Job 33:18

18 to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.^[a]

Job 33:18 in Other Translations

18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

18 he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.

18 He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.

18 And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return.

18 God spares his soul from the Pit, his life from crossing the river [of death].

Job 33:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 33:18

He keepeth back his soul from the pit
Or, "that he may keep back" ^F14; for this is another end and use of God's speaking unto men; it is to preserve them for the present from going down to the grave, the pit of corruption and destruction; so called because the bodies of men, being there laid, corrupt, and are entirely destroyed by worms, and turn to rottenness and dust; and to preserve them from the bottomless pit of everlasting ruin and destruction; for the Lord's people are reproved by him, that they may not be condemned with the world, ( 1 Corinthians 11:32 ) ;

and his life from perishing by the sword;
by the sword of men, which is one of God's sore judgments; or by the sword of the civil magistrate, the man spoken to being warned of God of committing these sins, which would bring him into the hands of such; or by the sword of divine justice; Jarchi interprets it of the sword of the angel of death; the word signifies a missive weapon, as a dart; so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "and his life from going on the dart": or, as another version has it, "lest it should go on under the cast of darts" ^F15; the darts of an enemy in war, or the fiery darts of Satan, ( Ephesians 6:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Kvxy) "ut prohibeat", Mercerus, Piscator.
F15 Tigurine version.

Job 33:18 In-Context

16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,

17 to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride,

18 to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.

19 “Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones,

20 so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal.

Cross References

• 1. ver 22,24,28,30; Psalms 28:1; Psalms 30:9; Psalms 69:15; Psalms 88:6; Psalms 103:4; Proverbs 1:12; Isaiah 14:15; Isaiah 38:17; John 2:6; Zechariah 9:11
• 2. S Job 15:22; Matthew 26:52

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "from crossing the river"