Job 18:14 — Word Study
WLCיִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
BSAHe is tornnâthaq▸ [drawn, pulled, rooted out] from the sheltermibṭâch [security, confidence, refuge] of his tentʼôhel [tabernacle, dwelling place] and is marched offtsâʻad▸ [brought, stepped, led] to the kingmelek [ruler, sovereign] of terrorsballâhâh [fears, dread, alarm]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִנָּתֵ֣ק | he is torn away | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ | from tent his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| מִבְטַח֑וֹ | trust his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ | and it makes march him | Conjunction, verb hiphil third person feminine singular, suffix |
| לְמֶ֣לֶךְ | to [the] king of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃ | sudden terror | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors. |
| KJV | His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. |
| ASV | He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth; And he shall be brought to the king of terrors. |
| YLT | Drawn from his tent is his confidence, And it causeth him to step to the king of terrors. |
| WEB | He will be rooted out of the security of his tent. He will be brought to the king of terrors. |
| BBE | He is pulled out of his tent where he was safe, and he is taken away to the king of fears. |
Translations agree here, consistently conveying the idea of being torn from safety.
The main action is clearly defined, with additional phrases providing context and detail about the subject's removal and fate.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָתַק
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 18:14
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 — The Fate of the Wickedgenerated
Job 18:14 describes the grim fate awaiting the wicked, illustrating how they are forcibly removed from their place of safety and led to confront the ultimate terror, depicted as the 'king of terrors.' This passage is part of a larger discourse on the suffering of the wicked, emphasizing the stark contrast between their temporary security and impending doom.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 8:14 | His confidence is fragile; his security is in a spider’s web. |
| 2 | Job 11:20 | But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.” |
| 3 | Psalm 112:10 | The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish. |
| 4 | Proverbs 10:28 | The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish. |
| 5 | Matthew 7:26–27 | But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִנָּתֵ֣ק, yi.na.Tekgenerated
The verb נָתַק (nathaq) means to tear or pull away. It conveys the action of being forcefully separated from something, like uprooting a plant or breaking a bond. In this verse, it emphasizes the violent removal of a person from their protective environment.
The Niphal form indicates a passive voice, suggesting that the subject is acted upon rather than performing the action. This highlights the helplessness of the individual being torn away from their shelter.
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 verb יִנָּתֵ֣ק governs the main action of the verse, indicating the subject's violent removal. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the source of the removal, a noun phrase indicating the subject's trust, and another verb indicating the action of being marched away.
The sentence structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first the person is torn away, then they are led to face the king of terrors. This progression underscores the severity of their fate.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb יִנָּתֵ֣ק is rendered with the Greek word αὐτοῦ, which indicates possession. This choice reflects a direct connection to the subject's removal from their own shelter.
The translation shows a narrowing of focus, emphasizing the personal nature of the loss and the subsequent fate awaiting the individual.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 18:14 tells us that a person is violently taken from their shelter and led to face the ultimate terror, described as the king of terrors. This reflects the consequences faced by the wicked, emphasizing their loss of security and impending doom.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a forceful removal from a place of safety and security, indicating a loss of protection.
The king of terrors represents death or the ultimate fear that comes with facing mortality.
It illustrates the fate of the wicked, contrasting their temporary security with the inevitable consequences of their actions.
It serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of seeking true refuge and security.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to you to find security in your life, and how can that be affected by external circumstances?
- In what ways do you see the consequences of actions leading to suffering in the world around you?
- How can understanding the fate of the wicked influence your own choices and actions?
- What does it mean to you to confront fears or terrors in your own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, arguing from it to illustrate the consequences of sin and the nature of death as an enemy.
Let his confidence be rooted out of his tabernacle, and let death as a king trample on him. In this place by the title of 'death' we have denoted the enemy of the human race himself, who brought in death,Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 18:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHis confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle,.... That which his confidence was placed in, his wealth and riches, his family, particularly his children, in all which he placed his confidence
Read John Gill on Job 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHis confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. Confidence - all that the father trusted in for domestic happiness-children, fortune, etc.; referring to Job's losses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 18 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHis confidence, i.e. all the matter of his confidence, his riches, children, &c. Out of his tabernacle, i.e. out of his habitation. It shall bring him, to wit, the loss of his confidence. To the king of terrors; either, 1. Into extreme fears and horrors of mind. Or, 2. To death, which even Aristotle called the most terrible of all terribles. And this it will do, either because it will expose him to his enemies, who will kill him; or because the sense of his disappointments, and losses, and dangers will oppress his spirits, and break his heart.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 18 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 18:14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.Ver. 14. And his confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle] Whatsoever he trusteth in about his house shall be pulled up by the roots, or grubbed up. Thus it befell Doeg, Psalms 52:7. And this disappointment, this broken confidence of his, shall bring him, or make him go, to the king of terrors; i.e. to death, that most terrible of terribles, as the philosopher calleth it (Aristot.). Or the devil (as R. Solomon interpreteth it), that black prince, Ephesians 6:12, to whom wicked men are brought by death, which to them is not only nature’ s slaughterman, but God’ s curse, and…
Read John Trapp on Job 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14) His confidence shall be rooted out.—Rather, he shall be rooted out of his tent which he trusted was his own.The king of terrors.—Perhaps the most remarkable personification of unseen forces to be found in the Bible.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 18 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. His confidence shall be rooted out] His dwelling-place, how well soever fortified, shall now he deemed utterly insecure. And it shall bring him to the king of terrors.] Or, as Mr. Good translates, "And dissolution shall invade him as a monarch." He shall be completely and finally overpowered. The phrase king of terrors has been generally thought to mean death; but it is not used in any such way in the text. For למלך בלהות lemelech ballahoth, to the king of destructions, one of De Rossi's MSS. has כמלך kemelech, "as a king;" and one, instead of בלהות ballahoth, with ו vau holem, to indicate the plural, terrors or destructions, has בלהות ballahuth, with ו vau shurek, which is…
Read AdamClarke on Job 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. The meaning is, He shall be plucked out of his tent wherein he trusted, And he shall be brought to the king of terrors. In the phrase “his tent wherein he trusted” Bildad goes back to his former figure of the sinner’s house which he grasps to maintain himself, ch. Job 8:15. The “king of terrors” is death. In Psalms 49:14 a somewhat different figure is employed, that of a shepherd: The wicked “like sheep are put in Sheol, Death herds them,” cf. Isaiah 28:15. Death is personified as rex tremendus, Virg. Geo. 4:469 (Hitzig); there is no reference to Satan, who has rule in the realm of death, Hebrews 2:14, nor to any mythical personage like the Pluto of classical antiquity. The last scenes…
Read Cambridge on Job 18 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHis confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle - Security shall forsake his dwelling, and he shall be subject to constant alarms.
Read Albert Barnes 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
He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.
He will be rooted out of the security of his tent. He will be brought to the king of terrors.
He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.
He is dragged from the security of his tent, and marched off to the king of terrors.
Tyndale line
His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth; And he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
He shall be rooted out of his tent wherein he trusteth; and he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors.
His hope shalbe rooted out of his dwelling, and shall cause him to go to the King of feare.
Strictly literal
His confidence shall be rooted out of his tent, and it shall lead him away to the king of terrors:
Drawn from his tent is his confidence, And it causeth him to step to the king of terrors.
His confidence is drawn from his tent, || And it causes him to step to the king of terrors.
Then will be plucked up out of his tent his confidence, and [the evil] will urge him forward to the king of terrors.
He is torn from the safety of his tent and marched off to the king of terrors.
From the Latin
Let his confidence be rooted out of his tabernacle, and let destruction tread upon him like a king.
Simplified
They are torn from the homes they trusted in and taken to the king of terrors.
He is pulled out of his tent where he was safe, and he is taken away to the king of fears.
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 יִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃, while the Septuagint matches 4 of the 6 words. This indicates a general agreement in meaning, though there are differences in word order and phrasing.
יִנָּתֵ֣ק מֵ֭אָהֳלוֹ מִבְטַח֑וֹ וְ֝תַצְעִדֵ֗הוּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
4 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 18:14
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.
נָתַק (nathaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pull, draw, or tear away. It encompasses various actions such as breaking, lifting, and rooting out, with different nuances in its grammatical forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal. The entries indicate that it can refer to both active and passive forms of tearing or drawing away.
[נָתַק] vb. pull, draw, tear away, apart, off
Qal
draw away
draw or pull off
pull, tear away
Niph.
be drawn away
be torn apart, or in two, snapped
be separated
Pi.
tear apart, snap
tear out, up
Hiph.
draw away
drag them away
Hoph. they were drawn away from the city
base
H5423 נָתַק pull, draw, tear away, apart, off
5423 nathaq naw-thak'
a primitive root; to tear off:--break (off), burst, draw
(away), lift up, pluck (away, off), pull (out), root out.
נָתַק (na.taq) — to tear.
1) to pull or tear or draw off or away or apart, draw out, pluck up, break, lift, root out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw away
1a2) to draw or pull off
1a3) to pull or tear away
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be drawn away, be drawn out
1b2) to be torn apart or in two, be snapped
1b3) to be separated
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to tear apart, snap
1c2) to tear out, tear up, tear away
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to draw away
1d2) to drag away
1e) (Hophal) to be drawn away
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVNi3ms
The Hebrew word אֹ֫הֶל (*ohel*) means 'tent' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be conspicuous.' It encompasses various meanings, including a nomad's tent, a dwelling or home, and specifically refers to the sacred tent used for worship, known as the tabernacle. The entries consistently highlight its association with transience and habitation.
אֹ֫הֶל 343 n.m. tent
tent of nomad
dwelling, habitation
the sacred tent used in worship of God
base
H168 אֹ֫הֶל tent
168 'ohel o'-hel
from 166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a
distance):--covering, (dwelling)(place), home, tabernacle,
tent.
see HEBREW for 0166
אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent.
: tent
1) tent
1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience
1b) dwelling, home, habitation
1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)
Also means: o.hel (אֹ֫הֶל ": home" H0168H)
אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent: home.
: home
1) tent
1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience
1b) dwelling, home, habitation
1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
מִבְטָח (mibtach) refers to confidence, encompassing both the act of confiding and the state of security or assurance. It is derived from a root meaning 'refuge' and can denote trust or hope. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts related to security and assurance.
מִבְטָח n.[m.] confidence
the act of confiding
the object of confidence
the state of confidence, security.
base
H4009 מִבְטָח confidence . the act of confiding
. the object of confidence
. the state of confidence, security.
4009 mibtach mib-tawkh'
from 982; properly, a refuge, i.e. (objective) security, or
(subjective) assurance:--confidence, hope, sure, trust.
see HEBREW for 0982
מִבְטָח (miv.tach) — confidence.
1) trust, confidence, refuge
1a) act of confiding
1b) object of confidence
1c) state of confidence, security
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
צָעַד (tsa`ad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to step or march. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of pacing or moving regularly, and can also imply causing someone to march. The entries highlight its use in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, indicating both simple and causative actions.
[צָעַד] vb. step, march
Qal step, march
Hiph. and it (an unseen power) makes him march
base
H6805 [צָעַד] step, march
6805 tsa`ad tsaw-ad'
a primitive root; to pace, i.e. step regularly; (upward) to
mount; (along) to march; (down and causatively) to hurl:--
bring, go, march (through), run over.
צָעַד (tsa.ad) — to march.
1) to step, march, stride
1a) (Qal) to step, march
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to march
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs | Suff — Conjunction · verb hiphil third person feminine singular · suffixHC/Vhu3fs/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word מֶ֫לֶךְ (*melek*) means 'king.' It is derived from a root that suggests royalty. The term appears in various contexts, including references to specific kings and locations, such as the 'King's Highway' in Numbers 20:17 and the 'King's Valley' in Genesis 14:17. The lexicons note its Aramaic equivalent and mention its use in the context of individuals like Hammelech in Jeremiah.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 2513 n.m. king
base
H4428 מֶ֫לֶךְ king
4428 melek meh'-lek
from 4427; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04427
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
1) king
Aramaic equivalent: me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4430)
הַמֶּלֶךְ (me.lekh) — `the king`.
'the king' or a name, Hammelech in KJV of Jer.36.26; 38.6- a man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
§ A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.36.26;
father of: Jerahmeel (H3396I) and Malchijah (H4441H); also translated "the king";
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Highway) (Num.20.17)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
Another name of she.lach (שֶׁ֫לַח "Shelah" H7975A)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — Milcom.
Another name of mo.lekh (מֹ֫לֶךְ "Molech" H4432)
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — King's.
King's (Valley) (Gen.14.17)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בַּלָּהָה (ballahah) refers to concepts of terror, calamity, and destruction. It is derived from a root meaning alarm and primarily denotes dreadful events or troubles. The entries consistently emphasize its association with fear and disastrous occurrences, without notable disagreements among the lexicons.
בַּלָּהָה n.f. terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction
only pl. terrors
calamity
base
H1091 בַּלָּהָה terror, dreadful event, calamity, destruction
1091 ballahah bal-law-haw'
from 1089; alarm; hence, destruction:--terror, trouble.
see HEBREW for 01089
בַּלָּהָה (bal.la.hah) — terror.
terror, destruction, calamity, dreadful event
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa