Job 14:8-22

8 Though its root waxes old in the earth and its trunk is dead in the ground,
9 at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a new plant.
10 But when man shall die and be cut off, and the man shall perish, where shall he be?
11 The waters from the sea went, and the river ran out, it dried up.
12 So man lies down and does not rise; until there is no heaven, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou would hide me in Sheol, that thou would keep me covered until thy wrath is past, that thou would appoint me a set time and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time I will wait until my transformation comes.
15 Then thou shalt call, and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire towards the work of thine hands.
16 For now thou dost number my steps; thou dost not open up my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou dost sew up my iniquity.
18 And certainly the mountain that falls is undone, and the rocks are removed out of their place.
19 The impetuous waters break the stones and wash away the dust of the earth; in like manner thou dost cause man to lose hope.
20 Thou shalt be stronger than him for ever, and he passes; thou dost change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons shall be honoured and he shall not know of it; or they shall be afflicted, but he shall not perceive of them.
22 But while his flesh is upon him, he shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

Job 14:8-22 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010