Job 22:30 — Word Study
WLCיְֽמַלֵּ֥ט אִֽי־ נָקִ֑י וְ֝נִמְלַ֗ט בְּבֹ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃ פ
BSAHe will deliver [even]mâlaṭ▸ [even rescue, save] [one who is] notʼîy△ innocentnâqîy [guiltless, free from sin] rescuing himmâlaṭ [setting him free, liberating] through the cleannessbôr [pureness, moral purity] of your handskaph [the palm of your hand]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט | he will deliver | Verb, Piel, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אִֽי־ | not | Particle |
| נָקִ֑י | an innocent [person] | Adj |
| וְ֝נִמְלַ֗ט | and he will be delivered | Verb, Niphal, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| בְּבֹ֣ר | by [the] cleanness of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃ פ | hands your | Noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.” |
| KJV | He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. |
| ASV | He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands. |
| YLT | He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands. |
| WEB | He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.” |
| BBE | He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours. |
Where they part company is נָקִ֑י — see How Translations Differ.
The structure features a main clause followed by a subordinate action and a prepositional phrase that clarifies the means of deliverance.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָלַט
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 6 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 22:30
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 — Eliphaz's Speech to Jobgenerated
Job 22:30 is part of Eliphaz's response to Job, emphasizing that God can save even those who are not innocent. The context involves a discussion about the consequences of sin and the potential for redemption through righteousness. Eliphaz argues that moral purity can lead to divine intervention, suggesting a link between human integrity and divine action.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 42:8 | So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.” |
| 2 | Genesis 18:26–32 | So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.” |
| 3 | Isaiah 58:12 | Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of the Breach, Restorer of the Streets of Dwelling. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 5:1 | “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem. Look now and take note; search her squares. If you can find a single person, anyone who acts justly, anyone who seeks the truth, then I will forgive the city. |
| 5 | Acts 27:24 | and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט, ye.ma.Letgenerated
The verb מָלַט (malat) means to escape or be delivered, often used in contexts of salvation from danger. It conveys the idea of slipping away to safety, indicating a rescue from peril. The parsing as a Piel imperfect third person masculine singular suggests an ongoing or future action of deliverance.
This verb is used frequently throughout the Bible, particularly in the Psalms, to describe God's saving actions. The Septuagint translates it as ῥύσεται (G4506), which also means to rescue, reinforcing the theme of divine deliverance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB has deliver, which is consistent with the KJV and ASV, both of which also use deliver for יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט.
Where translations differ is in the rendering of נָקִ֑י — innocent (BSB, KJV) is matched by guiltless (ILT) and free from sin (BBE). This reflects different nuances of the same underlying concept of moral purity.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט governs the sentence, indicating the action of deliverance. The structure includes a subordinate clause describing the condition of the person being delivered, followed by a prepositional phrase that specifies the means of deliverance.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the action of deliverance first, highlighting its importance in the message. The phrases that follow elaborate on the conditions and means of that deliverance.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses ῥύσεται for יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט, which indicates a strong focus on the act of rescue. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may also suggest a more immediate sense of salvation.
The Greek word ἀθῷον for נָקִ֑י translates as 'innocent' or 'guiltless', maintaining the moral implications present in the Hebrew.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 22:30 states that God will deliver even someone who is guilty, and this deliverance comes through the purity of your hands. The verse emphasizes the power of moral integrity in achieving divine rescue.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This suggests that God's mercy can extend to those who are guilty, highlighting the importance of moral integrity in the process of deliverance.
The cleanness of hands symbolizes moral purity and integrity, indicating that one's righteousness can have a powerful impact on others' salvation.
While the verse emphasizes God's ability to deliver, it also underscores the necessity of moral integrity in the process of salvation.
Examples include the Israelites being delivered from Egypt, David being saved from Saul, and various instances of divine rescue throughout the Psalms.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I ensure that my actions reflect moral integrity and purity?
- In what ways can I be a source of deliverance for others in my community?
- What does this verse teach about the nature of God's mercy?
- How can I apply the principle of being a moral influence in the lives of those around me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse to discuss the relationship between innocence and divine deliverance, emphasizing moral integrity.
The innocent shall be saved, but he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands. Which same sentence now if it be delivered touching the recompense of the kingdom of heaven, is supported by truth,Early Church Fathers on Job 22 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 22:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe shall deliver the island of the innocent,.... But where is there such an island, an island of innocent persons?
Read John Gill on Job 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. Island - i:e., dwelling.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 22 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe, i.e. God, as , whose prerogative it is to give deliverances. Shall deliver, to wit, upon thy request, as the following clause showeth: God will hear thy prayers even for others, which is a great honour and comfort; and much more for thyself. The island of the innocent; not only thyself, when thou shalt become innocent and pure, but for thy sake he will deliver the whole island (or country, that word being oft used not only for such lands or countries as were separated from Canaan by the sea, as is commonly observed, but also for such as were upon the same continent with it, as appears from 97:1 ) in which thou dwellest. Or, the guilty, or him that is not innocent; for the word here…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.Ver. 30. He shall deliver the island of the innocent] Or, He shall deliver the not innocent; him that is not guiltless; and even such shall be delivered for the purity of thine hands. Thus God gave Zoar to Lot, and all the souls in the ship to Paul, and the guilty Israelites to Moses. See Jeremiah 5:1. Or, The innocent shall deliver the island; or, Liberabitur vita innocentis, the innocent shall be freed from affliction: so Brentius. And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands] i.e. Of thy works, or by thy pure hands lifted up in prayer. Semen sanctum statumen terrae, the saints…
Read John Trapp on Job 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(30) He shall deliver the island of the innocent is undoubtedly an error for He shall deliver him that is not innocent: that is, either God shall deliver, or the humble person, if that is the subject of the former clause; the humble-minded man would have saved them. “He would have delivered him that is not innocent; yea, even so shall he be delivered by the cleanness of thy hands,” as the ten righteous would have saved Sodom. It is remarkable that this, which is the last word of Eliphaz, has in it the significance of a prophecy, for it is exactly thus that the history of Job closes; and Eliphaz himself exemplified his own promise in being indebted to Job for the act of intercession by which…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 22 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 30. He shall deliver the island of the innocent] The word אי ai, which we translate island, is most probably the Arabic particle [Arabic] whosoever, whatsoever, any, whosoever he may be, as [Arabic] ai rajuli, whatsoever man he may be. And it is most probable that both words are Arabic, [Arabic] or [Arabic] any innocent, chaste, pure, or holy person; for the word has the same meaning both in Hebrew and Arabic. The text may therefore be translated, He shall deliver every innocent person: He, the innocent person, shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands; i.e., as thou lovest justice, so thou wilt do justice. Instead of כפיך cappeyca, thy hands, the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic…
Read AdamClarke on Job 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges30. the island of the innocent] Rather, him that is not innocent. Even others who are blameworthy shall be saved through Job’s intercession, because of the cleanness of his hands, for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The curious translation “island of the innocent” arose from confounding ’I, an unusual form of the privative particle “not,” with ’I, an island. This form of the privative appears occasionally in proper names as, I-chabod, “not glory” (inglorious). For and it is, better, yea, he shall be. The charges of unrighteousness (Job 22:5-11) and ungodliness (Job 22:12-17), which Eliphaz allows himself to make against Job, furnish a singular illustration of…
Read Cambridge on Job 22 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe shall deliver the island of the innocent - Margin, “the innocent shall deliver the island.” Never was there a more unhappy translation than this; and it is quite clear that our translators had no
Read Albert Barnes on Job 22 →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 will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands.”
Tyndale line
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
He shall deliver even him that is not innocent: yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thine hands.
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
The innocent shall deliuer the yland, and it shalbe preserued by the purenes of thine hands.
Strictly literal
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.
He delivers the one [who is] not innocent, || Indeed, he has been delivered || By the cleanness of your hands.”
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”
From the Latin
The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.
Simplified
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, 'He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.' The Septuagint largely agrees with the Masoretic Text, matching five of the six words, though the word order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this verse, so their alignment with the Masoretic Text can be inferred, but specific details from those sources are not available for comparison.
יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט אִֽי־ נָקִ֑י וְ֝נִמְלַ֗ט בְּבֹ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃ פ
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 22:30
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.
מָלַט (malat) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to escape or slip away. It encompasses various nuances such as delivering, saving, and even giving birth in specific contexts. The entries indicate that it can refer to both physical escape and the act of laying eggs. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[מָלַט] vb. slip away (not in Qal)
Niph.
slip away
escape
pass. be delivered
Pi.
lay (eggs)
let escape
deliver
Hiph.
give birth to a male child
deliver
Hithp.
slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)
escape
base
H4422 מָלַט slip away . . slip away
. escape
. pass. be delivered
. . lay (eggs)
. let escape
. deliver
. . give birth to a male child
. deliver
. . slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)
. escape
4422 malat maw-lat'
a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by
implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively,
to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit
sparks:--deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone,
let go, preserve, save, X speedily, X surely.
מָלַט (ma.lat) — to escape.
1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to slip away
1a2) to escape
1a3) to be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs)
1b2) to let escape
1b3) to deliver, save (life)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give birth to
1c2) to deliver
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape
1d2) to escape
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singularHVpi3ms
de-liv'-er (natsal, nathan; rhuomai, paradidomi): Occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and represents various Hebrew terms.
The English word is used in two senses,
(1) "to set free," etc.,
(2) "to give up or over."
(1) The word most often translated "deliver" in the first sense is natsal, meaning originally, perhaps, "to draw out." It is used of all kinds of deliverance (Ge 32:11; Ps 25:20; 143:9, etc.; Jer 7:10; Eze 3:19, etc.; Ze 1:18, etc.). The Aramaic netsal occurs in Da 3:29; 6:14; 8:4,7; yasha`, "to save," in Jud 3:9,31 the King James Version, etc. ; malaT…
אִי (iy) is an adverb meaning 'not,' as noted in Job 22:30. It is likely related to another Hebrew word, H335, through the concept of a query. The entries consistently emphasize its negative function.
Part — ParticleHTi
נָקִי (naqiy) is an adjective meaning clean, free from, or exempt. It also conveys innocence, being blameless or guiltless. The word has variations, including נָקִיא (naqiyi), which also means innocent. It appears in contexts related to purity and freedom from obligations or guilt.
נָקִי adj. clean, free from, exempt
base
נָקִיא adj. innocent
base
H5355a נָקִי clean, free from, exempt H5355b נָקִיא innocent
5355 naqiy naw-kee'
or naqiyi (Joel 4 : 19; Jonah 1 : 14), {naw-kee'}; from 5352;
innocent:--blameless, clean, clear, exempted, free,
guiltless, innocent, quit.
see HEBREW for 04
see HEBREW for 019
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 014
see HEBREW for 05352
נָקִי (na.qi) — innocent.
1) clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent
1a) free from guilt, clean, innocent
1b) free from punishment
1c) free or exempt from obligations
Also means: na.qi (נָקִיא "innocent" H5355B)
נָקִיא (na.qi) — innocent.
innocent
Another spelling of na.qi (נָקִי "innocent" H5355A)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
מָלַט (malat) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning to escape or slip away. It encompasses various nuances such as delivering, saving, and even giving birth in specific contexts. The entries indicate that it can refer to both physical escape and the act of laying eggs. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[מָלַט] vb. slip away (not in Qal)
Niph.
slip away
escape
pass. be delivered
Pi.
lay (eggs)
let escape
deliver
Hiph.
give birth to a male child
deliver
Hithp.
slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)
escape
base
H4422 מָלַט slip away . . slip away
. escape
. pass. be delivered
. . lay (eggs)
. let escape
. deliver
. . give birth to a male child
. deliver
. . slip forth, escape (sparks of fire from jaws of crocodile)
. escape
4422 malat maw-lat'
a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by
implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively,
to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit
sparks:--deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone,
let go, preserve, save, X speedily, X surely.
מָלַט (ma.lat) — to escape.
1) to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to slip away
1a2) to escape
1a3) to be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to lay, let slip out (of eggs)
1b2) to let escape
1b3) to deliver, save (life)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to give birth to
1c2) to deliver
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to slip forth, slip out, escape
1d2) to escape
Conj | V-Niphal-3ms — Verb · Niphal · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/VNq3ms
בֹּר (bor) refers to cleanness or pureness. It is derived from the root word associated with purification. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to cleanliness, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בֹּר n.m. cleanness, pureness
base
H1252 בֹּר
1252 bor bore
from 1305; purify:--cleanness, pureness.
see HEBREW for 01305
בֹּר (bor) — cleanness.
cleanness, pureness
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…
כַּף (kaph) refers to the hollow or flat part of the hand, including the palm and the sole of the foot. It can also denote power and is used to describe various hollow objects, such as bowls or handles. The word encompasses a range of meanings related to the shape and function of hands and feet, as well as items that are hand-shaped.
כַּף 192 n.f. hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
base
H3709 כַּף hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, hand
3709 kaph kaf
from 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an
animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling,
the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree);
figuratively, power:--branch, + foot, hand((-ful), -dle,
(-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.
see HEBREW for 03721
כַּף (kaph) — palm.
: palm/hand
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: sole.
: sole/paw
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
1c) sole (of the foot)
1d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
1d1) of thigh-joint
1d2) pan, vessel (as hollow)
1d3) hollow (of sling)
1d4) hand-shaped branches or fronds (of palm trees)
1d5) handles (as bent)
כַּף (kaph) — palm: dish.
: dish/socket
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand
1a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
1b) power
N-fd | Suff — Noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHNcfdc/Sp2ms