Job 4:19

Verse

how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!

American Standard Version (1901)

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;

Free Bible Version

how much more does this apply to those who live in these houses made of clay, whose foundations are based on dust, who fall apart like clothing to a moth?

King James (Authorized) Version

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

Translation for Translators

So he certainly cannot trust human beings who were made from dust and clay, who are crushed as easily as moths are crushed!

Unlocked Literal Bible

how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?

Noah Webster Bible

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?

World English Bible

How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

Young's Literal Translation

Also — the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)

Context

Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

¹⁸If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, ¹⁹how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth! ²⁰They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever.

Sermons

What Kind of Being Is Man - Part 1

Paris Reidhead

4.2K

Summary

This verse in the book of Job reflects on the frailty and insignificance of humanity in comparison to God's greatness and power. It highlights the contrast between the mortal nature of humans, who are made from dust and return to dust, and the eternal and majestic nature of God. The imagery used serves to humble and remind Job of his place in the grand scheme of creation, emphasizing the need for reverence and awe towards the Almighty. Ultimately, this verse underscores the sovereignty and transcendence of God over His creation, prompting reflection on the limitations of human understanding and wisdom.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

How much less - Rather, with the Vulgate, How much more? If angels may be unstable, how can man arrogate stability to himself who dwells in an earthly tabernacle, and who must shortly return to dust? Crushed before the moth? The slightest accident oftentimes destroys. "A fly, a grape-stone, or a hair can kill." Great men have fallen by all these. This is the general idea in the text, and it is useless to sift for meanings.

John Gill Bible Commentary

They are destroyed from morning to evening,.... That is, those that dwell in houses of clay, before described; the meaning is, that they are always exposed to death, and liable to it every day they live; not only such who are persecuted for the sake of religion, but all men in common, for of such are both the text and context; who have always the seeds of mortality and death in them, that is continually working in them; and every day, even from morning to evening, are innumerable instances of the power of death over men; and not only some there are, whose sun rises in the morning and sets at evening, who are like grass in the morning, gay, and green, and by evening cut down and withered, live but a day, and some not that, but even it is true of all men, comparatively speaking, they begin to die the day they begin to live; so that the wise man takes no notice of any intermediate time between a time to be born and a time to die, Ecc 3:2; so frail and short is the life of man; his days are but as an hand's breadth, Psa 39:5, they perish for ever: which is not to be understood of the second or eternal death which some die; for this is not the case of all; those that believe in Christ shall not perish for ever, but have everlasting life; but this respects not only the long continuance of men under the power of death until the resurrection, which is not contradicted by thus expression; but it signifies that the dead never return to this mortal life again, at least the instances are very rare; their families, friends, and houses, that knew them, know them no more; they return no more to their worldly business or enjoyments, see Job 7:9, without any regarding it; their death; neither they themselves nor others, expecting it so soon, and using no means to prevent it, and which, if made use of, would not have availed, their appointed time being come; or "without putting" (k), either without putting light into them, as Sephorno, which can only be true of some; or with out putting the hand, either their own or another's, to destroy them, being done by the hand of God, by a distemper of his sending, or by one providence or another; or without putting the heart to it, which comes to the sense of our version; though death is so frequent every day, yet it is not taken notice of; men do not lay it to heart, so as to consider of their latter end, and repent of their sins, and reform from them, that they may not be their ruin; and this is and would be the case of all men, were it not for the grace of God. (k) "propter non ponentem", Montanus; "sub. manum", Codurcus; "cor", R. Levi, Jarchi, Mercerus, Piscator, Michaelis.

Job 4:19

Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!

American Standard Version (1901)

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

Bible in Basic English

How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;

Free Bible Version

how much more does this apply to those who live in these houses made of clay, whose foundations are based on dust, who fall apart like clothing to a moth?

King James (Authorized) Version

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

Translation for Translators

So he certainly cannot trust human beings who were made from dust and clay, who are crushed as easily as moths are crushed!

Unlocked Literal Bible

how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?

Noah Webster Bible

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?

World English Bible

How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

Young's Literal Translation

Also — the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 4:19

Verse

Context

Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Job 4:19

Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper

What Kind of Being Is Man - Part 1

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary