Job 6:16 — Word Study
WLCהַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־ קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־ שָֽׁלֶג׃
BSAdarkenedqâdar [become blackish, black] becausemin of the iceqerach [frost, rock crystal] and the inflowʻal [overflow, flooding] of meltingʻâlam▸ [hiding, concealed] snowsheleg [white snow]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים | that are dark | Particle, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural |
| מִנִּי־ | from | Preposition |
| קָ֑רַח | ice | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ | over them | Preposition, suffix |
| יִתְעַלֶּם־ | it hides itself | Verb, Hithpael, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| שָֽׁלֶג׃ | snow | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow, |
| KJV | Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: |
| ASV | Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself: |
| YLT | That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself. |
| WEB | which are black by reason of the ice, in which the snow hides itself. |
| BBE | Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them; |
Where they part company is in the interpretation of קֹּדְרִ֥ים — see How Translations Differ.
The structure is clear: a main clause describes the state of being darkened, supported by two prepositional phrases that explain the causes.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשֶׁלֶג
verbעָלַם
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 6:16
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 6:16 is part of Job's response to his friends, where he compares their unreliability to seasonal streams that fail in the dry season. He expresses his deep sorrow and the darkness that has enveloped him, using the imagery of ice and snow to illustrate his feelings of despair and isolation.
Cross References
The Key Word — קֹּדְרִ֥ים, ha.ko.de.Rimgenerated
The word קָדַר (qadar) is a verb meaning 'to be dark' or 'to mourn,' often associated with sorrow. It is used here in the participle form to describe a state of being darkened, reflecting Job's emotional turmoil.
This participle indicates an ongoing condition, suggesting that Job's darkness is not just a momentary feeling but a persistent state brought on by his circumstances.
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 main verb is קֹּדְרִ֥ים (are darkened), which governs the description of the cause of this darkness. The structure is straightforward, with the participle leading the clause and the prepositional phrases providing the reasons for Job's darkened state.
The sentence emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship between the ice and snow and the resulting darkness, creating a vivid image of Job's despair.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates קֹּדְרִ֥ים as οἵτινές (those who are darkened), which maintains the meaning but shifts the focus slightly to a more general description of those affected by darkness.
This choice indicates a broader interpretation of Job's lament, suggesting not only his personal experience but also a collective sense of despair.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 6:16 describes how Job feels darkened by the cold of ice and the influx of melting snow. This imagery reflects his deep sorrow and the gloom that surrounds him, emphasizing his emotional state.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job uses 'darkened' to express his feelings of despair and gloom, indicating that his emotional state is affected by his suffering.
Ice symbolizes coldness and desolation, mirroring Job's sense of isolation and sorrow during his trials.
The melting snow can represent fleeting hope or the transient nature of relief, contrasting with Job's persistent suffering.
Job feels betrayed by his friends, comparing them to unreliable streams, which adds to his sense of abandonment and deepens his despair.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I experience feelings of darkness or despair in my life?
- How can I find hope amidst difficult circumstances, similar to the melting snow in Job's lament?
- What role do my relationships play in my emotional state, as seen in Job's experience with his friends?
- How can I support others who are feeling darkened by their circumstances?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like John Chrysostom and Gregory the Dialogist reflect on Job's lament, discussing themes of despair and the effects of suffering.
JOB MEANS TO SAY THIS: there is no memory or trace left of my former prosperity. And that is even worse than my misfortune itself.Early Church Fathers on Job 6 →
Over those that fear the frost, the snow rushes down. For the frost congeals below, but the snow falls down from above. And often there are persons, who, while they fear temporal adversities,Early Church Fathers on Job 6 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 6:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhich are blackish by reason of the ice,.... When frozen over, they look of a blackish colour, and is what is called a black frost; and these either describe Job and his domestics, as some (h) think
Read John Gill on Job 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhich are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: Blackish - literally, Go as a mourner in black clothing (Psalms 35:14, end).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 6 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhich in winter, when the traveller neither needs nor desires it, are full of water, then congealed by the frost. Wherein the snow is hid; either, 1. Under which the water, made of snow, which formerly fell, and afterwards was dissolved, lies hid. So he implies that he speaks not of those brooks which are fed by a constant spring, but of them which are filled by accidental and extraordinary falls of water, or snow melted, which run into them. Or, 2. Wherein there is abundance of snow mixed with or covered by the ice; or, in which the snow covers itself, i.e. where is snow upon snow; which gives the traveller hopes, that when he comes that way in summer, he shall find good store of water…
Read Matthew Poole on Job 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 6:16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, [and] wherein the snow is hid:Ver. 16. Which are blackish by reason of the ice] Or frost, a black frost we call it, which deceiveth those that tread upon it. Or if, hard enough to bear up passengers, it promise to be a storehouse of preserving snow and water against the scorching time of summer, yet there is no trusting to it; for these waters, as they are in winter locked up with frosts, so they will be in summer exhaled and dried up by the sun.
Read John Trapp on Job 6 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 16. Blackish by reason of the ice] He represents the waters as being sometimes suddenly frozen, their foam being turned into the semblance of snow or hoar-frost: when the heat comes, they are speedily liquefied; and the evaporation is so strong from the heat, and the absorption so powerful from the sand, that they soon disappear.
Read AdamClarke on Job 6 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. are blackish] Rather, are black, that is, turbid. is hid] lit. hides itself, that is, dissolves. Pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow-falls in the river— A moment white, then melts for ever.
Read Cambridge on Job 6 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWhich are blackish - Or, rather, which are turbid. The word used here (קדרים qoderı̂ym) means to be turbid, foul, or muddy, spoken of a torrent, and then to be of a dusky color, to be dark-colored, as e. g.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 6 →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
darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow,
which are black by reason of the ice, in which the snow hides itself.
darkened because of the ice and the inflow of melting snow,
They are dark because of ice; snow is piled up over them.
Tyndale line
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself:
Which are black by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow hideth itself:
Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and in which the snow is hid:
Which are blackish with yee, and wherein the snowe is hid.
Strictly literal
Which are turbid by reason of the ice, in which the snow hideth itself:
That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself.
That are black because of ice, || By them snow hides itself.
Which are made turbid by reason of the ice, wherein the snow hideth itself;
which are darkened because of ice over them, and because of the snow that hides itself in them.
From the Latin
They that fear the hoary frost, the snow shall fall upon them.
Simplified
The stream floods when it is full of dark ice and melting snow,
Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them;
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. The Septuagint's word order differs, but it retains the essential meaning of Job's lament about darkness and despair.
הַקֹּדְרִ֥ים מִנִּי־ קָ֑רַח עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם־ שָֽׁלֶג׃
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 6:16
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.
קָדַר (qadar) is a Hebrew root meaning to be dark or ashy, often associated with mourning. It covers various forms, including the act of darkening or causing to mourn. The entries indicate uses in different stems, such as Qal for being dark and Hiphil for causing mourning. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
קָדַר vb. be dark (dull-coloured, cf. Ar. Arabic be dirty)
Qal be dark
Hiph.
darken
cause to mourn
Hithp. and the heavens grew dark with clouds.
base
H6937 קָדַר
6937 qadar kaw-dar'
a primitive root; to be ashy, i.e. dark-colored; by
implication, to mourn (in sackcloth or sordid garments):--be
black(-ish), be (make) dark(-en), X heavily, (cause to) mourn.
קָדַר (qa.dar) — be dark.
1) to mourn, be dark
1a) (Qal) to be dark
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to darken
1b2) to cause to mourn
1c) (Hithpael) to grow dark
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine pluralHTd/Vqrmpa
The Hebrew word מִן־ (*min*) is a preposition meaning 'from' or 'out of,' indicating separation or origin. It covers various uses, including temporal references, comparisons, and causal relationships. Additionally, it can denote a portion when used as a noun מֵן (*men*). The entries highlight its versatility in expressing different nuances of separation and position.
מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal
from, against
מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from
of position, off, on the side of, on
Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex
Partitively
Of time—
as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since
as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after
towards, to
(וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to
In comparisons, beyond, above
מן is prefixed to an infin.:
with causal force, from, on account of, through
after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.
with a temporal force, since, after
Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that
In compounds:
base
H4480a מִן־, מִ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not . with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal . from, against
. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from
. of position, off, on the side of, on
. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex
. Partitively
. Of time— . as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since
. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after
. towards, to
. (וְעַד) עַד … מִן from … even to
. In comparisons, beyond, above
. מן is prefixed to an infin.: . with causal force, from, on account of, through
. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.
. with a temporal force, since, after
. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that
4480 min min
or minniy {min-nee'}; or minney (constructive plural)
{min-nay'}; (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482; properly, a part of;
hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses (as
follows):--above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason
of), from (among), in, X neither, X nor, (out) of, over,
since, X then, through, X whether, with.
see HEBREW for 04482
מִן־ (min) — from.
prep
1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than
1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of
1b) out of
1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling)
1b2) (of material from which something is made)
1b3) (of source or origin)
1c) out of, some of, from (partitively)
1d) from, since, after (of time)
1e) than, more than (in comparison)
1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or
1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons)
1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive)
conj
2) that
Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
מֵן (men) — portion.
n.m.
portion
Prep — PrepositionHR
קֶ֫רַח (qerach) refers to ice and frost, describing smooth, cold forms like ice crystals. It is derived from the root meaning 'bald' or 'smooth.' The term encompasses frost, ice, and by extension, rock crystal. It appears in contexts relating to cold weather phenomena.
קֶ֫רַח n.m. frost, ice
base
H7140 קֶ֫רַח
7140 qerach keh'-rakh
or qorach {ko'-rakh}; from 7139; ice (as if bald, i.e.
smooth); hence, hail; by resemblance, rock crystal:--crystal,
frost, ice.
see HEBREW for 07139
קֶ֫רַח (qe.rach) — ice.
1) frost, ice, ice crystal
1a) frost (of night)
1b) ice
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
is (qerach): Ice is almost unknown in Palestine and Syria except on the highest mountains. At moderate heights of less than 4,000 ft. a little ice may form during the night in winter, but the warm rays of the sun melt it the next day. A great quantity of snow is packed away in caves in the mountains during the winter, and is thus preserved for use in the summer months. The word is found in the Bible in three places where it describes God's power. "Out of whose womb came the ice? And the .... frost" (Job 38:29); "By the breath of God ice is given" (Job 37:10); "He casteth forth his ice like morsels" (Ps 147:17).
Ice
Frequently mentioned (Job 6:16; 38:29; Ps. 147:17, etc.). (See CRYSTAL.)
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
עָלַם (alam) is a Hebrew verb meaning to conceal or hide. It covers various forms, including being hidden, hiding oneself, and the act of concealing something. The entries indicate its use in different grammatical stems, such as Qal, Niphal, Hiphil, and Hithpael, which express nuances of secrecy and concealment.
[עָלַם] vb. conceal
Qal as subst. our secret, i.e. hidden sin
Niph. be concealed
Hiph. conceal, hide
Hithp. and thou hide thyself completely from them (utterly neglect to aid)
base
H5956 [עָלַם] conceal
5956 `alam aw-lam'
a primitive root; to veil from sight, i.e. conceal (literally
or figuratively):--X any ways, blind, dissembler, hide
(self), secret (thing).
עָלַם (a.lam) — to conceal.
1) to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret
1a) (Qal) secret (participle)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be concealed
1b2) concealed, dissembler (participle)
1c) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide
1d) (Hithpael) to hide oneself
V-Hithpael-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hithpael · imperfect third person masculine singularHVti3ms
שֶׁ֫לֶג (sheleg) means 'snow' and is derived from the root word for whiteness. It is consistently defined across entries as snow, with a reference to its Aramaic equivalent, תְּלַג (te.lag). The term appears in contexts related to snow in the Old Testament.
שֶׁ֫לֶג n.m. snow
base
H7950 שֶׁ֫לֶג snow
7950 sheleg sheh'-leg
from 7949; snow (probably from its whiteness):--snow(-y).
see HEBREW for 07949
שֶׁ֫לֶג (she.leg) — snow.
snow
Aramaic equivalent: te.lag (תְּלַג "snow" H8517)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sno (shelegh, telagh (Da 7:9); chion):
(1) Snow is not uncommon in the winter in Jerusalem, but it never reaches any depth and in many winters it is not seen at all. It usually disappears, for the most part, as soon as the sun appears, though it may "hide itself" for a time in the gorge cut by a stream (Job 6:16). On lower levels than Jerusalem there is never sufficient to cover the ground, though often there are some flakes seen in the air. Even at sea-level there is occasionally a sufficient fall of hail to cover the ground. A very exceptional snowfall is related in 1 Macc 13:22 at Adora (near Hebron). It was heavy enough to prevent the movement of troops.
Snow
Common in Palestine in winter (Ps. 147:16). The snow on the tops of the Lebanon range is almost always within view throughout the whole year. The word is frequently used figuratively by the sacred writers (Job 24:19; Ps. 51:7; 68:14; Isa. 1:18). It is mentioned only once in the historical books (2 Sam. 23:20). It was “carried to Tyre, Sidon, and Damascus as a luxury, and labourers sweltering in the hot harvest-fields used it for the purpose of cooling the water which they drank (Prov. 25:13; Jer. 18:14).…
This historical books of the Bible contain only two notices of snow actually falling -- (2 Samuel 23:20) 1Macc 13:22; but the allusions in the poetical books are so numerous that there can be no doubt as to its being an ordinary occurrence in the winter months. (Psalms 147:16; 148:8) The snow lies deep in the ravines of the highest ridge of Lebanon until the summer is far advanced and indeed never wholly disappears; the summit of Hermon also perpetually glistens with frozen snow. From these sources probably the Jews obtained their supplies of ice for the purpose of cooling their beverages in summer. (Proverbs 25:13) The liability to snow must of course vary considerably in a country of such varying altitude as Palestine. At…
Is often alluded to in Scripture, for its whiteness, Ex 4:6; Nu 12:10; 2Ki 5:27; Ps 51:7; Isa 1:18, and for its cleansing qualities, Job 9:30. The expression in Pr 25:13, "as the cold of snow in the time of harvest," alludes to its use in preparing cool drinks for the reapers; while on the other hand, in Pr 26:1, "snow in summer," that is, a fall of snow, being unseasonable and unnatural, is compared to honors inappropriately lavished on a fool. Snow from…