Job 14:4-14

4 ¿Quién hará limpio de inmundo? Nadie

5 Si sus días están determinados, y el número de sus meses está cerca de ti; tú le pusiste términos, de los cuales no pasará

6 Si tú lo dejares, él dejará de ser; entre tanto deseará, como el jornalero, su día

7 Porque si el árbol fuere cortado, aún queda de él esperanza; retoñará aún, y sus renuevos no faltarán

8 Si se envejeciere en la tierra su raíz, y su tronco fuere muerto en el polvo

9 al olor del agua reverdecerá, y hará copa como nueva planta

10 Mas cuando el hombre muera, y sea cortado; y perezca el hombre, ¿adónde estará él

11 Las aguas del mar se fueron, y se agotó el río, se secó

12 Así el hombre yace, y no se tornará a levantar; hasta que no haya cielo no despertarán, ni levantarán de su sueño

13 ¡Oh quién me diera que me escondieras en el Seol, que me encubrieras hasta apaciguarse tu ira, que me pusieras plazo, y de mí te acordaras

14 Si el hombre muriere, ¿por ventura vivirá? Todos los días de mi edad esperaré, hasta que venga mi transformación

Job 14:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 14

Job, having turned himself from his friends to God, continues his address to him in this chapter; wherein he discourses of the frailty of man, the shortness of his life, the troubles that are in it, the sinfulness of it, and its limited duration, beyond which it cannot continue; all which he makes use of with God, that he would not therefore deal rigorously with him, but have pity on him, and cease from severely afflicting him, till he came to the end of his days, which could not be long, Job 14:1-6; he observes of a tree, when it is cut down to the root, yea, when the root is become old, and the stock dies, it will, by means of being watered, bud and sprout again, and produce boughs and branches; but man, like the failing waters of the sea, and the decayed and dried up flood, when he dies, rises not, till the heavens be no more, Job 14:7-12; and then he wishes to be hid in the grave till that time, and expresses hope and belief of the resurrection of the dead, Job 14:13-15; and goes on to complain of the strict notice God took of his sins, of his severe dealings with men, destroying their hope in life, and removing them by death; so that they see and know not the case and circumstances of their children they leave behind, and while they live have continual pain and sorrow, Job 14:16-22.