Job 16:22
Job 16:22 in Multiple Translations
For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
For in a few short years I shall go down that road from which I shall not return.”
For the yeeres accounted come, and I shall go the way, whence I shall not returne.
When a few years do come, Then a path I return not do I go.
For when a few years have come, I will go the way of no return.
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
I say this because within a few years I will die; I will walk along the roadto the grave from which I will never return.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Job 16:22
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Job 16:22 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כִּֽי
שְׁנ֣וֹת
מִסְפָּ֣ר
יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ
וְ/אֹ֖רַח
לֹא
אָשׁ֣וּב
אֶהֱלֹֽךְ
כִּֽי
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
שְׁנ֣וֹת
shâneh
H8141
year
N-fp
מִסְפָּ֣ר
miçpâr
H4557
number
N-ms
יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ
ʼâthâh
H857
to come
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
וְ/אֹ֖רַח
ʼôrach
H734
way
Conj | N-cs
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
אָשׁ֣וּב
shûwb
H7725
to return
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
אֶהֱלֹֽךְ
hâlak
H1980
to go
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Job 16:22
כִּֽי
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
שְׁנ֣וֹת
shâneh
H8141
"year"
N-fp
This word also means a year, like when Abraham was 100 years old in Genesis 21. It is used to describe a period of time, age, or a lifetime.
Definition: 1) year 1a) as division of time 1b) as measure of time 1c) as indication of age 1d) a lifetime (of years of life) Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
Usage: Occurs in 647 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). See also: Genesis 1:14; Genesis 47:28; Numbers 7:35.
מִסְפָּ֣ר
miçpâr
H4557
"number"
N-ms
This word refers to a number or quantity, whether large or small, and can also mean a narrative or story. It is used in many biblical contexts to describe counting or recounting events. In the Bible, it appears in passages about census and genealogy.
Definition: 1) number, tale 1a) number 1a1) number 1a2) innumerable (with negative) 1a3) few, numerable (alone) 1a4) by count, in number, according to number (with prep) 1b) recounting, relation
Usage: Occurs in 129 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] abundance, account, [idiom] all, [idiom] few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, [phrase] time. See also: Genesis 34:30; 1 Chronicles 12:24; Psalms 40:13.
יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ
ʼâthâh
H857
"to come"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp
To arrive or come to a place, it can also mean to bring something. It is used in the Bible to describe the coming of people, events, or things.
Definition: 1) to come, arrive 1a) (Qal) to come (of men, time, beasts, calamity) 1b) (Hiphil) to bring Aramaic equivalent: a.tah (אֲתָה "to come" H0858)
Usage: Occurs in 20 OT verses. KJV: (be-, things to) come (upon), bring. See also: Deuteronomy 33:2; Isaiah 41:5; Psalms 68:32.
וְ/אֹ֖רַח
ʼôrach
H734
"way"
Conj | N-cs
A way or path, describing a road or journey, whether physical or metaphorical. This term is used to talk about travel, direction, and life's journey, often in wisdom literature and prophetic writings. It is found in books like Proverbs and Isaiah.
Definition: 1) way, path 1a) path, road 1b) the path, way, passing of life (fig.) 1c) way of living (fig.) 1d) traveller, wayfarer (meton) Aramaic equivalent: o.rach (אֹ֫רַח "way" H0735)
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: manner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop, (by-, high-) way. See also: Genesis 18:11; Proverbs 1:19; Psalms 8:9.
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 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)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
אָשׁ֣וּב
shûwb
H7725
"to return"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
This Hebrew word means to return or turn back, and can be used literally or figuratively. It is often used to describe someone returning to God or repenting from sin, as seen in the book of Psalms and the prophets.
Definition: : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back 1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment 1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore 1d3) to bring back, report to, answer 1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) 1d5) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse 1d6) to turn away (face), turn toward 1d7) to turn against 1d8) to bring back to mind 1d9) to show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke 1e) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back 1f) (Pulal) brought back
Usage: Occurs in 953 OT verses. KJV: ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. See also: Genesis 3:19; Numbers 8:25; Judges 8:13.
אֶהֱלֹֽךְ
hâlak
H1980
"to go"
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Definition: : walk/move 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to walk 1b2) to walk (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to traverse 1c2) to walk about 1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
Usage: Occurs in 473 OT verses. KJV: (all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, [idiom] more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), [phrase] send, speedily, spread, still, surely, [phrase] tale-bearer, [phrase] travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-) faring man, [idiom] be weak, whirl. See also: Genesis 2:14; Judges 4:9; 1 Kings 13:12.
Study Notes — Job 16:22
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Job 16:22 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Job 16:22
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:22
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:22
- Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:22
- Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:22
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 16:22
- Barnes' Notes on Job 16:22
- Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:22
- Sermons on Job 16:22
Context — Job Decries His Comforters
20My friends are my scoffers as my eyes pour out tears to God.
21Oh, that a man might plead with God as he pleads with his neighbor!
22For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 14:10 | But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he? |
| 2 | Job 14:14 | When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes. |
| 3 | Job 14:5 | Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed, |
| 4 | Job 7:9–10 | As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more. |
| 5 | Ecclesiastes 12:5 | when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets. |
Job 16:22 Summary
In Job 16:22, Job is saying that he knows his life on earth will soon come to an end, and when it does, he will not be able to come back. This reminds us that our time on earth is short, as mentioned in Psalm 90:12, and we should use it to seek God and fulfill His purposes for our lives, as encouraged in Matthew 6:33-34 and Luke 12:31. Job's statement also encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty, even when faced with difficult circumstances, as seen in Psalm 37:3-7 and Proverbs 3:5-6. By remembering that our lives are but a vapor, as stated in James 4:14, we can live each day with intention and purpose, looking forward to eternal life with God, as promised in John 3:16 and 1 John 5:11-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Job mean by 'the way of no return' in Job 16:22?
Job is referring to death, as he believes that once he dies, he will not be able to return to the living, as stated in Job 7:9-10 and reinforced in Ecclesiastes 3:19-20, which reminds us that the fate of man is the same as that of animals, and that no one knows what happens after we die, except that we will face judgment, as seen in Hebrews 9:27.
Is Job being pessimistic in Job 16:22?
While Job's statement may seem pessimistic, it is actually a realistic acknowledgment of the brevity of life, as mentioned in Psalm 39:4-5 and James 4:14, which encourages us to recognize the fleeting nature of our time on earth and to make the most of every moment to glorify God and fulfill His will for our lives.
What can we learn from Job's perspective on death in Job 16:22?
Job's words remind us that our time on earth is short, and we should use it to seek God and fulfill His purposes for our lives, as encouraged in Ephesians 5:16-17 and Colossians 4:5, which advise us to make the most of every opportunity and to live wisely, remembering that our lives are but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes, as stated in James 4:14.
How does Job 16:22 relate to the overall theme of the book of Job?
Job 16:22 highlights Job's struggle with the reality of his own mortality and the seeming injustice of his suffering, which is a central theme throughout the book of Job, as seen in Job 1:1-3, where Job's faithfulness to God is introduced, and in Job 42:1-6, where Job's humility and repentance are demonstrated, showcasing his trust in God's sovereignty, as stated in Romans 11:33-36.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can use my limited time on earth to glorify God and fulfill His purposes for my life, as seen in Ephesians 2:10?
- How can I, like Job, trust in God's sovereignty even when faced with difficult circumstances, as encouraged in Psalm 23:4 and Romans 8:28?
- What are some things I can do to prepare for my own death, and how can I use Job 16:22 as a reminder to live each day with intention and purpose, as advised in 2 Peter 3:11-14?
- In what ways can I use my experiences, whether joyful or sorrowful, to point others to God and encourage them in their own walks with Him, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and Revelation 12:11?
Gill's Exposition on Job 16:22
When a few years are come,.... As the years of man's life are but few at most, and Job's years, which were yet to come, still fewer in his apprehension; or "years of number" (m), that are numbered by
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 16:22
When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. Few - literally, 'years of number;' i:e., few, opposed to numberless (Genesis 34:30), "I being few in number").
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Job 16:22
i.e. To the state and place of the dead, whence men do not and cannot return to this life. The meaning is, My death hastens, and therefore I earnestly desire that the cause depending before God between me and my friends may be searched out and determined, that if I be guilty of these things whereof they accuse me, I may bear the shame and blame of it before all men; and if I be innocent, that I may live to see my own integrity and the credit of religion (which suffers upon this occasion) vindicated, that so I may die in peace with God, and may leave the savour of a good name behind me.
Trapp's Commentary on Job 16:22
Job 16:22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way [whence] I shall not return.Ver. 22. When a few years are come, &c.] Heb. Years of number; that is, years that may easily be counted and cast up. The years of the longest liver are but few, they may be quickly numbered. This ran much in Job’ s mind, and made him very desirous to be cleared before he died, that he might not go out of the world in a snuff. Then shall I go the way] That way of all flesh, 1 Kings 2:2, which Job feareth not to do, as knowing whom he had trusted, and that death should be unto him the daybreak of eternal brightness. Whence I shall not return] See Job 7:9-10; Job 10:21, with the notes.
Ellicott's Commentary on Job 16:22
(22) When a few years are come.—Literally, years of number, which means either “years than can be easily numbered,” as men of number (Genesis 34:20) is used to express few men; or “years that are numbered,” that is, allotted, determined. It is strange to find Job speaking, in his condition, of years, but so, for that matter, is it to find a man so sorely tormented as he was indulging in so long an argument. Perhaps this shows us that the narrative of Job is intended to be an ideal only, setting forth the low estate of sin-stricken humanity: this is only thrown out as a suggestion, no weight is assigned to it more than it may chance to claim. Perhaps, however, these words are spoken by Job in contemplation of his condition as a dying man, even had he not been so afflicted.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Job 16:22
Verse 22. When a few years are come] I prefer Mr. Good's version: - "But the years numbered to me are come. And I must go the way whence I shall not return." Job could not, in his present circumstances, expect a few years of longer life; from his own conviction he was expecting death every hour. The next verse, the first of the following chapter, should come in here: My breath is corrupt, c.] He felt himself as in the arms of death: he saw the grave as already digged which was to receive his dead body. This verse shows that our translation of the twenty-second verse is improper, and vindicates Mr. Good's version. I HAVE said on Job 16:9 that a part of Job's sufferings probably arose from appalling representations made to his eye or to his imagination by Satan and his agents. I think this neither irrational nor improbable. That he and his demons have power to make themselves manifest on especial occasions, has been credited in all ages of the world not by the weak, credulous, and superstitious only, but also by the wisest, the most learned, and the best of men.
I am persuaded that many passages in the Book of Job refer to this, and admit of an easy interpretation on this ground.
Barnes' Notes on Job 16:22
When a few years are come - Margin “years of number;” that is, numbered years, or a few years. The same idea is expressed in Job 7:21; see the notes at that place. The idea is, that he must soon die.
Whedon's Commentary on Job 16:22
22. Few years — Literally, years of number. His life he conceives is now near its end; its few years are past, and soon he shall go the way from which “no traveller returns.”
Sermons on Job 16:22
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Life of David Brainerd - Part. 2 by Jonathan Edwards | In this sermon transcript, the preacher reflects on their own feelings of unworthiness and insufficiency. They express a desire for a close and constant devotion to God and a fear |
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Is There Life After Death by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the book of Job and the questions that Job asked when he was stripped of everything. Job's questions revolve around the basic issues of life, |
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Distress of Job - Part 2 by W.F. Anderson | The video is a sermon on the book of Job in the Bible. It begins by describing the structure of the book, with a prologue and three cycles of speeches between Job and his friends. |
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Early Men Believed in Final Judgment! by Ian Brown | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the individual accountability we all have before God. He uses the example of the precision and advanced technology in the Gulf War to illust |
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Matthew 27:15 by Worth Ellis | In this sermon, the preacher talks about a father and son who went up a mountain together. The obedient son laid himself on a piece of wood, and God extended his hands to nail and |
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Until My Change Comes by Thomas Watson | Thomas Watson preaches on the importance of understanding the brevity and challenges of life, likening it to a day with its shortness, vicissitudes, labor, and irreversibility, urg |
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Job 14:14 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith explores the profound question posed by Job, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' He emphasizes that while Job faced despair, he also glimpsed the hope of life beyond d |