Job 18:12 — Word Study
WLCיְהִי־ רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃
BSAHis strengthʼôwn [physical power, ability] ishâyâh▸ depletedrâʻêb [hungerbitten, wasted with famine] ◂and calamityʼêyd [disaster, oppression, misfortune] [is] readykûwn [established, set up]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְהִי־ | it is | Verb, Qal, jussive third person masculine singular |
| רָעֵ֥ב | hungry | Adj |
| אֹנ֑וֹ | trouble his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝אֵ֗יד | and disaster | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| נָכ֥וֹן | [is] prepared | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) masculine singular |
| לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃ | for stumbling his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | His strength is depleted, and calamity is ready at his side. |
| KJV | His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. |
| ASV | His strength shall be hunger-bitten, And calamity shall be ready at his side. |
| YLT | Hungry is his sorrow, And calamity is ready at his side. |
| WEB | His strength will be famished. Calamity will be ready at his side. |
| BBE | His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep. |
Where they part company is רָעֵ֥ב — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause presents the subject's condition, while the subordinate clauses provide additional context about the impending disaster.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֵיד
verbהָיָה
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 18:12
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 Wickedgenerated
Job 18:12 is part of a discourse on the fate of the wicked, illustrating the consequences of their actions. Job reflects on how calamity and despair are ever-present for those who oppose God, contrasting their plight with the righteousness he seeks to uphold. The surrounding verses depict the terror and suffering that accompany such a life, emphasizing the stark reality of their situation.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 15:23–24 | He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 2:5–36 | The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away. |
| 3 | Psalm 34:10 | Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. |
| 4 | Psalm 109:10 | May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes. |
| 5 | Psalm 7:12–14 | If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֵיד, ve.'Eidgenerated
The word אֵיד (eid) refers to calamity or disaster, indicating a state of distress or misfortune. It is often used in contexts that highlight suffering and oppression, suggesting a heavy burden or calamity that befalls individuals. This term captures the essence of the hardships faced by the wicked, as seen in Job's reflections.
In this verse, אֵיד emphasizes the imminent disaster that is 'ready' at the side of the individual, reinforcing the idea that calamity is not just a distant threat but a present reality, waiting to strike.
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. The BSB uses calamity, which aligns with the KJV and ASV, both of which also convey a sense of disaster.
Where they part company is רָעֵ֥ב — the word for 'hungry' shows variation: hungry (LSV, NETB, YLT), hungerbitten (KJV), and wasted with famine (DRA). This reflects different emphases on the state of hunger, with some translations focusing on the physical aspect while others highlight the severity.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יְהִי governs the entire verse, indicating a state of being. The subject is אֹנ֑וֹ, which refers to strength, while the object is רָעֵ֥ב, describing the state of hunger. The structure reveals a direct relationship between the subject's condition and the impending calamity.
The order of the Hebrew words places emphasis on the subject's weakness and the immediacy of disaster, with the verb leading, followed by the subject and object, creating a clear picture of the situation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֵיד as πτῶμα, which means 'a fall' or 'a disaster'. This choice indicates a broader interpretation of calamity, suggesting not just a state of distress but a complete downfall.
The Greek word ἔλθοισαν for יְהִי implies a coming into being, which aligns with the Hebrew meaning but shifts the focus slightly towards the action of calamity arriving.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 18:12 describes a person whose strength is failing and who faces disaster. The verse emphasizes the immediate threat of calamity that accompanies their weakened state, illustrating the dire consequences of their actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates a loss of physical power or ability, suggesting that the person is in a vulnerable state, unable to withstand challenges.
This phrase highlights the immediacy of disaster, implying that trouble is not far away and is poised to strike at any moment.
It illustrates the consequences of wickedness, showing how those who oppose God face inevitable calamity and suffering.
Hunger symbolizes a state of desperation and weakness, reinforcing the idea that the individual is not only physically depleted but also spiritually and emotionally vulnerable.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the consequences of poor choices reflected in my life or the lives of others?
- How can I prepare myself spiritually to avoid the pitfalls described in this verse?
- What does it mean to me that calamity can be 'ready' at my side?
- How can I support others who are experiencing hardship or calamity?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have reflected on this verse, noting its implications for understanding the suffering of the wicked and the nature of calamity in the life of Job.
These words are appropriate to the impious but not at all to Job, because “pains have not destroyed him” but have made him appear to be a powerful fighter, have made him appear doubly just.Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Let his strength be hungerbitten, and starvation invade his ribs. After the manner of Holy Scripture, he has the appearance of wishing that which he foresees will be, not surely in the spirit of one uttering curses,Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 18:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHis strength shall be hungerbitten,.... Or "shall be famine" (u), or hunger, that is, shall be weakened by it; famine is a sore evil, and greatly weakens thee natural strength of men; want of food
Read John Gill on Job 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHis strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. The Hebrew is brief and bold, 'his strength is hungry.' Besides dangers at every step, the sinner's own strength is wasted by disease.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 18 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHis strength; either, 1. His children, which are, and are called, a man’ s strength, as ,5. Or rather, 2. His wealth, and power, and prosperity. Hunger-bitten, or famished, i.e. utterly consumed. Shall be ready at his side, i.e. shall follow him at the heels, as a most diligent servant, or constant companion.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 18 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 18:12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction [shall be] ready at his side.Ver. 12. His strength shall be hunger bitten] Heb. His strength (or wealth) shall be famine, Fit famelicum robur eius. Or, Famine shall be his strength. He, who while, having health and wealth at will, fared deliciously and gathered strength, shall be hunger starved, and hardly have prisoner’ s pittance; so much only as will neither keep him alive nor suffer him to die. See 1 Samuel 2:5; 1 Samuel 2:36. It is as much, saith Brentius, as we use to say of an extreme poor or feeble person, his wealth is poverty, his strength weakness. And destruction shall be ready at his side] i.e. Shall suddenly and…
Read John Trapp on Job 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) His strength.—By “strength” some understand his firstborn son, as Genesis 49:3, but it is not necessary to take it otherwise than literally. Destruction shall be ready at his side.—Or, according to some, for his halting; shall lie in wait for his tripping in order to overthrow him.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5–21. The disastrous end of the wicked, in the moral order of the world, is certain The last verse naturally led over to this idea, which is the theme of the speech. The idea is set out in a great variety of graphic figures, and the speech is studded with sententious and proverbial sayings in the manner of the speaker’s first discourse (ch. 8). The history of the wicked man’s downfall is followed through all its stages:— Job 18:5-7. The principle—the sinner’s light goes out. Job 18:8-11. The progress of his downfall. Job 18:12-14. The final scenes. Job 18:15-17. The extinction of his race and name. Job 18:18-21. Men’s horror of his fate and memory. –7. The principle—the sinner’s light goes…
Read Cambridge on Job 18 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHis strength shall be hungerbitten - Shall be exhausted by hunger or famine.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 18 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleDecade, a. — Ravenous calamity, maiming disease, (see note Job 2:7,) and inexorable death — three insatiate furies — remand the wicked to the king of terrors, while the doom of Sodom falls upon his
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 18 →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
His strength is depleted, and calamity is ready at his side.
His strength will be famished. Calamity will be ready at his side.
His strength is depleted, and calamity is ready at his side.
Calamity is hungry for him, and misfortune is ready at his side.
Tyndale line
His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
His strength shall be hunger-bitten, And calamity shall be ready at his side.
His strength shall be hunger-bitten and calamity shall be ready for his halting.
His strength shall be hunger-bitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side.
His strength shalbe famine: and destruction shalbe readie at his side.
Strictly literal
His strength is hunger-bitten, and calamity is ready at his side.
Hungry is his sorrow, And calamity is ready at his side.
His sorrow is hungry, || And calamity is ready at his side.
His first-born will suffer hunger, and calamity will be ready for his wife.
His wealth will turn into hunger, and calamity will be ready at his side.
From the Latin
Let his strength be wasted with famine, and let hunger invade his ribs.
Simplified
Hunger robs them of strength; disaster waits for them when they fall.
His strength is made feeble for need of food, and destruction is waiting for his falling footstep.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 reads יְהִי־ רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃, while the Septuagint matches five of the six words, indicating strong agreement between the two texts, with only slight variations in wording.
יְהִי־ רָעֵ֥ב אֹנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵ֗יד נָכ֥וֹן לְצַלְעֽוֹ׃
5 of the 6 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 18:12
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 הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · jussive third person masculine singularHVqj3ms
רָעֵב (ra'ev) means 'hungry' and can describe varying intensities of hunger. It can also refer to a 'hungry man' as a noun or imply failing strength in a figurative sense. The word is derived from רָעַב (ra'ab), which is linked to the concept of hunger.
רָעֵב adj. hungry
base
H7457 רָעֵב hungry
7457 ra`eb raw-abe'
from 7456; hungry (more or less intensely):--hunger bitten,
hungry.
see HEBREW for 07456
רָעֵב (ra.ev) — hungry.
1) hungry
1a) hungry
1b) hungry man (subst)
1c) of failing strength (fig)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
אוֹן (on) encompasses concepts of strength, vigor, and wealth. It is built from the idea of effort leading to success, indicating not just physical might but also generative power and material wealth. The term appears in contexts relating to both human strength and resources.
אוֹן n.m. vigour, wealth
manly vigor
strength
wealth
base
H202 אוֹן vigour, wealth . manly vigor
. strength
. wealth
202 'own one
probably from the same as 205 (in the sense of effort, but
successful); ability, power, (figuratively) wealth:--force,
goods, might, strength, substance.
see HEBREW for 0205
אוֹן (on) — strength.
1) vigour, generative power
2) wealth
3) physical strength (of men and behemoth)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
אֵיד (eyd) refers to distress or calamity, encompassing various forms of misfortune such as national calamities, burdens of the righteous, and disasters affecting the wicked. It is derived from a root meaning to bend down, indicating oppression or ruin. The term appears in contexts related to suffering and disaster.
אֵיד n.m. distress, calamity
national calam. of Isr. (apostate)
of righteous sufferer
oft. of wicked
base
H343 אֵיד distress, calamity
343 'eyd ade
from the same as 181 (in the sense of bending down);
oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin:--calamity,
destruction.
see HEBREW for 0181
אֵיד (ed) — calamity.
1) distress, burden, calamity
1a) burden (of the righteous)
1b) calamity (of nation)
1c) disaster (of wicked)
1d) day of calamity
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
כּוּן (kuwn) is a Hebrew verb meaning to establish or prepare. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to be firm, to fix, to direct, and to be ready, with applications in both literal and figurative contexts. The entries indicate various forms of the verb, such as Niph'al (to be established) and Hiph'il (to establish), but there is a note on a noun form, נָכוֹן (nakhon), meaning 'blow'.
[כּוּן] 218 vb. prob. be firm, only in der. conj.
Niph.
be set up, established, fixed
in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways
prepare, be ready
pass. be prepared, of judgments
Hiph.
establish, set up
fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift
provide for, provide, furnish
direct one's face toward
arrange, order
Hoph.
be established, of throne
be prepared for
Po‛lēl.
set up, establish
constitute, make, a man (in womb)
fix, so as to be ready
direct
Po‛lal. be established
Hithpo‛l. be established
base
נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow Jb 12:5
ref
H3559a כּוּן prob. be firm, only in der. conj. . . be set up, established, fixed
. in a moral sense, be directed aright, of ways
. prepare, be ready
. pass. be prepared, of judgments
. . establish, set up
. . fix, so as to be ready, make ready, prepare, a gift
. provide for, provide, furnish
. direct one's face toward
. arrange, order
. . be established, of throne
. be prepared for
. . set up, establish
. constitute, make, a man (in womb)
. fix, so as to be ready
. direct
. be established
. be established
H3559b נָכוֹן n. [m.] = blow
3559 kuwn koon
a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand
perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great
variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix,
prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper
or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness,
fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet,
ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self),
provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright,
fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very
deed.
כּוּן (kun) — to establish: prepare.
: prepare/direct
1) to be firm, be stable, be established
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be set up, be established, be fixed
1a1a) to be firmly established
1a1b) to be established, be stable, be secure, be enduring
1a1c) to be fixed, be securely determined
1a2) to be directed aright, be fixed aright, be steadfast (moral sense)
1a3) to prepare, be ready
1a4) to be prepared, be arranged, be settled
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm
1b2) to fix, make ready, prepare, provide, provide for, furnish
1b3) to direct toward (moral sense)
1b4) to arrange, order
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be established, be fastened
1c2) to be prepared, be ready
1d) (Polel)
1d1) to set up, establish
1d2) to constitute, make
1d3) to fix
1d4) to direct
1e) (Pulal) to be established, be prepared
1f) (Hithpolel) to be established, be restored
נָכוֹן (na.khon) — blow.
V-Niphal — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine singularHVNrmsa
צֶ֫לַע (tsela`) refers to a state of limping or stumbling, suggesting a physical or metaphorical adversity. The word is derived from a related term and is noted for its figurative use in describing hardship. It appears in contexts where movement is impaired or hindered.
צֶ֫לַע n.[m.] limping, stumbling
base
H6761 צֶ֫לַע
6761 tsela` tseh'-lah
from 6760; a limping or full (figuratively):--adversity,
halt(-ing).
see HEBREW for 06760
צֶ֫לַע (tse.la) — stumbling.
limping, stumbling
HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms