Job 24:8 — Word Study
WLCמִזֶּ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים יִרְטָ֑בוּ וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה חִבְּקוּ־ צֽוּר׃
BSADrenchedrâṭab△▸ [soaked, wet] by mountainhar [hill] rainszerem [showers, storms] they huddlechâbaq■ [embrace, cling to] against the rockstsûwr [boulders, stone] for wantbᵉlîy [lack, without] ◂of sheltermachăçeh [refuge, safe place]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מִזֶּ֣רֶם | from [the] rain of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| הָרִ֣ים | [the] mountains | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יִרְטָ֑בוּ | they are wet | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י | and because not | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה | shelter | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| חִבְּקוּ־ | they embrace | Verb, Piel, perfect third person common plural |
| צֽוּר׃ | [the] rock | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter. |
| KJV | They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. |
| ASV | They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And embrace the rock for want of a shelter. |
| YLT | From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge — have embraced a rock. |
| WEB | They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter. |
| BBE | They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover. |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of מַחְסֶה — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by several subordinate clauses and phrases, emphasizing the conditions leading to the actions described.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַחְסֶּה
verbרָטֵב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 7 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 24:8
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Hardships of the Poorgenerated
Job 24:8 presents a vivid picture of the struggles faced by the destitute, who are drenched by heavy rains and huddle against rocks, lacking shelter. This verse emphasizes their vulnerability and the harsh conditions they endure, similar to the broader themes of suffering and injustice in the Book of Job. The surrounding verses highlight their plight, illustrating the stark contrast between the wealthy and the poor, and calling attention to the social injustices present in society.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Song of Solomon 5:2 | |
| 2 | Lamentations 4:5 | Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. |
| 3 | Hebrews 11:38 | The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זֶרֶם, mi.Ze.remgenerated
The word זֶרֶם (zerem) refers to a storm or heavy rain shower, indicating intense rainfall. It is derived from a root that suggests a gush of water, often used in contexts that symbolize God's judgment or presence. In this verse, it underscores the severity of the weather that the impoverished must endure.
This term is not merely about rain; it conveys the idea of a powerful downpour, emphasizing the dire circumstances faced by those without shelter. The use of this word paints a vivid picture of their struggle against the elements.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the rendering of זֶרֶם as rains or showers, reflecting the intense weather conditions described in the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִרְטָ֑בוּ (yir.Ta.vu), meaning 'they are wet', governs the sentence, with two main phrases following: a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the rain and a clause describing the action of embracing the rocks. The structure emphasizes the cause and effect relationship between the rain and the need for shelter.
The sentence's flow shows a clear progression from the condition of being drenched to the resulting action of seeking refuge, illustrating the dire circumstances of the subjects.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זֶרֶם as ψεκάδων, indicating a focus on the act of sprinkling or showering, which may suggest a slightly different nuance than the Hebrew term's emphasis on a storm. This choice reflects an interpretation that highlights the intensity of the rain.
The Greek word περιεβάλοντο for חִבְּקוּ conveys the idea of surrounding or encompassing, which aligns with the act of embracing the rocks for protection.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 24:8 describes how the poor are drenched by heavy mountain rains and huddle against the rocks because they lack shelter. This verse illustrates their vulnerability and the harsh conditions they face, highlighting their desperate need for protection from the elements.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that they are exposed to severe weather conditions, emphasizing their vulnerability and lack of shelter.
They seek refuge from the rain and elements, showing their desperate need for protection.
It represents a safe place that is desperately needed but lacking for the poor in this situation.
It highlights the suffering and injustice faced by the poor, contrasting their plight with the lives of the wealthy.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I better understand the struggles of those in poverty today, similar to how Job describes their plight?
- In what ways can I provide shelter or support to those who are vulnerable in my community?
- What does this verse teach about the importance of compassion and empathy towards those in need?
- How can I apply the lessons from Job's reflections on suffering and injustice in my own life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist reflects on the meaning of the verse, interpreting the showers of the mountains as representing the words of the learned.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the stones for want of a garment. 'The showers of the mountains' are the words of the learned.Early Church Fathers on Job 24 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 24:8 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey are wet with the showers of the mountains,.... They that are without any clothes to cover them, lying down at the bottom of a hill or mountain, where the clouds often gather, and there break, or
Read John Gill on Job 24 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySome remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. Instances of the wicked doing the worst deeds with seeming impunity. Some - the wicked.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 24 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThey, i.e. the poor, being stripped of their raiment, and forced away from their houses. With the showers of the mountains; with the rain water, which in great showers run down from the rocks or mountains into the caves or holes in the sides of them, to which they fled for shelter. Embrace the rock, i.e. are glad when they can find a cavern or cleft of a rock in which they may have some protection against the injuries of the weather, and a hiding-place from the fury of their oppressors. Compare .
Read Matthew Poole on Job 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 24:8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.Ver. 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains] Wet they are, but not at all refreshed, as this word (here only found in the Bible) signifieth sometimes among the Rabbis. Cold comfort they find abroad; and at home they dare not abide, lest rich men should oppress them and draw them before the judgment seats, James 2:6, or drag them to prison for refusing their drudgery. Hence they are forced to live in the mountains and desert places, in extreme misery. And embrace the rock for want of a shelter] Like conies or wild beasts, glad of any lurking place that may keep them out of the hands…
Read John Trapp on Job 24 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 8. They are wet with the showers of the mountains] Mr. Good thinks that torrents, not showers, is the proper translation of the original זרם zerem; but I think showers of the mountain strictly proper. I have seen many of these in mountainous countries, where the tails of water-spouts have been intercepted and broken, and the outpouring of them would be incredible to those who have never witnessed similar phenomena. The rain fell in torrents, and produced torrents on the land, carrying away earth and stones and every thing before them, scooping out great gullies in the sides of the mountains. Mountain torrents are not produced but by such extraordinary outpourings of rain, formed…
Read AdamClarke on Job 24 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges8. The mountain rains, more violent than even those in the plain, drench these thinly-clad outcasts; and they “embrace the rock,” i. e. huddle in closely under its ledge.
Read Cambridge on Job 24 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey are wet with the showers of the mountains - That is, the poor persons, or the travelers whom they have robbed. Hills collect the clouds, and showers seem to pour down from the mountains.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 24 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible8. Showers — Better, Storms. Embrace the rock — In order to cover at least some part of the body.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 24 →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
Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for lack of a shelter.
Drenched by mountain rains, they huddle against the rocks for want of shelter.
They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle in the rocks because they lack shelter.
Tyndale line
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
They are wet with the showres of the moutaines, and they imbrace the rocke for want of a couering.
Strictly literal
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and for want of a shelter embrace the rock...
From the inundation of hills they are wet, And without a refuge — have embraced a rock.
From the inundation of hills they are wet, || And without a refuge—have embraced a rock.
Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains; they lie next to large rocks because they have no shelter.
From the Latin
Who are wet, with the showers of the mountains, and having no covering embrace the stones.
Simplified
They are soaked by the cold mountain storms, and huddle beside the rocks for shelter.
They are wet with the rain of the mountains, and get into the cracks of the rock for cover.
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 agreement in the essential elements of the verse, with five of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but the core message remains intact, emphasizing the plight of the wet and vulnerable.
מִזֶּ֣רֶם הָרִ֣ים יִרְטָ֑בוּ וּֽמִבְּלִ֥י מַ֝חְסֶ֗ה חִבְּקוּ־ צֽוּר׃
5 of the 7 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 24:8
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.
זֶ֫רֶם (zerem) refers to a flood of rain or a storm, encompassing meanings like downpour and rain-shower. It is derived from the root word for a gush of water. The entries consistently describe it as related to intense rain events.
זֶ֫רֶם n.m. flood of rain, rain-storm, downpour
base
H2230 זֶ֫רֶם flood of rain, rain-storm, downpour
2230 zerem zeh'-rem
from 2229; a gush of water:--flood, overflowing, shower,
storm, tempest.
see HEBREW for 02229
זֶ֫רֶם (ze.rem) — storm.
rain-shower, thunderstorm, flood of rain, downpour, rain-storm
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…
הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.
הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country
mountain, hill
hill-country, mountain-region
base
H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country
2022 har har
a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills
(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X
promotion.
see HEBREW for 02042
הַר (har) — mountain: mount.
: mount/hill
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.
: hill_country
hill, mountain, hill country, mount
A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
Are among the most sublime and impressive of the Creator’s works on earth, and from the noblest and most enduring monuments of great events. Most of the mountains of Scripture thus stand as witnesses for God—every view of their lofty summits, and every recurrence to them in thought reminding us of the sacred facts and truths connected with them. Thus Mount Ararat is a standing memorial of the deluge of man’s sin, God’s justice, and God’s mercy. Mount Sinai asserts the terrors of the divine law. Mount Carmel summons us, like the prophet Elijah of old, not to "halt between two opinions;" but if Jehovah is God, to love and serve him. The mount of the Transfiguration still shines with the glory of the truths there taught, and Mounts Ebal and Gerizim still echo the curses and the blessings once so solemnly pronounced from them. So Mount Hor, Nebo, Lebanon, and Gilboa have been signalized by…
- The elevated parts of the earth
Ge 7:19,20
- GOD
. Formed
. Set fast
. Gives strength to
. Weighs, in a balance
. Waters, from his chambers
רָטֵב (ratab) is a primitive root meaning 'to be moist' or 'to be wet.' It is primarily used in the Qal form, as noted in Job 24:8. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to moisture without significant disagreement.
[רָטֵב, רָטֹב] vb. be moist;—Qal Jb 24:8.
ref
H7372 רָטֵב, רָטֹב, רָטַב
7372 ratab raw-tab'
a primitive root; to be moist:--be wet.
רָטֵב (ra.tav) — be moist.
(Qal) to be moist
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Conj | Prep | Part — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHC/R/Ncmsc
מַחְסֶּה (machaceh) refers to a refuge or shelter, both literally and figuratively. It conveys meanings of protection from danger or storms, and can also imply a place of trust or hope. The word is derived from a root meaning to cover or protect, and is used in contexts that emphasize safety.
מַחְסֶּה n.m. refuge, shelter
base
H4268 מַחְסֶּה refuge, shelter
4268 machaceh makh-as-eh'
or machceh {makh-seh'}; from 2620; a shelter (literally or
figuratively):--hope, (place of) refuge, shelter, trust.
see HEBREW for 02620
מַחְסֶּה (ma.cha.seh) — refuge.
1) refuge, shelter
1a) from rain or storm, from danger
1b) of falsehood
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
חָבַק (chabaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to clasp or embrace. It can refer to physically embracing someone or folding one's hands in idleness. The entries indicate its use in both the Qal and Piel stems, which express the action of embracing.
[חָבַק] vb. clasp, embrace
Qal embrace
Pi. embrace
base
H2263 חָבַק clasp, embrace
2263 chabaq khaw-bak'
a primitive root; to clasp (the hands or in
embrace):--embrace, fold.
חָבַק (cha.vaq) — to embrace.
1) to embrace, clasp
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to embrace
1a2) to fold one's hands in idleness (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to embrace
V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Verb · Piel · perfect third person common pluralHVpp3cp
em-bras': The word has two distinct meanings in the Old Testament:
(1) to clasp and hold fondly in the arms, pointing to a common custom (Ge 29:13; 33:4; 48:10; 2Ki 4:16; So 2:6; 8:3 compare Ac 20:10), and
(2) to have sexual intercourse (Pr 4:8; 5:20; Ec 3:5). It seems to have acquired this technical sense in later Jewish usage.
צוּר (tsur) means rock or cliff, often referring to a sharp rock or boulder. It can also signify a refuge or an edge, and is used in various contexts, including references to God as a rock. The word is built from the root associated with strong, compressed formations, and it appears in different forms, such as in the phrase 'rock of God.'
צוּר n.m. rock, cliff
base
H6697 צוּר rock, cliff
6697 tsuwr tsoor
or tsur {tsoor}; from 6696; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock,
as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a
refuge; also an edge (as precipitous):--edge, X (mighty) God
(one), rock, X sharp, stone, X strength, X strong. See also
1049.
see HEBREW for 06696
see HEBREW for 01049
צוּר (tsur) — Rocks (of Goats).
Combined with ya.el (יָעֵל "Wildgoats'" H3277)
This name means rock, cliff
צוּר (tsur) — rock.
1) rock, cliff
1a) rocky wall, cliff
1b) rock (with flat surface)
1c) block of stone, boulder
1d) rock (specific)
1e) rock (of God)
1f) rock (of heathen gods) n pr dei
1g) Rock
Aramaic equivalent: tur (טוּר "mountain" H2906)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
rok ((1) cela`; (2) tsur (3) challamish, "flint"; compare Arabic khalanbus, "flint"; (4) kephim (Job 30:6; Jer 4:29); compare Kephas, "Cephas" = Petros, "Peter" (Joh 1:42 the King James Version and the Revised Version margin); (5) petra):
1. Names:
Tsur and cela` are the words most often found, and there is no well-defined distinction between them. They are frequently coupled together in the parallelism which is characteristic of the Hebrew writers: e.g.
"Be thou to me a strong rock (tsur),
A house of defense to save me.
For thou art my rock (tsela) and my fortress"
(Ps 31:2,3).
"He clave rocks (tsur) in the wilderness,
And gave them drink abundantly as out of the depths.
Rock
(Heb. tsur), employed as a symbol of God in the Old Testament (1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam. 22:3; Isa. 17:10; Ps. 28:1; 31:2,3; 89:26; 95:1); also in the New Testament (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4). In Dan. 2:45 the Chaldaic form of the Hebrew word is translated “mountain.” It ought to be translated “rock,” as in Hab. 1:12 in the Revised Version. The “rock” from which the stone is cut there signifies the…