Job 19:24 kjv
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Job 19:24 nkjv
That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
Job 19:24 niv
that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!
Job 19:24 esv
Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
Job 19:24 nlt
carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead,
engraved forever in the rock.
Job 19 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 19:25-27 | For I know that my redeemer liveth... and in my flesh shall I see God... | Immediate context, the words Job wishes to be preserved. |
| Isa 40:8 | The grass withereth... but the word of our God shall stand for ever. | Permanence of God's Word contrasts with human frailty. |
| Ps 119:89 | For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. | Divine truth is eternally fixed and unchangeable. |
| Matt 24:35 | Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. | Christ's words hold eternal authority and permanence. |
| 1 Pet 1:25 | But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word... | New Testament affirmation of the eternal nature of the Gospel. |
| Deut 27:2-3 | ...set thee up great stones, and plaster them... and thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law. | Ancient practice of inscribing laws on stone for public record. |
| Josh 24:26-27 | ...took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak... for it hath heard all the words... a witness unto us. | Stone as a durable witness to an agreement or truth. |
| Jer 17:1 | The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond... upon the table of their heart. | Refers to permanent inscription, here of sin on the heart. |
| Prov 3:3 | Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart. | Symbolic writing of truth internally, indicating remembrance. |
| Isa 30:8 | Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever. | Command to write a prophecy for enduring testimony. |
| Exod 31:18 | And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him... tables of stone, written with the finger of God. | Divine origin and permanence of the Law inscribed on stone. |
| Hab 2:2 | Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. | Instruction to record prophecy clearly for public access. |
| Rom 8:33-34 | Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. | Theological vindication that aligns with Job's longing for exoneration. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | ...judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness... | Reflects a future divine judgment and revelation, validating Job's hope. |
| Deut 4:9-10 | ...only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things... but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons. | Emphasis on transmitting truth to future generations. |
| Ps 78:4-6 | We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD... | Ensuring that the story of God's work is preserved for posterity. |
| Isa 55:13 | ...it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. | Symbol of something becoming a permanent memorial. |
| Rev 20:12 | And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened... | Concept of a divine record and books of judgment, reflecting a lasting account. |
| Ps 69:28 | Let them be blotted out of the book of the living... | Implies the existence of divine records where names/actions are kept. |
| Mal 3:16 | Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened... and a book of remembrance was written before him... | God maintains a lasting record of the faithful. |
| Rom 8:24-25 | For we are saved by hope... but if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. | The long-suffering hope that underpins Job's plea for future vindication. |
| 1 Cor 10:4 | ...and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. | Symbolic association of rock with Christ, the eternal foundation. |
Job 19 verses
Job 19 24 Meaning
Job 19:24 expresses Job's fervent desire that his words, specifically the preceding declaration of his faith and hope in a living Redeemer, be permanently recorded for all time. He wishes these profound truths to be chiseled deep into rock, with the incisions filled with lead, ensuring their visibility and perpetual preservation, thereby serving as an unalterable witness to his integrity and ultimate vindication. This profound longing highlights his confidence in God's future judgment and his own innocence despite his current suffering.
Job 19 24 Context
Job 19:24 is part of Job’s profound and emotional second response to his friend Bildad (Job 19:1-29). By this point, Job has been thoroughly accused and utterly afflicted. His friends offer no comfort, instead doubling down on their rigid theology that insists on a direct correlation between suffering and sin. Job, however, steadfastly maintains his innocence, refusing to acknowledge any great sin that would warrant such catastrophic judgment from God. In the verses immediately preceding verse 24 (Job 19:20-23), Job expresses his utter desolation, betrayal by friends, and alienation from all, including God. Amidst this deep despair, a powerful flicker of hope emerges. Job’s wish for his words to be eternally inscribed on rock, preceding his declaration of faith in a living Redeemer (Job 19:25), demonstrates the immense weight and conviction of his impending proclamation. He desires this statement of faith and anticipated vindication to stand as an enduring testimony against his present accusations and sufferings, an undeniable proof for all future generations. He effectively wishes to leave behind an enduring monument to the truth of his cause and the certainty of his future vindication by God.
Job 19 24 Word analysis
- That they were graven (וְיֻחְצְבוּ ve'yuḥtsəvû): From the Hebrew root ḥāṣaḇ (חצב), meaning "to hew, cut out, quarry." The Hophal perfect tense ("they were graven") indicates a passive action that is completed and profound. It suggests a deliberate, painstaking, and forceful action, far more than mere writing; it implies chiseling deeply into a hard surface, making the inscription permanent and not easily erased.
- with an iron pen (בָּעֶדֶן בַּרְזֶל vā'eḏen barzel):
- an iron (barzel, ברזל): Refers to the metal iron, known for its strength and hardness. This reinforces the capability of the tool to cut into rock.
- pen (ʿeḏen, עט): Can also be translated as a stylus, chisel, or graving tool. It's a cutting instrument designed for durable inscription on hard surfaces. The combination of "iron" and "pen/chisel" emphasizes the resilience and permanence of the inscription, distinguishing it from writing with ink on perishable material like papyrus or parchment.
- and lead (וְעֹפֶרֶת ve'ʿōferaṯ): From the Hebrew word for "lead" (עופרת). In ancient times, lead was sometimes used not as the writing instrument itself, but as a material to fill in chiseled inscriptions on stone. This practice made the words more legible, protected the engravings from erosion, and made them stand out more clearly, further enhancing the permanence and visual impact of the inscription.
- in the rock (עַל־צוּר ʿal-tsūr): From the Hebrew ṣūr (צור), meaning "rock, cliff, stronghold." Inscribing on rock is a classic method for creating the most permanent public records (e.g., decrees, treaties, monuments) due to its durability and resistance to weathering. This choice of material underscores Job's desperate yearning for his statement to endure indefinitely.
- for ever! (לָעַד lā'aḏ): An adverb meaning "forever, eternally, perpetually." This emphasizes the boundless time scale Job desires for his message to last. It is not for a season, or a generation, but for eternity. It communicates the ultimate hope for an unassailable, timeless testament to his truth and God's eventual vindication.
- "That they were graven with an iron pen and lead": This phrase conveys a strong sense of unalterable permanence. It points to a method of inscription that defies time and decay, typical of significant ancient public monuments or divine law (like the Ten Commandments). Job isn't hoping for a temporary note but an everlasting public record.
- "in the rock for ever!": This further solidifies the theme of eternal inscription. Rock itself is symbolic of strength, stability, and enduring truth throughout scripture. The combination with "forever" underlines the depth of Job's conviction that his future words of truth would withstand any attempt to obscure or erase them.
Job 19 24 Bonus section
The method of "graving with an iron pen and lead in the rock" echoes ancient Near Eastern practices of creating public inscriptions and treaties, particularly those meant to last for millennia. Inscribed stelae often had texts chiseled into them, and sometimes filled with molten metal (though lead was less common for filling than it was for securing other things in stone) or contrasting stone/paste to make the writing stand out. Job’s request for his words to be treated with such care signifies the immense importance he places on their lasting recognition and truthfulness. This longing speaks to the universal human desire for vindication and permanence of truth, especially when one is falsely accused. The contrast between Job’s words and the ephemeral words of his friends is stark, as Job desires his to be an unmovable and irrefutable witness to God's ultimate plan and his own innocence.
Job 19 24 Commentary
Job 19:24 stands as a testament to the depth of Job's suffering and the intensity of his hope. Isolated, diseased, and unjustly accused by his closest friends, Job articulates a desperate yearning for his plea to be preserved not just for his contemporaries, but for all future generations. He envisions a record that cannot be misinterpreted, lost, or erased by time or human design, much like ancient royal decrees or divine law inscribed on permanent stone monuments. This is a wish born of profound despair, yet it also functions as a powerful declaration of faith that the truth, however obscured in the present, will ultimately prevail and be vindicated by a sovereign God. The choice of "iron pen," "lead," and "rock" is not merely poetic; it reflects Job's urgent desire for his forthcoming declaration of a living Redeemer to be an indisputable and perpetual testament. This desire foreshadows the unwavering faith that would characterize many prophets and righteous individuals, confident in God’s ultimate justice and the enduring nature of His truth.