Job 9:34 — Word Study
WLCיָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י שִׁבְט֑וֹ וְ֝אֵמָת֗וֹ אַֽל־ תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
BSALet Him removeçûwr▸ [turn aside, take away] His rodshêbeṭ [a rod or staff, a sceptre] from meʻal so that His terrorʼêymâh [fear, dread] will noʼal longer frighten mebâʻath▸ [not, let not be, terrify, startle]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יָסֵ֣ר | let him remove | Verb, Hiphil, jussive third person masculine singular |
| מֵעָלַ֣י | from on me | Preposition, preposition, suffix |
| שִׁבְט֑וֹ | rod his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וְ֝אֵמָת֗וֹ | and dread his | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| אַֽל־ | may not | Particle |
| תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ | it terrify me | Verb piel jussive third person feminine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me. |
| KJV | Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: |
| ASV | Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid: |
| YLT | He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid, |
| WEB | Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid; |
| BBE | Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me: |
All translations agree on the essential meaning of Job's request regarding God's rod and terror.
The structure features a main clause followed by several phrases that elaborate on Job's request and its implications.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbסוּר
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 9:34
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 Plea for Reliefgenerated
Job 9:34 is part of Job's discourse on his relationship with God, where he expresses his deep sense of fear and helplessness before divine authority. Job recognizes that he cannot answer God or find a mediator, leading him to plead for the removal of God's rod, which symbolizes punishment and authority. This plea reflects Job's desire for a less intimidating relationship with God, as he longs for the ability to speak without fear.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:11–20 | Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you? |
| 2 | Job 23:15 | Therefore I am terrified in His presence; when I consider this, I fear Him. |
| 3 | Job 31:23 | For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower. |
| 4 | Job 33:7 | Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. |
| 5 | Job 37:1 | “At this my heart also pounds and leaps from its place. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָסֵ֣ר, ya.Sergenerated
The verb סוּר (sur) means to turn aside or remove. It conveys the action of taking something away or causing it to depart, often used in contexts involving moral or physical separation.
In this verse, Job requests that God remove His rod, indicating a desire for relief from punishment and fear. The Hiphil form suggests an active cause, emphasizing Job's plea for God to act in removing the source of his terror.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the essential meaning of the verse, conveying Job's request for God to remove His rod and not terrify him.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in the verse is יָסֵ֣ר, let Him remove, which governs the object שִׁבְט֑וֹ, His rod. The structure is straightforward, with a request followed by a consequence clause introduced by כִּי, so that, indicating the desired outcome of Job's plea.
The sentence emphasizes Job's direct appeal to God, structured to highlight his fear and the need for divine intervention.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew word יָסֵ֣ר is rendered as ἀπαλλαχάτω (apallachato), meaning 'let him be removed.' This choice suggests a strong desire for separation from God's punitive presence.
The use of this Greek term aligns with the overall theme of Job's plea for relief from fear and punishment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 9:34 shows Job asking God to take away His rod, which represents punishment, so that he is no longer frightened by God's terror. This reflects Job's deep need for relief and a more approachable relationship with God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job refers to God's authority and punishment, symbolized by a rod or staff, which he finds terrifying.
Job feels overwhelmed by God's presence and seeks relief from the fear it brings.
It shows Job's struggle and desire for a more accessible and less fearsome interaction with the divine.
It highlights Job's feelings of isolation and helplessness in the face of divine authority, a recurring theme throughout the book.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I feel overwhelmed by challenges in my life, similar to Job's feelings of fear?
- How can I seek relief from my fears in my relationship with God?
- What does it mean to me to ask God to remove burdens that frighten me?
- How can I find comfort in knowing that I can express my fears and desires to God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Gregory the Dialogist interprets this verse in a mystical sense, discussing the implications of God's rod and fear.
Let Him take away His rod from Me, and let not His fear terrify me. MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION For in the Law God held the rod, in that He said, 'If any man do this or that, let him die the death.' But in His Incarnation He removed the rod,Early Church Fathers on Job 9 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 9:34 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet him take his rod away from me,.... Not his government over him, of which the rod or sceptre is an ensign, Job did not want to be freed from that; but, his rod of affliction, or stroke, as the
Read John Gill on Job 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me: Rod - not here the symbol of punishment, but of power (Umbreit).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHis fear; objectively so called, i.e. the fear and dread of him, of his majesty and justice. Let him not deal with me rigorously, according to his sovereign dominion and perfect justice, but according to his wonted grace and clemency.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 9:34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:Ver. 34. Let him take his rod away from me] Having sufficiently set forth that he will not once offer to contend with God, he here humbly begs of God no further to contend with him, but to grant a truce, at least during the treaty; and either to take away or (however) to mitigate his sorrows and sores. See the like Job 13:20-21. And let not his fear terrify me] i.e. His formidableness, let it not scare me, or put me, as it were, beside my wits, Psalms 88:15, Ne me transversum agat (Sept.).
Read John Trapp on Job 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 34. Let him take his rod away] In the Masoretic Bibles, the word שבטו shibto, his rod, is written with a large ט teth, as above; and as the letter in numerals stands for 9, the Masora says the word was thus written to show the nine calamities under which Job had suffered, and which he wished God to remove. As שבט shebet signifies, not only rod, but also sceptre or the ensign of royalty, Job might here refer to God sitting in his majesty upon the judgment-seat; and this sight so appalled him, that, filled with terror, he was unable to speak. When a sinful soul sees God in his majesty, terror seizes upon it, and prayer is impossible. We have a beautiful illustration of this, Isaiah…
Read AdamClarke on Job 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges34. The subject is God, not the daysman—let God remove His rod, His afflictions. his fear terrify me] Or, his terror affright me. The “terror” of God is His overawing majesty, cf. ch. Job 13:21, Job 33:7, the last passage with direct reference to the present one.
Read Cambridge on Job 9 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLet him take his rod away from me - Let him suspend my sufferings, and let us come together on equal terms. His terror now is upon me, and I can do nothing.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 9 →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
Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;
Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.
who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid.
Tyndale line
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid:
Let him take away his rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his feare astonish me:
Strictly literal
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
He turns aside His rod from off me, || And His terror does not make me afraid,
Let him but remove from me his rod, and let not his dread terrify me:
There is no other judge who could take God's rod off me, who could keep his terror from frightening me.
From the Latin
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
Simplified
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
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 agree on the wording of this verse, with all six words matched in the Hebrew and Greek versions. This indicates a consistent understanding of Job's plea across these ancient texts.
יָסֵ֣ר מֵעָלַ֣י שִׁבְט֑וֹ וְ֝אֵמָת֗וֹ אַֽל־ תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃
6 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 9:34
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.
סוּר (sur) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn aside or depart. It encompasses a range of actions including removal, avoidance, and coming to an end. The word can be used in various forms, such as causing something to turn aside or be taken away. It appears in contexts involving both literal and figurative departures.
סוּר and [שׂוּר] 300 vb. turn aside
Qal
turn aside, out of one's course
depart
of lifeless things = be removed
= come to an end
Pô‛lēl he turned aside my ways (my steps)
Hiph.
cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away
rarer uses
Pô‛lēl be taken away, removed
base
H5493 סוּר, שׂוּר turn aside .. turn aside, out of one's course
. depart
. of lifeless things = be removed
. = come to an end
.he turned aside my ways (my steps)
. . cause to (turn aside,) depart, common word for remove, take away
. rarer uses
.be taken away, removed
5493 cuwr soor
or suwr (Hosea 9:12) {soor}; a primitive root; to turn off
(literal or figurative):--be(-head), bring, call back,
decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), X grievous,
lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away,
down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, X be sour, take
(away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without.
סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: remove.
: remove
1) to turn aside, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto
1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid
1a3) to be removed
1a4) to come to an end
1b) (Polel) to turn aside
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose
1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish
1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed
סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: depart.
: depart
1) to turn aside, depart
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto
1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid
1a3) to be removed
1a4) to come to an end
1b) (Polel) to turn aside
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose
1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish
1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed
סוּר (sur) — to turn aside: turn aside.
: turn_aside/deflect
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · jussive third person masculine singularHVhj3ms
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 | Prep | Suff — Preposition · preposition · suffixHR/Rd/Sp1bs
שֵׁ֫בֶט (shebet) refers to both a physical object and a social group. It can mean a rod, staff, or sceptre, often associated with authority or punishment, as well as a tribe or clan. The word is built from a root likely meaning to branch off, indicating both literal and figurative uses.
שֵׁ֫בֶט 189 n.m. 1. rod, staff, club, sceptre. 2. tribe
base
H7626 שֵׁ֫בֶט 1. rod, staff, club, sceptre. 2. tribe
7626 shebet shay'-bet
from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion,
i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting,
ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan:--X
correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.
שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: staff.
: staff
1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe
1a) rod, staff
1b) shaft (of spear, dart)
1c) club (of shepherd's implement)
1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)
1e) clan, tribe
שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe.
: tribe
1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe
1a) rod, staff
1b) shaft (of spear, dart)
1c) club (of shepherd's implement)
1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)
1e) clan, tribe
שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: javelin.
: javelin
1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe
1a) rod, staff
1b) shaft (of spear, dart)
1c) club (of shepherd's implement)
1d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)
1e) clan, tribe
שֵׁ֫בֶט (she.vet) — tribe: ruler.
: ruler
1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe
1a) rod, staff
1b) shaft (of spear, dart)
1c) club (of shepherd's implement)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word אֵימָה (*'eymah*) means terror or dread. It is derived from a root related to fear and can also refer to an idol in a figurative sense. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings of fright and horror.
אֵימָה 17 n.f. terror, dread
base
H367 אֵימָה terror, dread
367 'eymah ay-maw'
or (shortened) remah {ay-maw'}; from the same as 366; fright;
concrete, an idol (as a bugbear):--dread, fear, horror, idol,
terrible, terror.
see HEBREW for 0366
אֵימָה (e.mah) — terror.
terror, dread
Conj | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
בָּעַת (ba`ath) is a primitive root meaning to terrify or startle. It covers a range of actions, including overwhelming or assailing someone, and is often used in a poetic context. The verb can appear in various forms, such as being terrified (Niphal) or actively terrifying (Piel).
[בָּעַת] vb. fall upon, startle, terrify
Niph. be terrified
Pi. (mostly poet.)
fall upon; overwhelm; assail
terrify
base
H1204 [בָּעַת] fall upon, startle, terrify . be terrified
. (mostly poet.) . fall upon; overwhelm; assail
. terrify
1204 ba`ath baw-ath'
a primitive root; to fear:--affright, be (make) afraid,
terrify, trouble.
בָּעַת (ba.at) — to terrify.
1) to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror
1a) (Niphal) to be terrified
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to fall upon, overwhelm
1b2) to terrify
V-Piel-Juss-3fs | Suff — Verb piel jussive third person feminine singular · suffixHVpj3fs/Sp1bs