Job 40:13 — Word Study
WLCטָמְנֵ֣ם בֶּעָפָ֣ר יָ֑חַד פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם חֲבֹ֣שׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃
BSABury themṭâman [hide, conceal] togetheryachad [in unity, as one] in the dustʻâphâr [dry earth, clay] imprison themchâbash [bind, tie] in the graveṭâman [secret place, hidden underground, place of the dead]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| טָמְנֵ֣ם | hide them | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| בֶּעָפָ֣ר | in the dust | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יָ֑חַד | together | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם | faces their | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| חֲבֹ֣שׁ | bind up | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| בַּטָּמֽוּן׃ | in the hidden [place] | Preposition, verb qal participle (passive) masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave. |
| KJV | Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. |
| ASV | Hide them in the dust together; Bind their faces in the hidden place. |
| YLT | Hide them in the dust together, Their faces bind in secret. |
| WEB | Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place. |
| BBE | Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld. |
The translations agree on the imperative nature of the commands in this verse.
The verse consists of a main command followed by two actions, emphasizing the authority of the speaker.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbחָבַשׁ
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 40:13
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 — God's Challenge to Jobgenerated
Job 40:13 is part of a series of rhetorical questions and commands from God to Job, emphasizing God's sovereignty and the fate of the proud. The surrounding verses challenge Job's understanding of divine justice and power, as God illustrates His control over creation and judgment.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 14:13 | If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me! |
| 2 | Psalm 49:14 | Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. |
| 3 | Isaiah 2:10 | Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty. |
| 4 | Job 36:13 | The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help. |
| 5 | Esther 7:8 | Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — טָמְנֵ֣ם, ta.me.Nemgenerated
The verb טָמַן (taman) means to hide or conceal, often implying secrecy. In this verse, it commands the action of hiding the proud, suggesting a deliberate act of removal from sight and memory.
This imperative form indicates a direct command, emphasizing urgency and authority. The context implies that the proud are to be hidden away as a judgment, reinforcing the theme of divine justice.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the imperative nature of the command to bury and imprison the proud.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb טָמְנֵ֣ם governs the main action of the verse, with two phrases detailing how this action is to be carried out: a prepositional phrase indicating where to bury and an imperative phrase instructing to bind.
The structure emphasizes the command's authority, with the verb positioned prominently at the beginning, highlighting the action required.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates טָמְנֵ֣ם as δὲ (de), indicating a conjunction rather than a direct translation of the verb. This choice reflects a different syntactical structure, focusing on the continuation of thought rather than the command itself.
This divergence suggests an interpretative approach, where the Greek translators may have sought to clarify the command's implications in the context of their audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 40:13 shows God commanding Job to bury the proud and imprison them in the grave. This reflects God's authority over judgment and the fate of the wicked, emphasizing the consequences of pride.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a divine judgment where the proud are hidden away from view, representing their downfall.
Binding in the grave emphasizes the finality of their judgment and the complete removal of their influence.
It highlights God's sovereignty and the consequences of pride, reinforcing the theme of divine justice throughout the book.
We learn about the seriousness of pride and the importance of humility before God, as well as His ultimate authority over life and death.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see pride manifesting in my life, and how can I address it?
- How does understanding God's authority over judgment change my perspective on my own actions?
- What does it mean for me to 'hide' my pride before God?
- How can I support others in recognizing the importance of humility?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations, such as from Gregory the Dialogist, reflect on the implications of God's command to hide the proud in the dust, emphasizing divine judgment.
Hide them in the dust, and at the same time plunge their faces into the pit. 12. As if He said, As I. For God by a just judgment hides the proud and impious in the dust,Early Church Fathers on Job 40 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 40:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHide them in the dust together,.... Either in the dust of death, that they may be seen no more in this world, in the same place and circumstances where they showed their pride and haughtiness; or in
Read John Gill on Job 40 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. (Isaiah 2:10.) Abase and remove them out of the sight of men. Bind ... faces - i:e., shut up their persons (Maurer).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 40 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleKill every one of them at one blow, as I can do, and bring them all to their graves, that they may sleep in the dust, and never offend thee nor trouble others more. Bind their faces, i.e. condemn or destroy them. He alludes to the manner of covering the faces of condemned persons, , and of dead men, 20:7. See Poole "". In secret; either in a secret place, bury them in their graves; or secretly, with a secret and invisible stroke, that it may appear it comes from the hand of a God.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 40 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 40:13 Hide them in the dust together; [and] bind their faces in secret.Ver. 13. Hide them in the dust together] Make a hand of them all at once, as God can do his enemies, by raking them all into the grave; yea, turning into hell whole nations that forget God, a whole rabble of rebels that fight against heaven; he can soon lay them low enough, even in that slimy valley, where are many already like them, and more shall come after them, Job 21:31-32. Now when God biddeth Job do all this, who was himself lying in the dust, full of sores and sorrows, how could he but be greatly ashamed and affected with grief for his former follies? And bind their faces in secret] As Haman’ s face was…
Read John Trapp on Job 40 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. Hide them in the dust together] Blend the high and the low, the rich and the poor, in one common ruin. Show them that thou art supreme, and canst do whatsoever thou pleasest. Bind their faces in secret.] This seems to refer to the custom of preserving mummies: the whole body is wrapped round with strong swathings of linen or cotton cloth. Not only the limbs, but the very head, face, and all, are rolled round with strong filleting, so that not one feature can be seen, not even the protuberance of the nose. On the outside of these involutions a human face is ordinarily painted; but as to the real face itself, it is emphatically bound in secret, for those rollers are never intended…
Read AdamClarke on Job 40 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. bind their faces in secret] lit. bind up their faces in the hidden place, that is, shut them up in the darkness of the prison-house of Death.
Read Cambridge on Job 40 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHide them in the dust together; - compare Isaiah 2:10. The meaning seems to be, that God had power to prostrate the wicked in the dust of the earth, and he calls upon Job to show his power by doing the same thing.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 40 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. The dust is used for the grave, as in Job 17:16. Compare Psalms 22:15; Psalms 30:9. Bind their faces — Clarke and Carey think there is here an allusion to the bandaging of mummies. Pettigrew (in his work on Mummies, p.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 40 →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
Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave.
Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place.
Bury them together in the dust; imprison them in the grave.
Hide them in the dust together, imprison them in the grave.
Tyndale line
Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
Hide them in the dust together; Bind their faces in the hidden place.
Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in the hidden place.
Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in secret.
His bones are like staues of brasse, and his small bones like staues of yron.
Strictly literal
Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in secret.
Hide them in the dust together, Their faces bind in secret.
Hide them in the dust together, || Bind their faces in secret.
Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.
Bury them in the earth together; imprison their faces in the hidden place.
From the Latin
His bones are like pipes of brass, his gristle like plates of iron.
Simplified
Bury them in the dust; lock them away in the grave.
Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.
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 content, with five of the six words matched in the Hebrew and Greek. The Septuagint's structure differs, indicating a distinct interpretative style rather than a direct word-for-word correspondence.
טָמְנֵ֣ם בֶּעָפָ֣ר יָ֑חַד פְּ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם חֲבֹ֣שׁ בַּטָּמֽוּן׃
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 40:13
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.
טָמַן (taman) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It can refer to hiding something by covering it over, as well as to the act of burying or laying something secretly. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hiding, such as hiding oneself or causing something to be hidden.
טָמַן vb. hide, conceal
Qal
hide
often of hiding, concealing, secretly laying a snare
that which is darkened = darkness
Niph. hide thyself in the dust
Hiph. and they went and hid (it)
base
H2934 טָמַן hide, conceal
2934 taman taw-man'
a primitive root; to hide (by covering over):--hide, lay
privily, in secret.
טָמַן (ta.man) — to hide.
1) to hide, conceal, bury
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hide
1a2) hiding, concealing, secretly laying (participle)
1a3) darkness (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to hide oneself
1c) (Hiphil) to hide
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sp3mp
עָפָר (aphar) refers to dry earth or dust, encompassing meanings such as powder, ashes, and rubbish. It is derived from a root meaning to be dry and is used in various contexts, including clay and mortar. The entries consistently highlight its association with loose earth and debris.
עָפָר n.m. dry earth, dust
base
H6083 עָפָר dry earth, dust
6083 `aphar aw-fawr'
from 6080; dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth,
mud:--ashes, dust, earth, ground, morter, powder, rubbish.
see HEBREW for 06080
עָפָר (a.phar) — dust.
1) dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish
1a) dry or loose earth
1b) debris
1c) mortar
1d) ore
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
dust (`aphar; koniortos, chous): Small particles of earth. The word has several figurative and symbolic meanings:
(1) Dust being the material out of which God is said to have formed man (Ge 2:7), it became a symbol of man's frailty (Ps 103:14, "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust"; compare Ge 18:27; Job 4:19, etc.), and of his mortality (Ge 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return"; compare Job 34:15; Ps 104:29; Ec 3:20…
Dust
Storms of sand and dust sometimes overtake Eastern travellers. They are very dreadful, many perishing under them. Jehovah threatens to bring on the land of Israel, as a punishment for forsaking him, a rain of “powder and dust” (Deut. 28:24).
To cast dust on the head was a sign of mourning (Josh. 7:6); and to sit in dust, of extreme affliction (Isa. 47:1). “Dust” is used to denote the grave (Job 7:21). “To shake off the dust from one’s feet” against another is to renounce all future intercourse with him (Matt. 10:14; Acts 13:51). To “lick the dust” is a sign of…
[MOURNING]
Jos 7:6. Dust or ashes put upon the head was a sign of mourning; sitting in the dust, a sign of affliction, La 3:29 Isa 47:1. "Dust" is also put for the grave, Ge 3:19 Job 7:21. It signifies a multitude, Ge 13:16, and a low and mean condition, 1Sa 2:8. We have two remarkable instances of casting dust recorded in Scripture, and they seem to illustrate a practice common in Asia: those who demanded justice against a criminal were accustomed to throw dust upon him, signifying that he deserved to be cast into the grave.…
יַ֫חַד (yachad) refers to the concept of unitedness or being together. It can function as a noun meaning 'unitedness' and as an adverb meaning 'together.' The word is built from a root that emphasizes unity and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.
יַ֫חַד 45 n.[m.] unitedness
as subst.
elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
base
יָחְדָּו 92 adv. together
base
H3162a יַ֫חַד unitedness . as subst.
. elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
H3162b יָחְדָּו adv. together
3162 yachad yakh'-ad
from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike,
at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal.
see HEBREW for 03161
יַ֫חַד (ya.chad) — unitedness.
1) union, unitedness
יָחְדָּו (yach.dav) — together.
adv
together
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
HNcmpc/Sp3mp — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3mp
חָבַשׁ (chabash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bind, tie, or saddle. It covers a range of actions from physically binding something up to metaphorically governing or restraining. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to bind) and Piel (to restrain). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to binding and governance.
[חָבַשׁ] vb. bind, bind on, bind up
Qal
bind, bind on
bind up
Pi. bind, restrain
Pu. be bound up
base
H2280 חָבַשׁ bind, bind on, bind up
2280 chabash khaw-bash'
a primitive root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban,
compress, or saddle); figuratively, to stop, to rule:--bind
(up), gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about.
חָבַשׁ (cha.vash) — to saddle/tie.
1) to tie, bind, bind on, bind up, saddle, restrain, bandage, govern
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind, bind on
1a2) to bind up
1b) (Piel) to bind, restrain
1c) (Pual) to be bound up
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
טָמַן (taman) is a Hebrew verb meaning to hide or conceal. It can refer to hiding something by covering it over, as well as to the act of burying or laying something secretly. The verb appears in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hiding, such as hiding oneself or causing something to be hidden.
טָמַן vb. hide, conceal
Qal
hide
often of hiding, concealing, secretly laying a snare
that which is darkened = darkness
Niph. hide thyself in the dust
Hiph. and they went and hid (it)
base
H2934 טָמַן hide, conceal
2934 taman taw-man'
a primitive root; to hide (by covering over):--hide, lay
privily, in secret.
טָמַן (ta.man) — to hide.
1) to hide, conceal, bury
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hide
1a2) hiding, concealing, secretly laying (participle)
1a3) darkness (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to hide oneself
1c) (Hiphil) to hide
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-c — Preposition · verb qal participle (passive) masculine singularHRd/Vqsmsa
plas: Normally for maqom, Old Testament, and topos, New Testament, but in the King James Version "place" represents a great number of Hebrew and Greek words, often used with no difference in force (e.g. 2Ch 35:10,15). the Revised Version (British and American) has made few changes, but occasionally has attempted to specialize the meaning (Ge 40:13; Job 37:8; Ac 8:32; Jas 3:11, etc.).