consider
1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to see
1a2) to see, perceive
1a3) to see, have vision
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
אֱוִיל (eviyl) means 'foolish' and describes someone who despises wisdom, mocks when guilty, is quarrelsome, or licentious. It is derived from an unused root suggesting perversion. The word is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote a person lacking wisdom.
אֱוִיל 26 adj. foolish
base
H191 אֱוִיל foolish
191 'eviyl ev-eel'
from an unused root (meaning to be perverse); (figuratively)
silly:--fool(-ish) (man).
אֱוִיל (e.vil) — fool(ish).
1) be foolish, foolish
1a) (subst)
1a1) of one who despises wisdom
1a2) of one who mocks when guilty
1a3) of one who is quarrelsome
1a4) of one who is licentious
Adj — AdjHAamsa
Any person who does not act wisely, that is, does not follow the warnings and requirements of God, which are founded in infinite wisdom. Hence "a fool" is put for a wicked man, an enemy or neglecter of God, Ps 14:1 Pr 19:1. So folly is put for wickedness, 2Sa 13:12,13 Ps 38:5, foolish lusts for wicked lusts, etc. Foolish talking, foolish questions, are vain, empty, unprofitable conversation, 2Ti 2:23.
The Hebrew word שָׁרַשׁ (*sharash*) is a verb that relates to rooting, both in the sense of establishing roots and uprooting. It includes various forms such as rooting up, taking root, and being rooted out. The entries indicate a range of meanings connected to the concept of roots, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[שָׁרַשׁ] vb. denom. Pi. = deal with the roots
root up, out
Pu. be rooted up (of produce)
Po‛ēl take root, establish oneself firmly
Po‛al id.
Hiph. id.
base
H8327 שָׁרַשׁ vb. denom. Pi. = deal with the roots
8327 sharash shaw-rash'
a primitive root; to root, i.e. strike into the soil, or (by
implication) to pluck from it:--(take, cause to take) root
(out).
שָׁרַשׁ (sha.rash) — to uproot.
1) to uproot, take root, deal with the roots
1a) (Piel) to root up, root out
1b) (Pual) to be rooted up or out (of produce)
1c) (Poel) to take root
1d) (Poal) to take root
1e) (Hiphil) to take root, cause to take root
V-Hiphil — Verb · Hiphil · participle (active) masculine singularHVhrmsa
root (shoresh; rhiza): Frequently mentioned in the Old Testament and New Testament, but almost always in a figurative sense, e.g. "root of the righteous" (Pr 12:3,12); "root that beareth gall" (De 29:18); "Their root shall be as rottenness" (Isa 5:24); "root of bitterness" (Heb 12:15). Also of peoples: "they whose root is in Amalek" (Jud 5:14); of Assyria (Eze 31:7); "Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up" (Ho 9:16); "Judah shall again take root downward" (
קָבַב (qabab) is a primitive root meaning to curse or malign. The entries indicate that it primarily refers to the act of uttering a curse, often with a figurative sense of harming through words. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
[קָבַב] vb. utter a curse against, curse
base
H6895 קָבַב
6895 qabab kaw-bab'
a primitive root; to scoop out, i.e. (figuratively) to malign
or execrate (i.e. stab with words):--X at all, curse.
קָבַב (qa.vav) — to curse.
1) to curse, utter a curse against
1a) (Qal) to curse
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect first person common singularHc/Vqw1cs
נָוֶה (naveh) refers to a place of dwelling, often associated with shepherds and flocks, such as a pasture or meadow. It can denote a home or habitation, including divine spaces like temples. The term conveys a sense of comfort and beauty, suggesting a pleasant living environment. There is some overlap in the definitions provided, but all entries emphasize its pastoral and residential qualities.
נָוֶה n.m. abode of shepherd, or flocks, poet. habitation
abode, of sheep
abode of shepherds
= meadow
habitation, usu. of country, or of domains in the country (chiefly poet.)
base
[נָוֶה] adj. dwelling, abiding
base
H5116a נָוֶה abode of shepherd, or flocks, poet. habitation . . abode, of sheep
. abode of shepherds
. = meadow
. habitation, usu. of country, or of domains in the country (chiefly poet.)
H5116b נָוֶה dwelling, abiding
5116 naveh naw-veh'
or (feminine) navah {naw-vaw'}; from 5115; (adjectively) at
home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also
(noun) a home, of God (temple), men (residence), flocks
(pasture), or wild animals (den):--comely, dwelling (place),
fold, habitation, pleasant place, sheepcote, stable, tarried.
see HEBREW for 05115
נָוֶה (na.veh) — pasture.
1) abode, habitation, abode of shepherds or flocks, pasture
1a) abode (of sheep)
1b) abode (of shepherds)
1c) meadow
1d) habitation
נָוֶה (na.veh) — dwelling.
adj
dwelling, abiding
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
פִּתְאֹם (pit'om) means 'suddenly' and can also refer to 'suddenness.' It is primarily used as an adverb to describe an unexpected occurrence. The word is derived from another Hebrew term, but the entries do not provide specific verses where it is used.
פִּתְאֹם, once פֵּתְאוֹם subst. suddenness, usu. as adv. acc. suddenly
base
H6597 פִּתְאֹם, once פֵּתְאוֹם suddenness, usu. as adv. acc. suddenly
6597 pith'owm pith-ome'
or pith.om {pith-ome'}; from 6621; instantly:--straightway,
sudden(-ly).
see HEBREW for 06621
פִּתְאֹם (pit.om) — suddenly.
adv
1) suddenly, surprisingly
subst
2) suddenness
Adv — AdverbHD