Job 17:14 — Word Study
WLCלַשַּׁ֣חַת קָ֭רָאתִי אָ֣בִי אָ֑תָּה אִמִּ֥י וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י לָֽרִמָּֽה׃
BSAand sayqârâʼ■ to corruptionshachath [decay, rottenness, the pit] You [are]ʼattâh my fatherʼâb [the one I will inherit from] and to the wormrimmâh [maggot] My motherʼêm [nourisher, caregiver] or ‘My sisterʼâchôwth [close relative, companion]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לַשַּׁ֣חַת | to the pit | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| קָ֭רָאתִי | I have called out | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| אָ֣בִי | [are] father my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אָ֑תָּה | you | Pronoun |
| אִמִּ֥י | O mother my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י | and sister my | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| לָֽרִמָּֽה׃ | to the maggot | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’ |
| KJV | I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. |
| ASV | If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister; |
| YLT | To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm. |
| WEB | if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’ |
| BBE | If I say to the earth, You are my father; and to the worm, My mother and my sister; |
The translations agree on the rendering of שַׁחַת as 'corruption' or 'the pit'.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by two subordinate phrases, emphasizing Job's direct address to decay and the worm.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאַתָּה
verbקָרָא
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 17:14
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 Lament on Mortalitygenerated
Job 17:14 captures Job's deep despair as he contemplates death and decay. He personifies corruption and the worm, referring to them as familial figures, which emphasizes his sense of hopelessness in the face of mortality. This verse is situated within a larger discourse on the futility of life and the certainty of death, as Job grapples with his suffering and the seeming absence of hope, echoed in the verses surrounding it.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 21:32–33 | He is carried to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb. |
| 2 | Psalm 16:10 | For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. |
| 3 | Psalm 49:9 | that he should live on forever and not see decay. |
| 4 | Acts 2:27–31 | because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. |
| 5 | Acts 13:34–37 | In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שַׁחַת, sha.chatgenerated
The Hebrew word שַׁחַת (shachath) refers to a pit or grave, derived from a root suggesting destruction or corruption. It encompasses meanings related to physical decay and figurative destruction, often used in contexts that evoke the finality of death.
In this verse, Job addresses שַׁחַת as if it were a person, indicating a resigned acceptance of death as an inevitable part of life. This personification highlights the depth of his despair, as he acknowledges corruption as a father figure.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the rendering of שַׁחַת as 'corruption' or 'the pit', maintaining the sense of decay and death.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb governing the verse is קָ֭רָאתִי, I have called out, which serves as the anchor for the clauses that follow. The structure includes a prepositional phrase, a noun phrase addressing corruption, and a series of noun phrases that describe the familial relationships Job assigns to decay and the worm.
The arrangement emphasizes Job's direct address to death and decay, illustrating his confrontation with his own mortality.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שַׁחַת as θάνατον, meaning 'death', which narrows the focus from a general sense of corruption to the specific concept of death. This choice reflects an interpretation that underscores the finality of Job's lament.
This translation choice indicates a more direct engagement with the concept of death, aligning with the overall theme of mortality present in the verse.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 17:14 shows Job speaking to decay and the worm, calling them 'father' and 'mother'. This reflects his deep despair about death and the inevitability of decay. He acknowledges these figures as part of his reality, highlighting his feelings of hopelessness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job's reference to corruption as his father signifies his acceptance of death and decay as inevitable aspects of life, reflecting his profound despair.
By calling the worm his mother, Job emphasizes the nurturing aspect of decay, indicating that it is a part of life that he cannot escape.
Referring to the worm as his sister suggests a close relationship with death and decay, illustrating how intimately he feels connected to these concepts in his suffering.
This verse encapsulates Job's struggle with suffering and mortality, highlighting his feelings of isolation and despair as he confronts the reality of death.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I confront the realities of death and decay in my own life?
- What does it mean to me to acknowledge the inevitability of mortality?
- In what ways can I find hope amidst feelings of despair, like Job?
- How can I support others who are grappling with the concept of death and loss?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, interpreting Job's words about corruption and the worm as a profound reflection on mortality.
Ver. 14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. What does this mean, that he said to corruption, Thou art my father;Early Church Fathers on Job 17 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 17:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleI have said to corruption, thou [art] my father,.... Not to the corruptible seed, of which he was begotten; nor to the corruption or purulent matter of his boils and ulcers, and the worms his flesh
Read John Gill on Job 17 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryI have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. Thou art my father ... - Expressing most intimate connection (Job 30:29; Proverbs 7:4, "Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister").
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 17 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo corruption, Heb. to the pit of corruption, the grave. Thou art my father; I am near akin to time, as being taken out of thee; and thou wilt receive and embrace me, and keep me in thy house, as parents do their children. Thou art my mother, and my sister; because of the same original, and the most strict and intimate union and conjunction between me and the worms.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 17 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou [art] my father: to the worm, [Thou art] my mother, and my sister.Ver. 14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father] See how he speaks of corruption and the worms, Ac si iam iuris illorum, et domesticus esset, as if he were of family with them, and nearest of kin to them; so doth he court them, as it were, that they might be willing to receive him; showing by it how willing he was to die; for whither do men in a strange country, and in misery, desire rather to go than to the house of their parents? Here also Job declareth what will be the end of all men, and what shall be their kindred in the grave. From corruption we came (for what else is the…
Read John Trapp on Job 17 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. I have said to corruption] I came from a corrupted stock, and I must go to corruption again. The Hebrew might be thus rendered: To the ditch I have called, Thou art my father. To the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. I am in the nearest state of affinity to dissolution and corruption: I may well call them my nearest relations, as I shall soon be blended with them.
Read AdamClarke on Job 17 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. to corruption] Rather as above, the pit, or grave, Psalms 16:10. The words father, mother and sister, expressing the nearest relationship, indicate how closely Job now feels himself connected with the grave, he wholly belongs to it, and he greets it as taking the place of all related to him on earth.
Read Cambridge on Job 17 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleI have said - Margin, cried, or called. The sense is, “I say,” or “I thus address the grave.” To corruption - The word used here (שׁחת shachath) means properly a pit, or pit-fall, Psalms 7:15; Psalms
Read Albert Barnes on Job 17 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible14. Said — Called. The thought of his mouldering body suggested a family likeness to the corruption of the grave. My father — The Oriental languages abound in like comparisons.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 17 →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
and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
if I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
and say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
If I cry to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My Mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
Tyndale line
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;
If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;
I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
I shall say to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worme, Thou art my mother and my sister.
Strictly literal
I cry to the grave, Thou art my father! to the worm, My mother, and my sister!
To corruption I have called: — 'Thou [art] my father.' 'My mother' and 'my sister' — to the worm.
To corruption I have called: You [are] my father. To the worm: My mother and my sister.
When I call to corruption, Thou art my father: Thou art my mother, and my sister, to the worms.
and if I have said to the pit, 'You are my father,' and to the worm, 'You are my mother or my sister,'
From the Latin
If I have said to rottenness: Thou art my father; to worms, my mother and my sister.
Simplified
Should I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister?
If I say to the earth, You are my father; and to the worm, My mother and my sister;
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. This correspondence indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these ancient witnesses.
לַשַּׁ֣חַת קָ֭רָאתִי אָ֣בִי אָ֑תָּה אִמִּ֥י וַ֝אֲחֹתִ֗י לָֽרִמָּֽה׃
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 17:14
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.
The Hebrew word שַׁ֫חַת (shachath) means 'pit' and is derived from a root that suggests destruction or corruption. It covers a range of meanings including a physical pit, grave, and figuratively, hell or destruction. The entries note its use in contexts related to traps and Sheol, the grave.
שַׁ֫חַת n.f. pit
base
H7845 שַׁ֫חַת pit
7845 shachath shakh'-ath
from 7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively,
destruction:--corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.
see HEBREW for 07743
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — Pit: hell.
Pit, of hell
Another name of she.ol (שְׁאוֹל "Sheol" H7585)
This name means pit, grave
שַׁ֫חַת (sha.chat) — pit: grave.
1) pit, destruction, grave
1a) pit (for catching lions)
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
The word translates different Hebrew words of which the most important are:
(1) bor, "pit" or "cistern," made by digging, (Ge 37:20); hence, "dungeon" (Jer 38:6, margin "pit");
(2) be'er, "pit" or "well" made by digging (Ge 21:25);
(3) she'ol, generally rendered "hell" in the King James Version (see HELL);
Pit
A hole in the ground (Ex. 21:33, 34), a cistern for water (Gen. 37:24; Jer. 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Ps. 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Ps. 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev. 20:1, 3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen. 14:10).
[HELL]
A reservoir, either natural or artificial, for water. Pits were sometimes used as dungeons, Ge 37:20; Jer 38:6; or being slightly covered, and baited, they served as traps to catch wild beasts, a device which illustrates the plots of designing men and women, Ps 119:85; Pr 22:14; 26:27; Eze 19:4. The word pit is also used to denote the grave, Ps 28:1; 30:3,9; and hell, Re 20:1.
The Hebrew word קָרָא (qara') is a primitive root meaning to call, proclaim, or read. It encompasses a range of actions including calling out, crying for help, reading aloud, and summoning. The word can also imply being called or named in various contexts. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
קָרָא 724 vb. call, proclaim, read
Qal
call, cry, utter a loud sound
call, cry
call unto some one
cry for help
proclaim
read aloud
read to oneself
summon
call = name
Niph.
reflex.
pass. be called
Pu. be called
base
H7121 קָרָא call, proclaim, read .. . call, cry, utter a loud sound
. call, cry
. . call unto some one
. cry for help
. proclaim
. . read aloud
. read to oneself
. summon
. call = name
. . reflex.
. pass. be called
. be called
7121 qara' kaw-raw'
a primitive root (rather identical with 7122 through the idea
of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly,
address by name, but used in a wide variety of
applications):--bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for,
forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite,
mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(- ation),
pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
see HEBREW for 07122
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call to.
: call_to/invite/entreat
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
1a5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
1a6) to call, name, give name to, call by
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to call oneself
1b2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
1c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen
קָרָא (qa.ra) — to call: call by.
: call_by/name
1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
1a2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
1a3) to proclaim
1a4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
אַתָּ֫ה (attah) is a second-person pronoun in Hebrew, used to address someone directly. It has masculine and feminine forms: אַתָּה for singular masculine, אַתְּ for singular feminine, אַתֶּם for plural masculine, and אַתֵּן for plural feminine. The entries indicate variations in form and usage, reflecting the pronoun's grammatical complexity.
אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou
base
אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.)
base
אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.)
base
אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.)
base
אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
base
H859a אַתָּ֫ה, אָ֑תָּה pron. 2 s. m. thou H859b אתי, i.e. אתִּי, the older & more original form of אַתְּ thou (fem.) H859c אַתְּ, אָ֑תְּ pron. 2 s. f. thou (fem.) H859d אַתֶּם pron. 2 m. pl. you (masc.) H859e אַתֵּן pron. 2 f. pl. you (fem.)
859 'attah at-taw'
or (shortened); aatta {at-taw'}; or wath {ath}; feminine
(irregular) sometimes nattiy {at-tee'}; plural masculine attem
{at- tem'}; feminine atten {at-ten'}; or oattenah
{at-tay'naw}; or fattennah {at-tane'-naw}; a primitive pronoun
of the second person; thou and thee, or (plural) ye and
you:--thee, thou, ye, you.
אַתָּ֫ה (at.tah) — you(m.s.).
you (second pers. sing. masc.)
אתִּי (ti) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתְּ (at.te) — you(f.s.).
you (second pers. sing. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
אַתֶּם (at.tem) — you(m.p.).
you (second pers. pl. masc.)
Aramaic equivalent: an.tun (אַנְתּוּן "you" H0608)
אַתֵּן (at.ten) — you(f.p.).
you (second pers. pl. fem.)
A grammatical form of at.tah (אַתָּ֫ה "you(m.s.)" H0859A)
Pron — PronounHPp2ms
The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.
אֵם 221 n.f. mother
lit. (human) mother
fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
of animals, dam
= point of departure or division
base
H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother
. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
. of animals, dam
. = point of departure or division
517 'em ame
a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a
wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,
mother, X parting.
see HEBREW for 01
אֵם (em) — mother.
1) mother
1a) of humans
1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)
1c) of animals
2) point of departure or division
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
אָחוֹת (achowth) means 'sister' and can refer to a full sister, half-sister, or a relative. It is used both literally and figuratively, symbolizing relationships such as that of Israel and Judah, and can also imply intimacy or connection. The word is built from a feminine form related to other terms for kinship.
אָחוֹת 114 n.f. sister
sister
= beloved
symbol. of Judah, Samaria, Sodom & Jerusalem
fig. of intimate connection
another
base
H269 אָחוֹת sister
269 'achowth aw-khoth'
irregular feminine of 251; a sister (used very widely (like
250), literally and figuratively):--(an-)other, sister,
together.
see HEBREW for 0251
see HEBREW for 0250
אָחוֹת (a.chot) — sister.
1) sister
1a) sister (same parents)
1b) half-sister (same father)
1c) relative
1c1) (metaph) of Israel's and Judah's relationship
1d) beloved
1d1) bride
1e) (fig.) of intimate connection
1f) another
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp1bs
רִמָּה (rimmah) refers to a worm or maggot, often associated with decay. The word is derived from a root meaning to breed, highlighting its rapid reproduction. It is noted in the context of decay in the Old Testament, emphasizing its role as a sign of deterioration.
רִמָּה n.f. worm (cause and sign of decay)
base
H7415 רִמָּה worm (cause and sign of decay)
7415 rimmah rim-maw'
from 7426 in the sense of breading (compare 7311); a maggot
(as rapidly bred), literally or figuratively:--worm.
see HEBREW for 07426
see HEBREW for 07311
רִמָּה (rim.mah) — worm.
maggot, worm (as cause and sign of decay)
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa