Job 20:14 — Word Study
WLCלַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
BSAyet in his stomachmêʻeh [belly, inner being] his foodlechem [bread, sustenance] sourshâphak■ [is turned, becomes bitter] into the venommᵉrôrâh [gall, bitter poison] of cobraspethen [asps, venomous snakes] within himqereb [in his entrails, midst]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לַ֭חְמוֹ | food his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| בְּמֵעָ֣יו | in inward parts his | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ | it is changed | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| מְרוֹרַ֖ת | venom of | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| פְּתָנִ֣ים | cobras | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ | in inward part[s] 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 | yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. |
| KJV | Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. |
| ASV | Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him. |
| YLT | His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart. |
| WEB | yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him. |
| BBE | His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him. |
The translations agree here on the transformation of food into bitterness, emphasizing the inner turmoil experienced.
The main clause presents the transformation, with several phrases providing context and detail about the subject and the nature of the change.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָפַךְ
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 20:14
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on the Fate of the Wickedgenerated
Job 20:14 is part of Job's discourse, where he contemplates the fate of the wicked and the fleeting nature of their pleasures. He illustrates that what they consume, symbolizing their earthly gains, ultimately turns against them, causing inner turmoil and bitterness. This theme resonates throughout the chapter as Job contrasts the temporary satisfaction of the wicked with their eventual downfall.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Samuel 11:2–5 | One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. |
| 2 | 2 Samuel 12:10–11 | Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ |
| 3 | Psalm 32:3–4 | When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. |
| 4 | Psalm 38:1–8 | O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. |
| 5 | Psalm 51:8–9 | Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נֶהְפָּךְ, neh.Pakhgenerated
The verb נֶהְפָּךְ (neh.Pakh) is a perfect tense form in the Niphal stem, indicating a passive action. It conveys the idea of something being turned or transformed, often suggesting a significant change. In this context, it describes how food, which is typically nourishing, is transformed into something bitter and harmful.
The transformation implied here reflects the broader theme of reversal in Job's discourse, where the expectations of the wicked are subverted, and their gains turn into sources of suffering.
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 נֶהְפָּךְ governs the sentence, indicating the action of transformation, while the subject is the food, and the prepositional phrases provide details about where this transformation occurs. The structure emphasizes the internal change that takes place in the person's stomach.
The sentence is constructed to highlight the contrast between what is expected (nourishment) and what actually occurs (bitterness), with the verb at the center of this transformation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the word ξολὴ to translate מְרוֹרַ֖ת, which means gall or bitterness. This choice underscores the bitterness associated with the food, aligning with the Hebrew's emphasis on the toxic nature of the transformation.
The use of ἀσπίδος for פְּתָנִ֣ים indicates a specific type of venomous snake, reinforcing the imagery of danger and harm present in the original Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 20:14 describes how a person's food turns bitter in their stomach, comparing it to the venom of cobras. This illustrates the idea that the pleasures and gains of the wicked can lead to inner turmoil and suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase suggests that what should be nourishing instead becomes harmful, reflecting the inner turmoil and consequences faced by the wicked.
It emphasizes the transient nature of the wicked's pleasures and the inevitable suffering that follows, a recurring theme in Job's reflections.
It serves as a warning about the deceptive nature of earthly gains and the spiritual consequences of greed and sin.
Cobras are venomous and dangerous, symbolizing the lethal consequences of indulging in sinful desires.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I have seen temporary pleasures turn into sources of pain in my own life?
- How can I guard against the dangers of greed and the pursuit of earthly gains?
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek true nourishment that aligns with my values?
- How does understanding the consequences of my choices help me make better decisions moving forward?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Origen and Gregory the Dialogist reflect on the bitterness of the wicked's gains, drawing from this verse to illustrate their moral lessons.
They have theories that are not sweet but as the gall of asps, that is, evil; and those theories come from the wine of their doctrine.Early Church Fathers on Job 20 →
Ver. 14. His bread in his belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within him. 15. What bread is in the belly, the same is fulness of earthly gratification in the mind.Early Church Fathers on Job 20 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 20:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible[Yet] his meat in his bowels is turned,.... Or "his bread" (r), to which sin is compared, being what the sinner lives in, and lives upon; what he strengthens himself in and with, and by which he is
Read John Gill on Job 20 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryYet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. Turned - changed into poison. The Hebrew denotes a total change into a disagreeable contrary (Jeremiah 2:21; cf. Revelation 10:9-10).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 20 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTurned into another nature or quality, from sweet to bitter. The gall of asps, i.e. exceeding bitter and pernicious. Gall is most bitter; the gall of serpents is full of poison, which from thence is conveyed to their mouths by veins, as Pliny observes; and the poison of asps is most dangerous, and within a few hours kills without remedy.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 20:14 [Yet] his meat in his bowels is turned, [it is] the gall of asps within him.Ver. 14. Yet his meat in his bowels is turned] Sour sauce be hath at length to his sweet meats, viz. gripes and throbs of conscience, terrors and tortures inexpressible; a greedy vulture feeding upon his entrails (as the poets feigned of Prometheus), those furies or hell hags (so much mentioned by them), as haunting evildoers. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, Proverbs 29:6. There is a cord to strangle his joys with, to mar his mirth. Did not Joseph’ s brethren experiment with this? and Ahab, in his house of ivory? and Belshazzar, amidst his sensualities? Principium dulce est, sed finis…
Read John Trapp on Job 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. is turned] i. e. is changed,—it becomes the poison of asps in his belly.
Read Cambridge on Job 20 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleYet his meat - His food. In his bowels is turned - That is, it is as if he had taken food which was exceedingly pleasant, and had retained it in his mouth as long as possible, that he might enjoy it,
Read Albert Barnes on Job 20 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible14. His meat — His food, that is, the wickedness he had eaten. Turned — Changed into poison.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 20 →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
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.
his food is turned sour in his stomach; it becomes the venom of serpents within him.
Tyndale line
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
Yet his food in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
Then his meat in his bowels was turned: the gall of Aspes was in the middes of him.
Strictly literal
His food is turned in his bowels; it is the gall of asps within him.
His food in his bowels is turned, The bitterness of asps [is] in his heart.
his food is turned in his bowels, the bitterness of cobras [is] in his heart.
His food is thus changed within his bowels, and becometh the venom of asps within him.
the food in his intestines turns bitter; it becomes the poison of asps inside him.
From the Latin
His bread in his belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within him.
Simplified
in their stomachs it turns bitter, becoming like snake venom inside them.
His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.
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 of Job 20:14 states, 'לַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃' which translates to 'yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.' The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation, shows that 4 of the 6 words correspond with the Hebrew text, indicating a general agreement in meaning, though the exact phrasing and order differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this specific verse, reinforcing the consistency of the Masoretic Text in this instance.
לַ֭חְמוֹ בְּמֵעָ֣יו נֶהְפָּ֑ךְ מְרוֹרַ֖ת פְּתָנִ֣ים בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
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 20:14
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.
לֶ֫חֶם (lechem) means bread or food, encompassing items like grain and provisions for both humans and animals. It is derived from a related root and is used in various contexts, particularly in the Old Testament. The entries consistently emphasize its primary association with bread, though they also acknowledge its broader meaning as food.
לֶ֫חֶם 296 n.m. and (rarely) f. bread, food
base
H3899 לֶ֫חֶם bread, food
3899 lechem lekh'-em
from 3898; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or
grain (for making it):--((shew-))bread, X eat, food, fruit,
loaf, meat, victuals. See also 1036.
see HEBREW for 03898
see HEBREW for 01036
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food.
: food(eating)
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: bread.
: bread/loaf
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) — food: allowance.
: allowance
1) bread, food, grain
1a) bread
1a1) bread
1a2) bread-corn
1b) food (in general)
N-cs | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
מֵעֶה (me`ah) refers to internal organs, particularly the intestines and belly. It is used in plural form and can denote various inward parts, including the womb and the seat of emotions. The term may also imply softness, reflecting a figurative sense of sympathy or emotional distress.
[מֵעֶה] n.m. only pl. internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
base
H4578 מֵעֶה only pl. internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
4578 me`ah may-aw'
from an unused root probably meaning to be soft; used only in
plural the intestines, or (collectively) the abdomen,
figuratively, sympathy; by implication, a vest; by extens. the
stomach, the uterus (or of men, the seat of generation), the
heart (figuratively):--belly, bowels, X heart, womb.
מֵעֶה (me.eh) — belly.
1) internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly
1a) inward parts
1b) digestive organs
1c) organs of procreation, womb
1d) place of emotions or distress or love (fig.)
1e) external belly
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְעָא "belly" H4577)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
הָפַךְ (haphak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn or overturn, with implications of change and transformation. It can describe actions like turning back, being reversed, or even being perverse. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive uses, indicating a wide range of applications in the Old Testament.
הָפַךְ vb. turn, overturn
Qal
trans.
turn, turn about, turn over
overturn, overthrow
turn = change, transform
intrans.
turn, turn back
turn = change, change into
Niph.
reflex. & intrans.
turn oneself, turn, turn back
turn = change (oneself)
be perverse
pass.
be turned, turn over to
be reversed
be turned, changed
be overturned, overthrown
be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
Hithp.
turn this way & that, every way
transform oneself
Hoph. there have been turned upon me terrors
base
H2015 הָפַךְ turn, overturn .. trans. . turn, turn about, turn over
. overturn, overthrow
. turn = change, transform
. intrans. . turn, turn back
. turn = change, change into
. . reflex. & intrans. . turn oneself, turn, turn back
. turn = change (oneself)
. be perverse
. pass. . be turned, turn over to
. be reversed
. be turned, changed
. be overturned, overthrown
. be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
. . turn this way & that, every way
. transform oneself
. there have been turned upon me terrors
2015 haphak haw-fak'
a primitive root; to turn about or over; by implication, to
change, overturn, return, pervert:--X become, change, come, be
converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse,
retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary,
every way).
הָפַךְ (ha.phakh) — to overturn.
1) to turn, overthrow, overturn
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to overturn, overthrow
1a2) to turn, turn about, turn over, turn around
1a3) to change, transform
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to turn oneself, turn, turn back
1b2) to change oneself
1b3) to be perverse
1b4) to be turned, be turned over, be changed, be turned against
1b5) to be reversed
1b6) to be overturned, be overthrown
1b7) to be upturned
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to transform oneself
1c2) to turn this way and that, turn every way
1d) (Hophal) to turn on someone
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singularHVNp3ms
מְרֹרָה (mrorah) refers to a bitter substance, including gall and poison. It is derived from the root word for bitterness and can denote bile or venom, particularly from a serpent. The entries consistently emphasize its association with bitterness and toxic substances.
[מְרֹרָה] n.f. bitter thing, gall, poison
base
H4846 [מְרֹרָה] bitter thing, gall, poison
4846 mrorah mer-o-raw'
or mrowrah {mer-o-raw'}; from 4843; properly, bitterness;
concretely, a bitter thing; specifically bile; also venom (of
a serpent):--bitter (thing), gall.
see HEBREW for 04843
מְרֹרָה (me.ro.rah) — gall.
1) bitter thing, gall, poison
1a) gall, gall-bladder (seat of gall)
1b) poison, venom
1c) bitter thing
1d) bitterness
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
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…
פֶּ֫תֶן (pethen) refers to a venomous serpent, likely a cobra or similar snake, characterized by its twisting movements. The term appears in contexts that suggest danger due to its venomous nature. The entries indicate a consensus on its meaning as a snake, but do not provide specific verse references.
פֶּ֫תֶן n.m. a venomous serpent, perh. cobra
base
H6620 פֶּ֫תֶן a venomous serpent, perh. cobra
6620 pethen peh'-then
from an unused root meaning to twist; an asp (from its
contortions):--adder.
פֶּ֫תֶן (pe.ten) — cobra.
1) a snake, venomous serpent
1a) perhaps the cobra, adder, or viper
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
קֶ֫רֶב (qereb) refers to the inward part or midst of something, encompassing both physical and figurative meanings. It can denote the center of a person or object, as well as the seat of thought and emotion. The term also relates to the entrails of sacrificial animals. It is used in various contexts, including references to being among or within a group.
קֶ֫רֶב 227 n.[m.] inward part, midst
base
H7130 קֶ֫רֶב inward part, midst
7130 qereb keh'-reb
from 7126; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center,
whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with
preposition):--X among, X before, bowels, X unto charge, +
eat (up), X heart, X him, X in, inward (X -ly, part, -s,
thought), midst, + out of, purtenance, X therein, X through, X
within self.
see HEBREW for 07126
קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: among.
: among/within
1) midst, among, inner part, middle
1a) inward part
1a1) physical sense
1a2) as seat of thought and emotion
1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion
1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)
1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)
Also means: qe.rev (קֶ֫רֶב ": inner_parts" H7130H)
קֶ֫רֶב (qe.rev) — entrails: inner parts.
: inner_parts
1) midst, among, inner part, middle
1a) inward part
1a1) physical sense
1a2) as seat of thought and emotion
1a3) as faculty of thought and emotion
1b) in the midst, among, from among (of a number of persons)
1c) entrails (of sacrificial animals)
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms