Job 18:16 — Word Study
WLCמִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃
BSAThe rootssheresh [underground part of a plant, foundation] beneath himtachath dry upyâbêsh▸ [to wither, become ashamed] and the branchesqâtsîyr [limbs, shoots] above himmaʻal [in a higher position, over] wither awaynâmal▸ [languish, become clipped]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מִ֭תַּחַת | beneath | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו | roots his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| יִבָ֑שׁוּ | they are dried up | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל | and above | Conjunction, preposition |
| יִמַּ֥ל | it withers | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| קְצִירֽוֹ׃ | branch[es] his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away. |
| KJV | His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. |
| ASV | His roots shall be dried up beneath, And above shall his branch be cut off. |
| YLT | From beneath his roots are dried up, And from above cut off is his crop. |
| WEB | His roots will be dried up beneath. His branch will be cut off above. |
| BBE | Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off. |
Where they part company is in the nuances of the verbs used to describe the drying and withering.
Two main clauses connected by a conjunction, with prepositional phrases indicating location.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָבֵשׁ
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 18:16
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 18:16 presents a vivid metaphor for the destruction that befalls the wicked. The roots, representing stability and sustenance, dry up, while the branches, symbolizing outward growth and vitality, wither away. This imagery serves to illustrate the complete downfall of those who oppose God, contrasting with the flourishing life of the righteous, as seen in other parts of Job and the wisdom literature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 29:19 | My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches. |
| 2 | Isaiah 5:24 | Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. |
| 3 | Hosea 9:16 | Ephraim is struck down; their root is withered; they cannot bear fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay the darlings of their wombs. |
| 4 | Amos 2:9 | Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below. |
| 5 | Malachi 4:1 | “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו, sha.ra.Shavgenerated
The word שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (*sheresh*) means 'root' and refers to the underground part of a plant, which is essential for its nourishment and stability. It can also represent a source or foundation, indicating depth and permanence. In this verse, the roots symbolize the essential support that is now failing.
As a noun in the plural construct form, it indicates that multiple roots are involved, emphasizing the totality of the loss experienced by the wicked. The imagery suggests that without these roots, the person lacks stability and sustenance, leading to their ultimate demise.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the rendering of שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו as 'roots' and convey the idea of drying up and withering away.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse consists of two main clauses linked by a conjunction. The first clause describes the action of the roots drying up, while the second clause details the withering of the branches above.
The finite verbs יִבָ֑שׁוּ and יִמַּ֥ל govern their respective subjects, creating a parallelism that enhances the imagery of desolation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו as αὐτοῦ, indicating a personal possession of the roots. This choice may suggest a more intimate connection between the individual and their fate, emphasizing the personal nature of the judgment.
The Greek word χηρανθήσονται for 'they are dried up' reflects a similar meaning to the Hebrew, reinforcing the theme of loss and decay.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 18:16 describes how the roots beneath a person dry up, indicating a loss of stability and support, while the branches above wither away, symbolizing a complete decline. This imagery illustrates the fate of the wicked, contrasting their downfall with the flourishing life of the righteous.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The roots symbolize stability and support, which are essential for life; their drying up indicates a total loss of foundation.
The withering of the branches signifies a loss of vitality and outward growth, reflecting the consequences of wickedness.
This verse highlights the theme of divine justice, showing that the wicked ultimately face destruction, while the righteous are rewarded.
Yes, similar imagery can be found in other passages, such as Isaiah 5:24 and Hosea 9:16, which also depict the consequences of wickedness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the importance of roots in my own life, and how do they provide stability?
- How can I ensure that I am nurturing the good 'branches' in my life to prevent them from withering?
- What lessons can I learn from the fate of the wicked as described in this verse?
- How does understanding this imagery help me in my faith journey?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers often referenced Job's reflections on suffering and judgment. Here, Gregory the Dialogist interprets the imagery of roots and branches in relation to human thoughts and actions.
Let his roots be dried up beneath, and above let his crop be spoiled. For what do we understand by the title of 'roots,' which are set out of sight, and bring forth a shoot into open view, but the thoughts, which,Early Church Fathers on Job 18 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 18:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHis roots shall be dried up beneath,.... Wicked men are sometimes compared to trees; to trees of the wood, barren, and unfruitful; to trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; and
Read John Gill on Job 18 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHis roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. Roots - himself.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 18 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Biblei.e. He shall be destroyed, both root and branch, i.e. both himself and his posterity. Compare .
Read Matthew Poole on Job 18 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 18:16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.Ver. 16. His roots shall be dried up beneath, &c.] The meaning is, saith Diodati, he shall be deprived of God’ s grace, which is the root of all happiness, and of his blessing, which is the top of it.
Read John Trapp on Job 18 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) His roots shall be dried up.—With tacit allusion to what he had said in Job 8:12, and also to the destruction of Job’s own offspring, which had already been accomplished.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 18 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. His roots shall be dried up - his branch be cut off.] He shall be as utterly destroyed, both in himself, his posterity, and his property, as a tree is whose branches are all lopped off, and whose every root is cut away.
Read AdamClarke on Job 18 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. shall his branch be cut off] Rather, his branches shall wither, see on ch. Job 14:2. The tree is not a figure for the sinner as a single person, but as the centre of a family, widely ramified and firmly established (his roots), and numerous (his branches). These all perish with him, cf. Bildad’s former plant-life lore, ch. Job 8:11 seq., 16 seq.
Read Cambridge on Job 18 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHis roots shall be dried up - Another image of complete desolation - where he is compared to a tree that is dead - a figure whose meaning is obvious, and which often occurs; see Job 15:30, note; Job 8:12-13, notes.
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
The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.
His roots will be dried up beneath. His branch will be cut off above.
The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.
Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above.
Tyndale line
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
His roots shall be dried up beneath, And above shall his branch be cut off.
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.
His rootes shalbe dryed vp beneath, and aboue shall his branche be cut downe.
Strictly literal
His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off;
From beneath his roots are dried up, And from above cut off is his crop.
From beneath his roots are dried up, || And from above his crop is cut off.
Beneath, his roots will be dried up, and above will his boughs he cut away.
His roots will be dried up beneath; above will his branch be cut off.
From the Latin
Let his roots be dried up beneath, and his harvest destroyed above.
Simplified
They wither away, roots below and branches above;
Under the earth his roots are dry, and over it his branch is cut off.
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 מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃, matching word for word. This consistency across witnesses highlights the stability of the text in this passage.
מִ֭תַּחַת שָֽׁרָשָׁ֣יו יִבָ֑שׁוּ וּ֝מִמַּ֗עַל יִמַּ֥ל קְצִירֽוֹ׃
6 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 18:16
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.
תַּחַת (tachath) refers to the concept of being underneath or below. It can function as a noun meaning 'the under part,' or as an adverb and preposition indicating position or substitution, such as 'instead of' or 'for the sake of.' The word encompasses various uses, including physical placement and metaphorical meanings related to subjection or exchange.
תַּחַת n.[m.] the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
base
H8478 תַּחַת the under part, hence as adv. accus. and prep. underneath, below, instead of
8478 tachath takh'-ath
from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only
adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix
underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat,
in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead
of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore,
with.
see HEBREW for 08430
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: under.
: under/below
1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m
1a) the under part adv accus
1b) beneath prep
1c) under, beneath
1c1) at the foot of (idiom)
1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig)
1c3) of subjection or conquest
1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands
1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun)
1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense)
1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged)
conj
1e) instead of, instead of that
1f) in return for that, because that in compounds
1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion)
1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
תַּחַת (ta.chat) — underneath: instead.
: instead/in_place/exchange
Prep | Prep — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
be-neth': The adverb for "under" (kato). In Joh 8:23, the words "ye are from beneath," suggest hell in contrast to heaven. But the succeeding clause, "ye are of this world," gives the key for the interpretation. Earth, not hell, is expressed, although "that more awful meaning surely is not excluded" (Alford).
The Hebrew word שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (*sheresh*) means 'root' and can refer to both literal roots and metaphorical uses, such as a foundation or source of something. It is associated with concepts of depth and permanence. The word is derived from a related term, שָׁרַשׁ (*sharash*, H8327), which also pertains to roots.
שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ n.m. root
base
H8328 שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ root
8328 sheresh sheh'-resh
from 8327; a root (literally or figuratively):--bottom,
deep, heel, root.
see HEBREW for 08327
שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ (she.resh) — root.
1) root
1a) root (literal)
1b) root (of people involving firmness or permanence) (fig)
1c) root, bottom (as lowest stratum) (fig)
Aramaic equivalent: sho.resh (שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ "root" H8330)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
יָבֵשׁ (yabesh) primarily means to be dry or to wither. It can refer to something that is dried up or lacking moisture, as well as the act of drying something out. The word has different forms, including Qal (to be dry), Piel (to make dry), and Hiphil (to dry up). It conveys a sense of desiccation or loss of vitality.
יָבֵשׁ vb. be dry, dried up, withered
Qal
be dry, dried up without moisture
be dried up
Pi. make dry, dry up
Hiph. dry up, make dry
dry up water
make dry, wither
exhibit dryness
base
H3001 יָבֵשׁ be dry, dried up, withered
3001 yabesh yaw-bashe'
a primitive root; to be ashamed, confused or disappointed;
also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as
herbage):--be ashamed, clean, be confounded, (make) dry (up),
(do) shame(-fully), X utterly, wither (away).
יָבֵשׁ (ya.vesh) — to wither.
1) to make dry, wither, be dry, become dry, be dried up, be withered
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be dry, be dried up, be without moisture
1a2) to be dried up
1b) (Piel) to make dry, dry up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to dry up, make dry
1c1a) to dry up (water)
1c1b) to make dry, wither
1c1c) to exhibit dryness
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
מַ֫עַל (ma'al) refers to the concept of being above or upward. It is primarily used as a noun meaning 'higher part' but appears adverbially and prepositionally in phrases indicating positions such as 'above' or 'on higher ground.' The word is built from a root meaning 'to go up' and is found in various contexts in the Old Testament.
מַ֫עַל 140 subst., higher part, only in adv. and prep. phrases, above, upward
base
H4605 מַ֫עַל subst., higher part, only in adv. and prep. phrases, above, upward
4605 ma`al mah'al
from 5927; properly, the upper part, used only adverbially
with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.:--
above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on (X very) high, over,
up(-on, -ward), very.
see HEBREW for 05927
מַ֫עַל (ma.al) — above.
subst
1) higher part, upper part
adv
1a) above
prep
1b) on the top of, above, on higher ground than
with locative
1c) upwards, higher, above
Conj | Prep | Adv — Conjunction · prepositionHC/R/Acbsa
The Hebrew word מָלַל (*malal*) has two primary meanings: to languish or wither, and to circumcise. It is built from the root that conveys the idea of being cut or clipped. The Old Testament references include circumcision in Genesis 17:11 and Joshua 5:2, while the concept of languishing appears in various contexts.
H5243a מָלַל languish, wither, fade H5243b מָלַל circumcise
5243 namal naw-mal'
a primitive root; to become clipped or (specifically)
circumcised:--(branch to) be cut down (off), circumcise.
מָלַל (ma.lal) — to languish.
1) to languish, wither, fade
1a) (Qal) to hang down, wither
נָמַל (na.mal) — to cut.
(Qal) to circumcise, become clipped, be circumcised, be cut off
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
קָצִיר (qatsiyr) refers to the act of harvesting or the harvest itself, encompassing the process, the crop, and the time of harvest. It can also denote boughs or branches of trees. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to sever,' indicating its connection to reaping.
קָצִיר n.m. harvesting, harvest
process of harvesting
what is reaped, harvested, crop
time of harvest
base
קָצִיר n.m. usually coll., boughs, branches
base
H7105a קָצִיר harvesting, harvest H7105b קָצִיר usually coll., boughs, branches
7105 qatsiyr kaw-tseer'
from 7114; severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the
time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or
simply foliage):--bough, branch, harvest (man).
see HEBREW for 07114
קָצִיר (qa.tsir) — harvest.
1) harvest, harvesting
1a) process of harvesting
1b) crop, what is harvested or reaped
1c) time of harvest
קָצִיר (qa.tsir) — foliage.
boughs, branches
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms