Job 8:11 — Word Study
WLCהֲיִֽגְאֶה־ גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־ אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־ מָֽיִם׃
BSADoes papyrusgômeʼ [reed, a type of aquatic plant] growgâʼâh▸ where there is nolôʼ [without, lacking] marshbitstsâh [swamp, mire, wet earth] Do reedsʼâchûw [flags, river-plants] flourishsâgâh▸ [grow, increase] withoutbᵉlîy [in the absence of] watermayim [the source of refreshment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֲיִֽגְאֶה־ | ¿ will it grow tall | Particle, verb qal imperfect third person masculine singular |
| גֹּ֭מֶא | papyrus | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְּלֹ֣א | with not | Preposition, particle |
| בִצָּ֑ה | marsh | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| יִשְׂגֶּה־ | will it grow? | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אָ֥חוּ | reed[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְלִי־ | not | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מָֽיִם׃ | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water? |
| KJV | Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? |
| ASV | Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water? |
| YLT | 'Doth a rush wise without mire? A reed increase without water? |
| WEB | “Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water? |
| BBE | Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water? |
The translations agree on the necessity of conditions for growth, particularly in the imagery of papyrus and reeds.
The sentence consists of two main clauses, each followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the conditions for growth.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectגֹּמֶא
verbשָׂגָה
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 8:11
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 — Bildad's Response to Jobgenerated
Job 8:11 presents Bildad questioning the possibility of growth without the necessary conditions, using papyrus and reeds as metaphors. This reflects the broader theme of the dialogue, where the characters explore the relationship between divine justice and human suffering. Bildad emphasizes that just as these plants cannot thrive without water, so too, a person cannot prosper without God's favor.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 2:3 | But when she could no longer hide him, she got him a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket and set it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. |
| 2 | Isaiah 19:5–7 | The waters of the Nile will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and empty. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גָּאָה, ha.yig.'eh-generated
The verb גָּאָה (ga'ah) means to rise up or grow tall, often used to describe plants reaching towards the sun. It conveys the idea of elevation and majesty, suggesting that growth is not merely physical but also a sign of vitality and strength.
In this verse, it questions whether papyrus can grow tall without the right environment, underscoring the necessity of conditions for growth. The parsing as a verb in the imperfect tense indicates an ongoing or potential action, which fits the rhetorical nature of Bildad's question.
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 verbs יִֽגְאֶה and יִשְׂגֶּה govern the clauses, with each clause posing a rhetorical question. The structure emphasizes the relationship between the subjects (papyrus and reeds) and their respective conditions (marsh and water).
The first clause asks if papyrus can grow without a marsh, while the second clause inquires about reeds flourishing without water. This parallel structure reinforces the argument that growth is contingent upon the right environment.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates גָּאָה as θάλλει, which means to thrive or flourish. This choice indicates a focus on the vitality of the plants, aligning with the original Hebrew meaning of growth.
The use of πάπυρος for גֹּמֶא reflects a direct correlation, maintaining the imagery of the papyrus plant, which is central to the question posed.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 8:11 asks if papyrus can grow without a marsh and if reeds can flourish without water. Bildad uses these questions to illustrate that just as these plants need specific conditions to thrive, so do people need God's favor to prosper.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Bildad is emphasizing that growth and prosperity require specific conditions, just as plants need water and a suitable environment.
This verse highlights the theme of divine justice and the importance of maintaining a relationship with God for true flourishing.
Plants symbolize life and growth, making them effective metaphors for discussing the conditions necessary for human flourishing.
We can reflect on the conditions in our lives that promote growth and flourishing, particularly in our relationship with God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are the essential conditions for growth in my own life?
- How can I ensure that I am nurturing my spiritual life as one would care for a plant?
- In what ways do I see the need for God's presence in my endeavors?
- How can I support others in their growth, similar to how a marsh supports the plants within it?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers reference this verse to discuss the transmission of wisdom and the necessity of divine support for growth.
Previously Bildad said that the teaching is passed on from the ancestors and fathers to the following generations. Now he supports this with an example.Early Church Fathers on Job 8 →
Can the rush grow up without moisture? can the flag grow without water? To whom Bildad compares 'the rush' and 'the flag,' he himself immediately discloses, when he adds;Early Church Fathers on Job 8 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 8:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleCan the rush grow up without mire?.... No, at least not long, or so as to lift up his head on high, as the word signifies (a); the rush or bulrush, which seems to be meant, delights in watery places,
Read John Gill on Job 8 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryCan the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? Rush - rather, paper reed: the papyrus of Egypt, which was used to make garments, shoes, baskets, boats, and paper (a word derived from it).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 8 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWithout mire, i.e. if it be not in moist and miry ground. This and what follows he mentions as it were in the person of those ancients to whom he had referred him, of whom he saith that they would give him such instructions as these. The flag; or, the grass; or, the meadow, as this word is used, , i.e. the grass of a meadow, But our translation seems the best, because it is compared with other herbs.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 8 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 8:11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?Ver. 11. Can the rush grow up without mire?] Iam subiungit quod illi exploratum habuerant et perspectum, sed eleganti similitudine, saith Mercer; that is, here Bildad setteth forth what the fathers had observed, taught, and told them; and this he doth by three elegant similitudes, which was a way of teaching usual among the ancients, ut quod per simplex praeceptum teneri non possit, per similitudines teneretur, that that which could not be remembered by simple precepts, might be retained by similitudes drawn from natural things, which are as shadows to us of spiritual (Hieron. in cap. 19, Matth.). And first from the…
Read John Trapp on Job 8 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) The flag is the plant of Gen 41:2, which the cattle feed upon. This figure is enforced by a second, that, namely, of the spider’s web, the most fragile and transient of tenements.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 8 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. Can the rush grow] The word גמא gome, which we translate rush, is, without doubt, the Egyptian flag papyrus, on which the ancients wrote, and from which our paper derives its name. The Septuagint, who made their Greek translation in Egypt, (if this book made a part of it,) and knew well the import of each word in both languages, render גמא gome by παπυρος papyrus, thus: Μηθαλλειπαπυροςανευὑδατος; Can the PAPYRUS flourish without water? Their translation leaves no doubt concerning the meaning of the original. They were probably writing on the very substance in question, while making their translation. The technical language of no science is so thoroughly barbarous as that of…
Read AdamClarke on Job 8 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. The ancient wisdom itself. This wisdom is plainly not that of the Arabs or Idumeans, but is Egyptian. The rush is most probably the Papyrus, which is said to attain a growth twice the height of a man. The flag is the Nile-reed, or Nile-grass (only here and Genesis 41:2).
Read Cambridge on Job 8 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleCan the rush - This passage has all the appearance of being a fragment of a poem handed down from ancient times.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 8 →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
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
“Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the rushes grow without water?
Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?
Can the papyrus plant grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water?
Tyndale line
Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?
Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
Can the rush grow without mire? can the flag grow without water?
Can a rush grow without myre? or can ye grasse growe without water?
Strictly literal
Doth the papyrus shoot up without mire? doth the reed-grass grow without water?
'Doth a rush wise without mire? A reed increase without water?
Does a rush rise without a marsh? A reed increase without water?
Can the bulrush shoot upward without mire? can the meadow-grass grow up without water?
Can papyrus grow without a marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
From the Latin
Can the rush be green without moisture? or a sedge-bush grow without water?
Simplified
Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Can reeds grow without water?
Will the river-plant come up in its pride without wet earth? will the grass get tall without water?
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, with 7 of the 8 words matched. The Septuagint's rendering reflects the same core concepts, though its word order and articles differ.
הֲיִֽגְאֶה־ גֹּ֭מֶא בְּלֹ֣א בִצָּ֑ה יִשְׂגֶּה־ אָ֥חוּ בְלִי־ מָֽיִם׃
7 of the 8 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 8:11
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.
גָּאָה (ga'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rise up, grow up, or be exalted. It encompasses a range of meanings including physical elevation, such as waters rising or plants growing, as well as figurative exaltation or triumph. The entries consistently emphasize its root meaning of mounting up and being majestic.
גָּאָה vb. rise up
rise up, of waters
grow up, of plants
be lifted up, exalted
base
H1342 גָּאָה rise up . rise up, of waters
. grow up, of plants
. be lifted up, exalted
1342 ga'ah gaw-aw'
a primitive root; to mount up; hence, in general, to rise,
(figuratively) be majestic:--gloriously, grow up, increase, be
risen, triumph.
גָּאָה (ga.ah) — to rise up.
1) to rise up, grow up, be exalted in triumph
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to rise up
1a2) to grow up
1a3) to be lifted up, be raised up, be exalted
Part | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Particle · verb qal imperfect third person masculine singularHTi/Vqi3ms
גֹּ֫מֶא (gome') refers to a type of plant, specifically a rush or reed, often associated with papyrus. The word is built from the root related to absorbency, indicating its porous nature. It appears in contexts related to vegetation in the Old Testament.
גֹּ֫מֶא n.m. rush, reed, papyrus
base
H1573 גֹּ֫מֶא rush, reed, papyrus
1573 gome' go'-meh
from 1572; properly, an absorbent, i.e. the bulrush (from its
porosity); specifically the papyrus:--(bul-)rush.
see HEBREW for 01572
גֹּ֫מֶא (go.me) — reed.
rush, reed, papyrus
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
pa-pi'-rus (Cyperus papyrus; bublos, biblos, whence biblion, a roll, ta biblia, "the Books" = the Bible):
1. Papyrus Paper
2. Egyptian Papyri
3. Aramaic Papyri
4. Greek Papyri
5. Their Discovery.
6. Classical Papyri
7. Septuagint Papyri
8. New Testament Papyri
9. Theological Papyri
10. Documentary Papyri
11. Contribution to New Testament Study
12. Chief Collections
13. Coptic, Arabic and Other Papyri
A marsh or water plant, abundant in Egypt in ancient times, serving many purposes in antiquity. The papyrus tuft was the emblem of the Northern Kingdom in Egypt. Like the lotus, it suggested one of the favorite capitals of Egyptian architecture. Ropes, sandals, and mats were made from its fibers (see Odyssey xxi.391; Herod. ii.37, 69), and bundles of the long, light stalks were bound together into light boats (Isa 18:2; Breasted, History of the…
→ (R. V., margin) Ex 2:3
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)
Prep | Part — Preposition · particleHR/Tn
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
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
marsh ((1) gebhe', the American Standard Revised Version "marsh," the King James Version and the English Revised Version "marish" (Eze 47:11); the King James Version "pit," the Revised Version (British and American) "cistern" (Isa 30:14); compare Arabic jaba', "reservoir," "watering-through"; (2) bots, "mire"; bitstsah, "mire," "fen"; compare Arabic badda, to "trickle," badad, "a little water"; (3) TiT, "mire" "clay"; (4) chomer, "mire," "clay," "mortar"; (5) ma`abheh ha-'adhamah (1Ki 7:46), and `abhi ha-'adhamah (2Ch 4:17), "clay ground"): In the vision of Ezekiel the saltness of the Dead Sea is "healed" by the stream issuing from under the threshold of the temple, "But…
שָׂגָא (sagah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to grow or increase. It can refer to the growth of plants or the figurative sense of becoming great or magnified. The entries indicate its use in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, with the latter emphasizing an increase in wealth or status. Notably, Brown-Driver-Briggs mentions a verse about the righteous growing like cedar.
[שָׂגָא] vb. grow, grow great
Qal (of plant)
Hiph.
make great
magnify, laud
base
[שָׂגָה] vb. grow, increase
Qal righteous shall grow great like cedar
Hiph. they have increased riches.
base
H7685a שָׂגָא grow, grow great H7685b שָׂגָה grow, increase
7685 sagah saw-gaw'
a primitive root; to enlarge (especially upward, also
figuratively):--grow (up), increase.
שָׂגָה (sa.gah) — to grow.
1) to grow, increase
1a) (Qal) to grow (of plant)
שָׂגָה (sa.gah) — to increase.
1) to grow, increase
1a) (Qal) to grow (great)
1b) (Hiphil) to increase
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
אָחוּ (achuw) refers to reeds or rushes, particularly those found in marshy areas like the Nile. The entries suggest it covers various types of marsh plants, including bulrushes and grasses. It is mentioned in Job 8:11.
אָחוּ n.m. Jb 8:11 coll. reeds, rushes
base
H260 אָחוּ reeds, rushes
260 'achuw aw'-khoo
of uncertain (perhaps Egyptian) derivation; a bulrush or any
marshy grass (particularly that along the Nile):--flag,
meadow.
אָחוּ (a.chu) — meadow.
reeds, marsh plants, rushes
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Part — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22