Job 14 19

Job 14:19 kjv

The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

Job 14:19 nkjv

As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.

Job 14:19 niv

as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy a person's hope.

Job 14:19 esv

the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man.

Job 14:19 nlt

as water wears away the stones
and floods wash away the soil,
so you destroy people's hope.

Job 14 verses

Job 14 19 Meaning

Job 14:19 is a profound lament by Job that expresses the crushing reality of human transience and the perceived divine authorship of despair. He powerfully compares God's active destruction of human hope to the unstoppable, powerful, and persistent natural forces of water eroding hard stone and flash floods sweeping away soil. Just as these natural processes inevitably wear down or obliterate elements of the earth, so too, Job asserts, does the Creator God utterly destroy man's cherished expectations, aspirations, and security, leading to an inevitable and irreversible end.

Job 14 19 Context

Job 14:19 is a pivotal expression within Job's extended lament, delivered in response to his friends, specifically Zophar (chapters 12-14). Throughout this section, Job profoundly reflects on the brevity and utter fragility of human life, contrasting it sharply with the enduring cycles of renewal seen in nature (Job 14:7-12). While a tree can sprout anew even after being cut down, Job bitterly observes that humanity faces a stark, irreversible finality in death (Job 14:10-12). In this verse, Job intensifies his despair by directly attributing the annihilation of human hope, expectation, and any prospect of a positive future to God Himself. This perception is central to Job's theological wrestling; he sees God not as merely absent or permitting suffering, but as actively dismantling everything upon which human beings could reasonably build hope. In the historical and cultural context, hope was often intrinsically linked to continuation through descendants, material prosperity, and a lasting reputation. Job's lament in this verse directly attacks these foundational ancient Near Eastern securities by portraying God as the agent of their destruction.

Job 14 19 Word analysis

• As waters wear away stones:
  • waters (מַיִם - mayim): While water is typically vital for life, here it embodies an unyielding, relentless, and destructive force, paradoxically illustrating its power to erode what appears permanent.
  • wear away (שָׁחֲקוּ - shaḥaqu): This Hebrew verb signifies the process of grinding, pulverizing, or smoothing through continuous abrasion. It conveys a slow, persistent, and inevitable decay, suggesting that human hope is systematically worn down over time.
  • stones (אֲבָנִים - ʼavaniym): Stones symbolize permanence, strength, and durability. Their gradual erosion highlights the vulnerability of even the most resilient objects to constant external forces, metaphorically depicting the breakdown of deeply held human aspirations.
• and torrents wash away the soil of the earth:
  • torrents (סְפִיחִיהָ - səfîḥeha): While generally meaning aftergrowth, in this context it refers to overwhelming, rushing floods or gushing waters. This implies a sudden, violent, and irresistible destructive power.
  • wash away (תִּשְׁטוֹף - tišṭof): This verb means to sweep away, inundate, or overwhelm. It depicts the rapid and complete removal of something, contrasting with the slow erosion of the previous image.
  • soil of the earth (עֲפַר־אָרֶץ - ʻaphar-ʼarets): The "soil" (עָפָר - ʻāphār, dust/earth) represents the foundation of life and growth, capable of yielding sustenance. Its being swept away signifies complete devastation, rendering the ground barren and devoid of life's potential, paralleling the removal of man's hope.
• so you destroy the hope of man:
  • so (וְ - ve): This connective particle explicitly links the powerful natural metaphors to Job's theological assertion, establishing a direct parallel between the relentless force of nature and the active agency of God.
  • you (תַּאֲבִּיד - taʼabīd): This direct address to God is a bold and profoundly agonizing accusation from Job. He perceives God not as a passive observer, but as the active initiator and executor of hope's destruction.
  • destroy (תַּאֲבִּיד - taʼabīd): From the root אָבַד (abad), meaning to perish or be lost. In its causative form, it means to cause to perish, to annihilate, to ruin completely. This term underscores the thoroughness and finality of the destruction of hope.
  • hope (תִּקְוָה - tiqvah): This crucial word refers to expectation, future possibility, and can metaphorically represent a lifeline. In the Old Testament, tiqvah often carries strong connotations of future wellbeing, a sense of security, or the expectation of a positive outcome. Job laments the complete eradication of these fundamental human aspirations.
  • man (אֱנוֹשׁ - ʼenôš): This particular Hebrew term for "man" often emphasizes human frailty, weakness, and mortality. The destruction of hope for "enosh" highlights the utter vulnerability and helplessness of humanity in the face of what Job perceives as God's hostile action.

Words-group analysis:

• "As waters wear away stones, and torrents wash away the soil of the earth": This dual imagery employs two distinct natural processes to convey unstoppable destruction. The first illustrates relentless, gradual erosion, emphasizing the grinding nature of despair. The second depicts swift, overwhelming annihilation, pointing to sudden catastrophic loss. Combined, they create a comprehensive picture of hope being utterly vanquished, regardless of the pace or manner of its destruction. This also demonstrates the irresistible power of these forces, implying that any resistance is futile.
• "so you destroy the hope of man": This phrase directly applies the preceding destructive natural metaphors to a powerful theological statement about God's action. The direct accusation "you destroy" reveals Job's profound anguish and his perception of God's active involvement in his suffering. The object, "hope of man," exposes the core of Job's lament: not merely physical suffering, but the demolition of his internal fortitude, future outlook, and desire for life, identifying God as the one behind this existential desolation.

Job 14 19 Bonus section

• Cosmic Despair: The imagery involves fundamental, enduring geological features (stones) and life-sustaining elements (soil). This elevates the scale of Job's despair, suggesting that if even these mighty or foundational elements succumb, humanity's delicate hope stands no chance against God's power.
• Direct Accusation: This verse is a prime example of Job's raw, unfiltered lament. Unlike his friends who consistently uphold God's absolute justice, Job boldly confronts God with the perceived injustice of his suffering and God's active role in destroying his hope. This audacity makes Job a distinctive voice in biblical literature.
• Theological Irony: Unbeknownst to Job, God allows the adversary (Satan) to test Job. However, Job perceives his intense suffering and the consequent destruction of his hope as coming directly from God's hand. This theological irony is central to the Book of Job, revealing the chasm between human perception in suffering and divine reality. Job's perception, though incorrect in its premise about God's direct malevolence, nonetheless expresses a deep existential truth about human helplessness in the face of overwhelming forces.
• Contrasting Hopes: This verse starkly contradicts the conditional "hope" offered by Job's friends (e.g., in Job 8:13-14), which is rooted in a rigid retribution theology – if Job would only repent, hope would be restored. Job's lived experience profoundly negates this simplistic view, as he feels innocent yet utterly hopeless, with God identified as the ultimate destroyer of that hope.

Job 14 19 Commentary

Job 14:19 stands as a stark and painful assertion by Job regarding the human condition and his agonizing understanding of God's role in it. Through vivid, irrefutable natural metaphors, Job paints a picture of inescapable destruction. The erosion of seemingly immutable stones by persistent water symbolizes a slow, debilitating decay of hope, where relentless suffering grinds down aspirations over time. Simultaneously, the sweeping away of fertile soil by sudden torrents represents the abrupt, catastrophic loss of future and possibility. What makes this verse particularly agonizing is Job's direct attribution of this overwhelming destruction to God Himself: "so you destroy the hope of man." This is not a lament about abstract fate or impersonal forces, but a deeply personal cry against what Job perceives as God's active hand in his despair. It signifies a profound theological crisis for Job, where the benevolent Giver of life is now seen as the ultimate demolisher of hope, dismantling human aspirations with the same unstoppable power that reshapes the earth. The verse masterfully encapsulates human fragility, vulnerability to suffering, and the devastating impact of lost hope when viewed through the lens of divine omnipotence and a seemingly inscrutable will.