Job 3:19 — Word Study
WLCקָטֹ֣ן וְ֭גָדוֹל שָׁ֣ם ה֑וּא וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד חָפְשִׁ֥י מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃
BSABoth smallqâṭân [small in size or importance] and greatgâdôwl [in size, age, or importance] are thereshâm [in the same place, at the same time] and the slaveʻebed [servant, bondservant] is freedchophshîy [exempt from slavery, set at liberty] from his masterʼâdôwn [lord, one who has control]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| קָטֹ֣ן | small | Adj |
| וְ֭גָדוֹל | and great | Conjunction |
| שָׁ֣ם | [is] there | Adverb |
| ה֑וּא | he | Pronoun |
| וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד | and a slave | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| חָפְשִׁ֥י | [is] free | Adj |
| מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃ | from master his | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master. |
| KJV | The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. |
| ASV | The small and the great are there: And the servant is free from his master. |
| YLT | Small and great [are] there the same. And a servant [is] free from his lord. |
| WEB | The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master. |
| BBE | The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, emphasizing equality in death.
The sentence presents two main ideas, highlighting the equality of all in death.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהוּא
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 3:19
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 Lamentgenerated
Job 3:19 reflects Job's deep anguish and contemplation of death, where he observes that both the small and the great meet the same fate. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job questions the purpose of life amidst suffering and longs for the release that death might bring. The themes of equality and freedom resonate throughout the book of Job, especially in his reflections on the afterlife and justice.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 30:23 | Yes, I know that You will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living. |
| 2 | Psalm 49:2–6 | both low and high, rich and poor alike. |
| 3 | Ecclesiastes 8:8 | As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 12:5–7 | when men fear the heights and dangers of the road, when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper loses its spring, and the caper berry shrivels— for then man goes to his eternal home and mourners walk the streets. |
| 5 | Luke 16:22–23 | One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָפְשִׁי, cha.fe.Shigenerated
The Hebrew word חָפְשִׁי (chophshiy) means 'free,' indicating a state of exemption from bondage, taxes, or obligations. It derives from a root word for freedom and is often associated with liberation from slavery or servitude.
In this verse, it highlights the idea that in death, a slave is liberated from their earthly master, emphasizing the theme of equality in the face of mortality.
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 verse consists of two main clauses connected by 'and': קָטֹ֣ן (small) and גָּדוֹל (great) are subjects, with the predicate שָׁם (there) linking them. The second part introduces a new subject, עֶבֶד (slave), with its predicate חָפְשִׁי (is free), creating a parallel structure that emphasizes equality.
The structure highlights the contrast between social status and the shared experience of death, reinforcing the theme that all are equal in the afterlife.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קָטֹ֣ן as μικρὸς and גָּדוֹל as μέγας, both meaning 'small' and 'great' respectively. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew terms, maintaining the same thematic emphasis on equality.
The word חָפְשִׁי is rendered in the Septuagint with a term that conveys the same sense of freedom, underscoring the concept of liberation from earthly constraints.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 3:19 states that in death, both the small and the great are present, and a slave is set free from his master. This verse highlights the idea that social status does not matter in death, as all are equal and freed from their earthly bonds.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This means that in death, all people, regardless of their social status, experience the same fate.
It signifies that in death, the distinctions of earthly life, including servitude, are removed, and all are equal.
This verse reflects Job's struggle with suffering and the desire for justice, emphasizing the equality of all before death.
Freedom in this context highlights liberation from earthly struggles and the equalizing nature of death.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I perceive the concept of equality in life and death?
- What does freedom mean to me in my current circumstances?
- How can I apply the themes of Job's lament to my understanding of suffering?
- In what ways can I support those who feel trapped in their current situations?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse to discuss the differences in dignity in life and the equality found in death.
MORAL INTERPRETATION. The small and great are there; the servant is free from his master. Forasmuch as there is to us in this life a difference in works, doubtless there will be in the future life a difference in degrees of dignity,Early Church Fathers on Job 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 3:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe small and great are there,.... Both as to age, and with respect to bulk and strength of body, and also to estate and dignity; children and men, or those of low and high stature, or in a mean or
Read John Gill on Job 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. The small and great are there - on the same footing, without distinction of rank (Proverbs 22:2). Servant. The slave is there manumitted from slavery.
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe small and great, i.e. persons of all qualifies and conditions, whether higher or lower. Are there, in the same place and state, all those kinds of distinctions and differences being for ever abolished.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 3:19 The small and great are there; and the servant [is] free from his master.Ver. 19. The small and the great are there] In Calvary are skulls of all sizes, say the Hebrews. Stat sua cuique dies (Virg. Aeneid, lib. 1 0). It is appointed for all once to die, be they great or small, low or high. Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat, death makes no difference; kings and captives, lords and lowlies come, then under an equal parity; death takes away all distinctions. William the Conqueror’ s corpse lay unburied three days; his interment was hindered by one that claimed the ground to be his (Daniel). King Stephen was interred at Feversham monastery; but since his body, for the gain of the lead…
Read John Trapp on Job 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 19. The small and great are there.] All sorts and conditions of men are equally blended in the grave, and ultimately reduced to one common dust; and between the bond and free there is no difference. The grave is "The appointed place of rendezvous, where all These travellers meet." Equality is absolute among the sons of men in their entrance into and exit from the world: all the intermediate state is disparity. All men begin and end life alike; and there is no difference between the king and the cottager. A contemplation of this should equally humble the great and the small. The saying is trite, but it is true: - Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, Regumque turres. HOR.…
Read AdamClarke on Job 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19. small and great are there] i. e. are there alike, the same.
Read Cambridge on Job 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe small and the great are there - The old and the young, the high and the low. Death levels all. It shows no respect to age; it spares none because they are vigorous, young, or beautiful.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19. The first clause reads, literally, “The small and great, there (is) he,” in the sense that they are the same, or on the same level. So in Psalms 22:9. “Thou art he,” that is, the same.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 3 →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
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
The small and the great are there. The servant is free from his master.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
Small and great are there, and the slave is free from his master.
Tyndale line
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
The small and the great are there: And the servant is free from his master.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.
There are small and great, and the seruant is free from his master.
Strictly literal
The small and great are there, and the bondman freed from his master.
Small and great [are] there the same. And a servant [is] free from his lord.
Small and great [are] the same there. And a servant [is] free from his lord.
The small with the great is there, and the servant free from his master.
Both small and great people are there; the servant is free from his master there.
From the Latin
The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
Simplified
Both small and great are there, and slaves are freed from their masters.
The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master.
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 3:19 states, "Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master," which is reflected in the Septuagint, where six of the seven words match in a word-by-word correspondence, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional evidence for this specific verse, so their agreement or differences cannot be assessed here.
קָטֹ֣ן וְ֭גָדוֹל שָׁ֣ם ה֑וּא וְ֝עֶ֗בֶד חָפְשִׁ֥י מֵאֲדֹנָֽיו׃
6 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 3:19
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.
קָטָן (qatan) means small, young, or unimportant. It can refer to size, quantity, or age, and is often used to describe something insignificant. The entries indicate that it is a diminutive form, with variations in spelling. The lexicons highlight its meanings consistently, without significant disagreement.
קָטָן adj. small, young, unimportant
base
קָטֹן 64 adj. small, insignificant
base
H6996a קָטָן small, young, unimportant H6996b קָטֹן small, insignificant
6996 qatan kaw-tawn'
or qaton {kaw-tone'}; from 6962; abbreviated, i.e.
diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or
figuratively (in age or importance):--least, less(-er),
little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing),
young(-er, -est).
see HEBREW for 06962
קָטָן (qa.tan) — small.
young, small, unimportant
Another spelling of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)
קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small.
: small
small, insignificant
קָטֹן (qa.ton) — small: young.
: young
small, insignificant
A sub-meaning of qa.ton (קָטֹן ": small" H6996B)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.
גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great
in magnitude and extent
in number
in intensity
in sound, loud
in age
in importance
in phrases
cstr.
as subst. concr. do great things
† as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent
. in number
. in intensity
. in sound, loud
. in age
. in importance
. in phrases
. cstr.
. as subst. concr. do great things
. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel
1419 gadowl gaw-dole'
or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any
sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +
exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,
thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,
proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
see HEBREW for 01431
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
1e) older (in age)
1f) in importance
1f1) important things
1f2) great, distinguished (of men)
1f3) God Himself (of God)
subst
1g) great things
1h) haughty things
1i) greatness
Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).
adj
great
Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Aamsa
שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.
שָׁם adv. there, thither
base
H8033 שָׁם there, thither
8033 sham shawm
a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);
there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or
thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +
thither, + whither.
see HEBREW for 0834
שָׁם (sham) — there.
1) there, thither
1a) there
1b) thither (after verbs of motion)
1c) from there, thence
1d) then (as an adverb of time)
Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)
שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
This name means there, thither
Adv — AdverbHD
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
HPp3ms — PronounHPp3ms
ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.
The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.
עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant
slave, servant of household
Subjects, of chief
Servants, worshippers of God
Servant of י׳, in a special sense
Israel as a people is servant of י׳
In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
Phrases
base
H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household
. Subjects, of chief
. Servants, worshippers of God
. Servant of י׳, in a special sense
. Israel as a people is servant of י׳
. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I
. Phrases
5650 `ebed eh'-bed
from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,
(man-)servant.
see HEBREW for 05647
עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.
1) slave, servant
1a) slave, servant, man-servant
1b) subjects
1c) servants, worshippers (of God)
1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)
1e) servant (of Israel)
1f) servant (as form of address between equals)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
Slave
Jer. 2:14 (A.V.), but not there found in the original. In Rev. 18:13 the word “slaves” is the rendering of a Greek word meaning “bodies.” The Hebrew and Greek words for slave are usually rendered simply “servant,” “bondman,” or “bondservant.” Slavery as it existed under the Mosaic law has no modern parallel. That law did not originate but only regulated the already existing custom of slavery (Ex. 21:20, 21, 26, 27; Lev. 25:44-46; Josh. 9:6-27). The gospel in its spirit and genius is hostile to slavery in every form, which under its influence is gradually disappearing from among men.
The institution of slavery was recognized, though not established, by the Mosaic law with a view to mitigate its hardship and to secure to every man his ordinary rights. I. Hebrew slaves. -- The circumstances under which a Hebrew might be reduced to servitude were-- (1) poverty; (2) the commission of theft; and (3) the exercise of paternal authority. In the first case, a man who had mortgaged his property, and was unable to support his family, might sell himself to another Hebrew, with a view both to obtain maintenance and perchance a surplus sufficient to redeem his property. (Leviticus 25:25,39) (2) The commission of theft rendered a person liable to servitude whenever restitution could not be made on the scale prescribed by the law. (Exodus 22:1,3) The thief was bound to work…
חָפְשִׁי (chophshiy) means 'free,' indicating a state of exemption from bondage, taxes, or obligations. It is derived from the root word for freedom (H2666). The term is used in contexts relating to liberty, particularly in reference to freedom from slavery or financial burdens.
חָפְשִׁי adj. free
base
H2670 חָפְשִׁי free
2670 chophshiy khof-shee'
from 2666; exempt (from bondage, tax or care):--free,
liberty.
see HEBREW for 02666
חׇפְשִׁי (choph.shi) — free.
1) free
1a) free (from slavery)
1b) free (from taxes or obligations)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.
אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
base
H113 אָדוֹן lord
113 'adown aw-done'
or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning
to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--
lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with
"Adoni-".
אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.
1) firm, strong, lord, master
1a) lord, master
1a1) reference to men
1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs
1a1b) master
1a1c) king
1a2) reference to God
1a2a) the Lord God
1a2b) Lord of the whole earth
1b) lords, kings
1b1) reference to men
1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria
1b1b) master
1b1c) husband
1b1d) prophet
1b1e) governor
1b1f) prince
1b1g) king
1b2) reference to God
1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")
1c) my lord, my master
1c1) reference to men
1c1a) master
1c1b) husband
1c1c) prophet
1c1d) prince
1c1e) king
1c1f) father
1c1g) Moses
1c1h) priest
1c1i) theophanic angel
1c1j) captain
1c1k) general recognition of superiority
1c2) reference to God
1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God
1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms