Job 34:14 kjv
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
Job 34:14 nkjv
If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
Job 34:14 niv
If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
Job 34:14 esv
If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
Job 34:14 nlt
If God were to take back his spirit
and withdraw his breath,
Job 34 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:7 | ...the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. | God as source of life-giving breath |
| Num 16:22 | But they fell on their faces and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, will you be angry with all the congregation, when only one man has sinned?" | God as sovereign over all spirits/life |
| Deut 32:39 | "...I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand." | God's absolute power over life and death |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. | God's power over life, death, resurrection |
| Job 12:10 | In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. | God holds all life in His hand |
| Job 33:4 | The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | Spirit and breath as origin of human life |
| Ps 104:29-30 | When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created... | God's withdrawal of breath leads to death |
| Ps 146:4 | When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. | Death as cessation of breath/spirit |
| Eccl 12:7 | ...and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. | Spirit returning to God at death |
| Isa 42:5 | Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it... | God gives breath to humanity |
| Dan 5:23 | ...and the God in whose hand was your breath, and whose were all your ways, you have not honored. | God holding human breath/existence |
| Ezek 37:5 | Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. | God's power to restore life through breath |
| Zech 12:1 | ...thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him. | God as the designer of human spirit |
| Acts 17:25 | ...for he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. | God as the universal giver of life and breath |
| Acts 17:28 | "for in him we live and move and have our being" | Existence is entirely dependent on God |
| Rom 11:36 | For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. | All existence originates from and returns to God |
| 1 Cor 8:6 | ...there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. | God as the ultimate source of all being |
| Col 1:17 | And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. | Christ as the sustainer of creation |
| 1 Tim 6:13 | ...before Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, and before God who gives life to all things... | God as the giver of all life |
| Heb 1:3 | He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. | Christ upholds the universe |
| Jas 2:26 | For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. | Spirit as essential for life (physical & spiritual) |
| Lam 3:37 | Who can speak and have it happen, unless the Lord has decreed it? | God's ultimate decree and power |
Job 34 verses
Job 34 14 Meaning
Job 34:14 conveys a profound truth about God's absolute sovereignty over all life. Elihu declares that if God were to withdraw His divine presence, life-giving spirit, and very breath from creation, all living beings, including humanity, would instantly perish and return to dust. This verse highlights the constant, gracious sustenance provided by God that allows existence to continue and underscores the inherent fragility and dependence of all flesh on its Creator.
Job 34 14 Context
Job 34:14 is part of Elihu's extended discourse to Job and his three friends (chapters 32-37). Elihu steps in to offer a fresh perspective, criticizing both Job for questioning God's justice and the friends for failing to adequately address Job's arguments. In chapter 34, Elihu defends God's absolute righteousness and omnipotence. He asserts that God is too mighty and holy to do wrong, arguing against Job's implicit accusation of divine injustice. This specific verse emphasizes God's sovereign control over life itself as proof of His absolute power and His unfathomable justice. It is a polemic against any human assumption of self-sufficiency or any notion that God's power is limited or that He might be beholden to creation. The immediate historical/cultural context of the Ancient Near East saw various deities, but Elihu here elevates the one true God, Yahweh, as the sole Giver and Taker of life, contrasting with any pagan concept of fragmented divine authority or capricious gods.
Job 34 14 Word analysis
- If: Implies a hypothetical situation, not that God would ever do this fully (as creation still exists), but to highlight the consequences if He did.
- He: Refers to God, explicitly understood in Elihu's discourse as the sovereign Creator.
- should set: Hebrew יָשִׁית (yāshīth), meaning "to put, set, place." Here, it implies purposeful direction or focus of attention. It denotes deliberate action and intent.
- his heart: Hebrew לִבּוֹ (libbō), "his heart." In ancient Hebrew thought, the "heart" signifies the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and intention. So, "set his heart" means God paying attention, taking a matter seriously, or determining to act.
- to it: Refers back to the idea of God directing His attention or intent to withdraw what He has given.
- and gather: Hebrew יֶאֱסֹף (yeʾesōf), meaning "to gather, collect, take in." It conveys the active withdrawal or re-collection of something previously dispersed or given out.
- to himself: Emphasizes that what is withdrawn returns directly to the divine source.
- his spirit: Hebrew רוּחוֹ (rūḥō), "his spirit" or "His wind/breath." This is the active, life-giving principle imparted by God, connected to both the essence of life and the divine presence. It is what animates all living things.
- and his breath: Hebrew וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ (vənishmātō), "and his breath," specifically referring to the breath that emanates from the nostrils, the vital essence. Often paired with ruach (spirit/wind) to comprehensively denote the divine life-force, emphasizing its tangible aspect (breath).
Words-group analysis:
- "If he should set his heart to it": This phrase portrays God as having ultimate volition and control. His actions are not accidental but come from a deliberate choice of His sovereign will, demonstrating His ultimate authority.
- "and gather to himself his spirit and his breath": This signifies God's complete ownership and control over the very essence of life. He did not merely create life and then abandon it; He sustains it minute by minute, and He can reclaim it at will. "Spirit" (ruach) and "breath" (neshamah) are often used synonymously or complementarily in Hebrew thought to refer to the divine animating principle of life in all creatures.
Job 34 14 Bonus section
The combination of ruach (spirit) and neshamah (breath) is a powerful merism, representing the entirety of life-sustaining power from God. Ruach can denote wind, spirit, or a powerful life force, while neshamah more directly refers to the physical breath in the nostrils. Together, they emphasize both the tangible vital functions and the intangible animating divine energy that are necessary for any creature to live. The verse therefore encapsulates God's comprehensive and immediate power over existence at both physical and spiritual levels. This also relates to the imago Dei (image of God), as humanity receives this breath of life directly from God, setting us apart from other creatures in our spiritual capacity and direct connection to the divine giver of life. Elihu's statement provides a robust theological foundation for understanding God's constant engagement with His creation, not merely as a cosmic clockmaker but as an intimately involved sustainer of all things.
Job 34 14 Commentary
Job 34:14 articulates a foundational tenet of biblical theology: the absolute sovereignty of God over life and death. Elihu uses this stark hypothetical scenario to impress upon Job, and us, the utter dependence of all created beings upon their Creator. God does not just initiate life; He actively sustains it by constantly imparting His Spirit and breath. Should He choose to recall these, existence would cease immediately. This isn't a threat but a profound statement of divine power and stewardship, showcasing that life itself is a constant act of divine grace. It implicitly corrects any notion that humans have inherent self-sufficiency or that God is obliged to maintain life irrespective of His will. This truth should humble humanity, fostering a deeper sense of reverence and an acknowledgment that our very existence is a gift held precariously in the divine hand. Practically, this verse calls for a life lived in humble gratitude and acknowledgment of God's omnipresent life-sustaining power.