Job 19:3 — Word Study
WLCזֶ֤ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּ֭עָמִים תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי לֹֽא־ תֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ תַּהְכְּרוּ־ לִֽי׃
BSATenʻeser [a decade, a multitude of] timespaʻam ◂nowzeh you have reproached mekâlam▸ [humiliated, insulted] you shamelesslybûwsh▸ [without guilt, impudently] mistreathâkar△▸ [wrong, deal hardly with]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| זֶ֤ה | this | Particle |
| עֶ֣שֶׂר | ten | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| פְּ֭עָמִים | times | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי | you have insulted me | Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine plural, suffix |
| לֹֽא־ | not | Particle |
| תֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ | you have been ashamed | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
| תַּהְכְּרוּ־ | you have ill-treated | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
| לִֽי׃ | me | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me. |
| KJV | These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. |
| ASV | These ten times have ye reproached me: Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me. |
| YLT | These ten times ye put me to shame, ye blush not. Ye make yourselves strange to me — |
| WEB | You have reproached me ten times. You aren’t ashamed that you attack me. |
| BBE | Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong. |
The translations agree on the core meaning of Job's reproach, emphasizing his feelings of insult and mistreatment.
The structure of the sentence highlights the main action of reproach and the manner in which Job feels mistreated.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbבּוֹשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 8 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
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 19:3
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 Response to His Friendsgenerated
Job 19:3 captures Job's anguish as he confronts his friends about their relentless reproaches. He feels deeply insulted and mistreated, expressing that their words have caused him significant emotional pain. This moment reflects Job's struggle for dignity amidst his suffering, as he articulates the depth of his distress and the unfairness of his treatment, paralleling the broader themes of suffering and justice found throughout the book of Job.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 31:7 | And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:26 | When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied. |
| 3 | Numbers 14:22 | not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— |
| 4 | Nehemiah 4:12 | At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” |
| 5 | Daniel 1:20 | In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי, takh.li.Mu.nigenerated
The verb תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי (takh.li.Mu.ni) is a Hiphil imperfect form meaning 'you have insulted me' or 'you have humiliated me.' It conveys a sense of being wronged or treated harshly, indicating that Job feels deeply hurt by the actions of his friends.
This word is rooted in כָּלַם (kalam), which means to humiliate or insult. Job's use of this verb emphasizes his emotional state and the impact of his friends' words on his dignity.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the phrase, with all versions reflecting the sense of insult and mistreatment conveyed in the original Hebrew.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי (you have insulted me) governs the sentence, with several phrases providing context: the adverbial elements indicating the frequency of insult and the prepositional phrase indicating the object of the mistreatment.
Job's statement is structured to emphasize the repeated nature of the reproach ('ten times'), which adds weight to his claim of being wronged.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates the key verb תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי as μου, which means 'me.' This choice reflects a direct and personal address, emphasizing Job's plea for recognition of his suffering.
The LXX does not provide a direct equivalent for all Hebrew terms, indicating a more interpretative approach in conveying Job's emotional state.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 19:3 shows Job feeling deeply hurt and insulted by his friends, who have reproached him ten times. He expresses that their treatment is shameless and unjust, highlighting his emotional pain.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job uses 'ten times' to emphasize the repeated nature of the insults he has faced from his friends.
Job feels humiliated and wronged by the way his friends are speaking to him.
Job's lament highlights his struggle for dignity and understanding in the midst of his suffering.
Job's friends contribute to his pain by reproaching him and failing to offer comfort during his time of distress.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced feelings of shame or humiliation from others?
- How can I better support those who are suffering instead of adding to their pain?
- What lessons can I learn from Job's response to his friends?
- How do I handle criticism or reproach in my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators have noted Job's suffering and the nature of his friends' criticisms, reflecting on the emotional weight of this verse.
“Only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.… You speak against me; you do not feel for me but bear hard upon me.… May the dignity of him who punishes me make you change your mind,” he says.Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →
Lo, these ten times ye confound me. On enumerating the successive times of the speeches of Job's friends, we learn that as yet they had spoken but five times.Early Church Fathers on Job 19 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 19:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThese ten times have ye reproached me,.... Referring not to ten sections or paragraphs, in which they had done it, as Jarchi; or to the five speeches his friends, in which their reproaches were
Read John Gill on Job 19 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThese ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. These - prefixed to numbers emphatically (Genesis 27:36). Ten - i:e., often (Genesis 31:7).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 19 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThese ten times, i.e. many times. A certain number for an uncertain. So this phrase is oft used, as , &c. That ye make yourselves strange to me; that you carry yourselves like strangers to me, and are not concerned nor affected with my calamities, and condemn me as if you had never known my former piety and integrity.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 19 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 19:3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed [that] ye make yourselves strange to me.Ver. 3. These ten times have ye reproached me] i.e. Oftentimes. Herein Job endured a great fight of affliction, as the apostle styleth it, Hebrews 10:32-33; a manifold fight, as the word there signifieth. Cato was two and thirty times accused publicly, and as oft cleared and absolved. Basil was counted and called a heretic, even by those who, as it appeared afterwards, were of the same judgment with him, and whom he honoured as brethren. Dogs in a chase bark sometimes at their best friends, &c. Ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me] Or, Are you not ashamed that ye…
Read John Trapp on Job 19 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 3. These ten times] The exact arithmetical number is not to be regarded; ten times being put for many times, as we have already seen. See particularly Clarke's note on "Genesis 31:7". Ye make yourselves strange to me.] When I was in affluence and prosperity, ye were my intimates, and appeared to rejoice in my happiness; but now ye scarcely know me, or ye profess to consider me a wicked man because I am in adversity. Of this you had no suspicion when I was in prosperity! Circumstances change men's minds.
Read AdamClarke on Job 19 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. Ten times is a round number for often, Genesis 31:7; Numbers 14:22. make yourselves strange to me] An expression of uncertain meaning, as the word does not occur again, unless, as some suppose, it be found in Isaiah 3:9. The meaning may be, ye wrong me, the root having some resemblance to an Arabic verb rendered by Lane “to wrong,” also “to be persistent in contention.” Ew., ye are unfeeling towards me.
Read Cambridge on Job 19 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThese ten times - Many times; the word “ten” being used as we often say, “ten a dozen” or “twenty,” to denote many; see Genesis 31:7, “And your father hath changed my wages “ten times.” Leviticus
Read Albert Barnes on Job 19 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Ten times — Used for many times. Thus Maimonides: “He who profaneth the name of God in the presence of ten Israelites, behold, he profaneth it in the presence of many.” Or it may stand as the
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 19 →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
Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
You have reproached me ten times. You aren’t ashamed that you attack me.
Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
These ten times you have been reproaching me; you are not ashamed to attack me!
Tyndale line
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
These ten times have ye reproached me: Ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye deal hardly with me.
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
Ye haue now ten times reproched me, and are not ashamed: ye are impudent toward mee.
Strictly literal
These ten times have ye reproached me; ye are not ashamed to stupefy me.
These ten times ye put me to shame, ye blush not. Ye make yourselves strange to me —
These ten times you put me to shame, you do not blush. You make yourselves strange to me—
These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed when ye show yourselves as strangers to me.
These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed that you have treated me harshly.
From the Latin
Behold, these ten times you confound me, and are not ashamed to oppress me.
Simplified
Ten times already you have humiliated me. Aren't you ashamed for treating me so badly?
Ten times now you have made sport of me; it gives you no sense of shame to do me wrong.
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 show some alignment in the core message of Job's lament, though the Septuagint's word order and specific terms differ. The MT provides a clearer structure of Job's reproach, while the LXX captures the essence of his plea.
זֶ֤ה עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּ֭עָמִים תַּכְלִימ֑וּנִי לֹֽא־ תֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ תַּהְכְּרוּ־ לִֽי׃
4 of the 8 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 19:3
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.
זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
standing alone
In appos. to subst.
More oft. as pred.
It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
With prefixes (in special senses)
base
H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone
. In appos. to subst.
. More oft. as pred.
. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
. With prefixes (in special senses)
2088 zeh zeh
a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this
or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the
one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,
such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on
that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,
2098.
see HEBREW for 02063
see HEBREW for 02090
see HEBREW for 02097
see HEBREW for 02098
זֶה (zeh) — this.
1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such
1a) (alone)
1a1) this one
1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another
1b) (appos to subst)
1b1) this
1c) (as predicate)
1c1) this, such
1d) (enclitically)
1d1) then
1d2) who, whom
1d3) how now, what now
1d4) what now
1d5) wherefore now
1d6) behold here
1d7) just now
1d8) now, now already
1e) (poetry)
1e1) wherein, which, those who
1f) (with prefixes)
1f1) in this (place) here, then
1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter
1f3) thus and thus
1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus
1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side
1f6) on this account
1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Pron — ParticleHTm
עֶשֶׂר (eser) means 'ten' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root related to counting, specifically indicating the number ten and its use in combination with other numbers. The Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂר (asar), also meaning 'ten.'
עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה 176 n.m. and f. ten
base
H6235 עֶשֶׂר, עֲשָׂרָה ten
6235 `eser eh'ser
masculine of term aasarah {as-aw-raw'}; from 6237; ten (as an
accumulation to the extent of the digits):--ten, (fif-,
seven-)teen.
see HEBREW for 06237
עֶשֶׂר (e.ser) — ten.
1) ten
1a) ten
1b) with other numbers
Aramaic equivalent: a.sar (עֲשַׂר "ten" H6236)
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
פַּ֫עַם (pa'am) refers to a beat or stroke, and encompasses meanings such as foot, anvil, and occurrence. It can denote a footstep or time, indicating repetitions like once, twice, or thrice. The word is built from a root that suggests various applications related to rhythm and timing.
פַּ֫עַם 118 n.f. beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
base
H6471 פַּ֫עַם beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
6471 pa`am pah'-am
or (feminine) pa;amah {pah-am-aw'}; from 6470; a stroke,
literally or figuratively (in various applications, as
follow):--anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-)fold,
X now, (this) + once, order, rank, step, + thrice, ((often-)),
second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.
see HEBREW for 06470
פַּ֫עַם (pa.am) — beat.
1) stroke, beat, foot, step, anvil, occurrence
1a) foot, hoof-beat, footfall, footstep
1b) anvil
1c) occurrence, time, stroke, beat
1c1) one time, once, twice, thrice, as time on time, at this repetition, this once, now at length, now...now, at one time...at another
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
כָּלַם (kalam) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to humiliate or insult. It has various forms, including Niphal (to be humiliated) and Hiphil (to humiliate others). The word conveys a sense of shame and confusion, indicating both the act of causing shame and the experience of being shamed.
[כָּלַם] vb. only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate
Niph. be humiliated, ashamed, put to shame, dishonoured, confounded
Hiph.
put to shame = insult, humiliate
exhibit shame
Hoph.
we were not insulted, humiliated
they were put to shame, dishonoured, confounded
base
H3637 [כָּלַם] only Niph. Hoph. be humiliated, Hiph. humiliate
3637 kalam kaw-lawm'
a primitive root; properly, to wound; but only figuratively,
to taunt or insult:--be (make) ashamed, blush, be confounded,
be put to confusion, hurt, reproach, (do, put to) shame.
כָּלַם (ka.lam) — be humiliated.
1) to insult, shame, humiliate, blush, be ashamed, be put to shame, be reproached, be put to confusion, be humiliated
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be humiliated, be ashamed
1a2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to put to shame, insult, humiliate, cause shame to
1b2) to exhibit shame
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be insulted, be humiliated
1c2) to be put to shame, be dishonoured, be confounded
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2mp | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect second person masculine plural · suffixHVhi2mp/Sp1bs
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
HTn — ParticleHTn
בּוֹשׁ (buwsh) is a Hebrew root meaning 'to be ashamed.' It encompasses feelings of shame, disappointment, and disconcertion. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal (to feel shame), Piel (to delay in shame), and Hiphil (to put to shame). The entries indicate a range of uses, from personal feelings of shame to actions that cause shame to others.
בּוֹשׁ 109 vb. be ashamed
Qal
abs. feel shame
sq. מִן, be ashamed of, i.e. disconcerted, disappointed by reason of
with obj. I am ashamed to ask
Polel delay (in shame)
Hiph.
put to shame
put to shame
act shamefully
to be put to shame
be ashamed
Hithp. ashamed before one another
base
H954 בּוֹשׁ be ashamed
954 buwsh boosh
a primitive root; properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to
be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or
delayed:--(be, make, bring to, cause, put to, with,
a-)shamed(-d), be (put to) confounded(-fusion), become dry,
delay, be long.
בּוֹשׁ (bush) — be ashamed.
1) to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to feel shame
1a2) to be ashamed, disconcerted, disappointed (by reason of)
1b) (Piel) to delay (in shame)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to put to shame
1c2) to act shamefully
1c3) to be ashamed
1d) (Hithpolel) to be ashamed before one another
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp
a-shamd': Almost exclusively moral in significance; confusion or abashment through consciousness of guilt or of its exposure. Often including also a sense of terror or fear because of the disgrace connected with the performance of some action. Capacity for shame indicates that moral sense (conscience) is not extinct. "Ashamed" occurs 96 out of 118 times in the Old Testament. Hebrew bosh, "to feel shame" (Latin, pudere), with derivatives occurs 80 times; kalam, "to shame," including the thought of "disgrace," "reproach"; chapher, "to blush": hence shame because of frustrated plans (uniformly in the Revised Version (British and American) "confounded"); Greek aischunomai, "suffused with shame," passive only and its compounds. Uses:
(1) A few times, of actual embarrassment, as of Hazael before the steadfast look of Elisha (2Ki 8:11; see…
הָכַר (hakar) is a Hebrew verb that generally means to wrong or injure someone. It appears in the Old Testament, particularly in Job 19:3, where its meaning is considered dubious. The word can be used in both Qal and Hiphil forms, with the Hiphil form suggesting causing someone to wonder.
[הָכַר] vb. only Qal or Hiph. Jb 19:3, sense very dubious; (as Hiph.) ye cause me to wonder; (as Qal) ye deal hardly with me, wrong me
ref
H1970 הָכַר
1970 hakar haw-kar'
a primitive root; apparently to injure:--make self strange.
הָכַר (ha.khar) — to wrong.
(Hiphil) to deal wrongly with
V-Hiphil-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
