Job 22:9 — Word Study
WLCאַ֭לְמָנוֹת שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ רֵיקָ֑ם וּזְרֹע֖וֹת יְתֹמִ֣ים יְדֻכָּֽא׃
BSA◂You sent widowsʼalmânâh [without giving them anything, empty-handed, women whose husbands have died, often left alone and vulnerable] awayshâlach■ empty-handedrêyqâm [emptily, without purpose] and the strengthzᵉrôwaʻ [arm] of the fatherlessyâthôwm [orphan, a child without a father] was crusheddâkâʼ▸ [bruised, broken]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַ֭לְמָנוֹת | widows | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ | you have sent away | Verb, Piel, perfect second person masculine singular |
| רֵיקָ֑ם | with empty hands | Adverb |
| וּזְרֹע֖וֹת | and [the] arms of | Conjunction, noun common feminine plural construct |
| יְתֹמִ֣ים | fatherless ones | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יְדֻכָּֽא׃ | it has been crushed | Verb, Pual, imperfect third person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. |
| KJV | Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. |
| ASV | Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken. |
| YLT | Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised. |
| WEB | You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. |
| BBE | You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the key terms in this verse.
The sentence has a main clause followed by two phrases that provide additional context and detail.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁלַח
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 22:9
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 Defense Against Accusationsgenerated
Job 22:9 is part of Job's response to his friend Eliphaz, who has accused him of wrongdoing. Job highlights the injustices faced by widows and orphans, emphasizing the moral obligation to care for those in need. This verse reflects the broader themes of justice and compassion found throughout the book of Job.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 24:3–21 | They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge. |
| 2 | Job 29:12–13 | because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. |
| 3 | Job 31:16–18 | If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail, |
| 4 | Exodus 22:21–24 | You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 27:19 | ‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אַלְמָנוֹת, 'Al.ma.notgenerated
The word אַלְמָנוֹת (*almanot*) means 'widows' and is derived from a root that can refer to desolation. It emphasizes the vulnerability of women who have lost their husbands, highlighting their need for care and support.
In this verse, Job accuses his friend of neglecting these vulnerable individuals, sending them away without assistance, which underscores a lack of compassion and justice.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the meaning of אַלְמָנוֹת as 'widows', and they all convey the idea of sending them away empty-handed.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ, you have sent away, governs the entire verse, with two phrases hanging off it: one describing the object, אַלְמָנוֹת (widows), and the other providing an adverbial description, רֵיקָ֑ם (empty-handed).
The structure emphasizes the action of sending away and the consequences of that action, highlighting the moral implications of neglecting the vulnerable.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אַלְמָנוֹת as ξήρας, which means 'desolate' or 'empty'. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the plight of widows, emphasizing their state of abandonment.
The Greek word used for 'crushed' in the Septuagint suggests a similar sense of oppression, aligning with the Hebrew intent but also broadening the context of suffering.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 22:9 shows Job accusing his friend of sending widows away without help and crushing the strength of orphans. This highlights the importance of caring for those who are vulnerable and in need.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to neglect those who are already vulnerable, leaving them without support or resources.
The strength of the fatherless refers to the support and protection that orphans lack, emphasizing their need for care.
This verse highlights the themes of justice and compassion, contrasting Job's integrity with the accusations of his friends.
It implies oppression and harm, suggesting that the fatherless are suffering due to neglect and injustice.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can we better support vulnerable individuals in our communities?
- How does neglecting the needs of the widows and orphans reflect on our values?
- What actions can we take to ensure that we are not sending anyone away empty-handed?
- How does this verse challenge our understanding of justice and compassion?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist discusses the moral implications of neglecting widows and orphans, drawing from this verse to illustrate the consequences of such actions.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless hast thou broken. The common multitudes that are brought under to heretics on their preaching by a carnal understanding conceive the corrupt seeds of their false doctrine,Early Church Fathers on Job 22 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 22:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou hast sent widows away empty,.... Either out of their own houses, which he spoiled, and devoured, and stripped, and cleared of all that were in them, as did the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's
Read John Gill on Job 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. Empty - without their wants being relieved (Genesis 31:42).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 22 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWidows, whose helpless estate called for thy pity, ,19. Away empty; either by denying them that relief which their poverty required, or that right which their cause deserved; or by spoiling them of their goods, because thou knewest them to be unable to oppose thee, or to right themselves. The arms, i.e. all their supports, and comforts, and rights. A heinous sin, but falsely charged upon Job.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 22 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.Ver. 9. Thou hast sent widows away empty] A widow is a calamitous name: 2 Samuel 14:5, "I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead." As a tree whose root is uncovered thriveth not, so it fareth with a widow. R. Jona observeth, That in Hebrew she hath her name from dumbness, quod marito mortuo respondere non possit adversariis, et se adversus eos tueri, because now that her husband is dead, she cannot answer her adversaries, or defend herself against them. Vidua desolata et derelieta nihil est humiliatius: et proinde peculiariter viduarum iudex et vindex est Deus (Bain. in Proverbs 15:25). God…
Read John Trapp on Job 22 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 9. The arms of the fatherless] Whatever strength or power or property they had, of that thou hast deprived them. Thou hast been hard-hearted and cruel, and hast enriched thyself with the spoils of the poor and the defenceless.
Read AdamClarke on Job 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges9. His treatment of widows—he ejected them empty; or when they came seeking redress, or pleading their rights, he let them go unheard. Comp. Job’s own language as to himself, ch. Job 29:13, Job 31:16. The “arms” of the fatherless are their helps or rights, on which they relied, and by which they were supported.
Read Cambridge on Job 22 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou hast sent widows away empty - That is, without regarding their needs, and without doing anything to mitigate their sorrows.
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
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
you sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you crushed.
Tyndale line
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast cast out widowes emptie, and the armes of the fatherles were broken.
Strictly literal
Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
You have sent widows away empty, || And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
From the Latin
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.
Simplified
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
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 largely agree in their wording, with five of the six words matched. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same themes of neglect and oppression but presents them in a different syntactic structure.
אַ֭לְמָנוֹת שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ רֵיקָ֑ם וּזְרֹע֖וֹת יְתֹמִ֣ים יְדֻכָּֽא׃
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 22:9
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.
The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.
אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow
base
H490 אַלְמָנָה widow
490 'almanah al-maw-naw'
fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house
(palace), widow.
see HEBREW for 0488
אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.
widow
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
Widows
To be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12; 27:19, etc.). In the New Testament the same tender regard for them is inculcated (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:3-16) and exhibited.
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
V-Piel-Perf-2ms — Verb · Piel · perfect second person masculine singularHVpp2ms
רֵיקָם (reyqam) means 'emptily' or 'vainly,' indicating a state of being empty or without effect. It can refer to actions done in vain or without cause. The word is built from a root that conveys emptiness and ineffectiveness, and it appears in contexts where something is done without result.
רֵיקָם adv. emptily, vainly
in empty condition, empty = with empty hands
in vain, without effect
base
H7387 רֵיקָם emptily, vainly . in empty condition, empty = with empty hands
. in vain, without effect
7387 reyqam ray-kawm'
from 7386; emptily; figuratively (objective) ineffectually,
(subjective) undeservedly:--without cause, empty, in vain,
void.
see HEBREW for 07386
רֵיקָם (re.qam) — emptily.
1) vainly, emptily
1a) in empty condition, empty, emptily
1b) in vain, without effect, vainly
Adv — AdverbHD
זְרוֹעַ (z'roa) refers to an arm or shoulder, often symbolizing strength. It can denote the physical arm, the shoulder of a sacrificed animal, or military and political forces. The word is derived from a root meaning to stretch out, indicating both physical and metaphorical strength.
זְרוֹעַ, זְרֹעַ n.f. and (rare) m. arm, shoulder, strength
arm
arm, as symbol of strength
Pl. forces, political and military
Shoulder of animal sacrificed, belonging to priest
base
H2220 זְרוֹעַ, זְרֹעַ arm, shoulder, strength . arm
. arm, as symbol of strength
. Pl. forces, political and military
. Shoulder of animal sacrificed, belonging to priest
2220 zrowa` zer-o'-ah
or (shortened) zroao {zer-o'-ah}; and (feminine) zrowpah
{zer-o-aw'}; or zrowah {zer-o-aw'}; from 2232; the arm (as
stretched out), or (of animals) the foreleg; figuratively,
force:--arm, + help, mighty, power, shoulder, strength.
see HEBREW for 02232
זְרוֹעַ (ze.ro.a) — arm.
1) arm, forearm, shoulder, strength
1a) arm
1b) arm (as symbol of strength)
1c) forces (political and military)
1d) shoulder (of animal sacrificed)
Conj | N-cp — Conjunction · noun common feminine plural constructHC/Ncfpc
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…
יָתוֹם (yathowm) means 'orphan' and is derived from a root that suggests loneliness or bereavement. The term specifically refers to a fatherless child or a bereaved person. All entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
יָתוֹם n.[m.] orphan
base
H3490 יָתוֹם orphan
3490 yathowm yaw-thome'
from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved
person:--fatherless (child), orphan.
יָתוֹם (ya.tom) — orphan.
an orphan, fatherless
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
דָּכָא (daka') is a Hebrew verb meaning to crush or be crushed. It encompasses various forms, indicating actions like bruising, breaking, and being contrite. The entries highlight its use in different grammatical aspects, such as the Niphal (to be crushed) and Piel (to crush). The word conveys both literal and figurative senses of destruction and humility.
[דָּכָא] vb. crush, poet.
not in Qal;Niph. crushed, fig. = contrite ones
Pi. crush
Pu. crushed, broken in pieces, shattered
Hithp. crushed
base
H1792 דָּכָא crush poet. . crushed, fig. = contrite ones
. crush
. crushed, broken in pieces, shattered
. crushed
1792 daka' daw-kaw'
a primitive root (compare 1794); to crumble; transitively, to
bruise (literally or figuratively):--beat to pieces, break (in
pieces), bruise, contrite, crush, destroy, humble, oppress,
smite.
see HEBREW for 01794
דָּכָא (da.kah) — to crush.
1) to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be crushed
1a2) to be contrite (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to crush
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be crushed, be shattered
1c2) to be made contrite
1d) (Hithpael) to allow oneself to be crushed
V-Pual-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Pual · imperfect third person masculine singularHVPi3ms