Job 34 15

Job 34:15 kjv

All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

Job 34:15 nkjv

All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

Job 34:15 niv

all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

Job 34:15 esv

all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.

Job 34:15 nlt

all life would cease,
and humanity would turn again to dust.

Job 34 verses

Job 34 15 Meaning

Job 34:15 declares the absolute dependence of all humanity and living creatures on God for existence. Elihu posits that if God were to withdraw His life-sustaining Spirit and breath, all life on Earth would cease instantly and universally. This highlights that all living things share the same destiny of physical decay, returning to the earth from which they originated, underscoring both God's supreme power over life and death and the inherent frailty and transient nature of creation, particularly human life.

Job 34 15 Context

Job 34:15 is spoken by Elihu, who has just entered the discourse after Job's three friends have failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for Job's suffering. Elihu presents a robust defense of God's justice, omniscience, and sovereignty. This specific verse, "all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust," is part of a larger argument in Job 34, spanning verses 10-15. Elihu is refuting Job's accusations that God is unjust (Job 34:5, 12) or does not pay attention to the affairs of humans.

Elihu's core argument is that God's power and justice are inseparable and absolute. If God were not utterly just and righteous in His rule, He would simply withdraw His sustaining life force from creation. As stated in Job 34:14, "If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath," then verse 15 logically follows as the immediate consequence. This statement serves to emphasize God's absolute control over all life; He is the sole source of breath and existence. Thus, His sustaining of life is itself a proof of His just and righteous nature, because He would not perpetuate a creation unjustly if He held such ultimate power. Historically, this refutes any polytheistic notions of limited deities or a capricious god, positioning Yahweh as the single, all-powerful Creator and Sustainer, whose rule over life and death is flawless and utterly just.

Job 34 15 Word analysis

• all flesh (כָּל־בָּשָׂר - kol-basar): Refers to all living beings, especially humanity. This phrase often signifies the totality of physical life in its frailty, weakness, and mortality, in contrast to the eternal, mighty Spirit of God. Its use here emphasizes the universality of dependence on God for life and the ultimate shared fate.
• would perish (וְיִגְוַע - we·yiḡ·waʿ): This verb means to expire, die, or cease to exist. It is a strong, definitive term for the cessation of life. In this context, it implies an immediate and total cessation brought about by divine action (the withdrawal of life).
• together (יָחַד - ya·ḥaḏ): Denotes unity or simultaneity. This stresses that the act of perishing would be collective and instantaneous if God chose to withdraw His life-sustaining presence. It highlights that no one is exempt from this universal fate, demonstrating equality in death before God's ultimate power.
• and man (וְאָדָם - wə·’ā·ḏām): Refers specifically to humankind, generic for male and female. This term highlights humanity as the crown of creation yet sharing the same mortal destiny as other creatures. Its connection to adamah (ground/earth) is inherent, emphasizing human origins.
• would return (יָשׁוּב - ya·šūḇ): Means to go back or turn back. This signifies a reversal or completion of a cycle. It directly points to humanity's origin, indicating a physical homecoming to its primal state.
• to dust (עַל־עָפָר - ʿal-ʿā·p̄ār): Literally "upon dust" or "to dust." "Dust" (ʿāp̄ār) refers to fine dry earth. It is a fundamental symbol throughout Scripture representing human fragility, transience, and humble origins (from Genesis 2:7, 3:19). It also signifies death, decay, and the material world's impermanence.

Words-group analysis:

• "all flesh would perish together": This phrase communicates the absolute universality of mortality. It underlines that all living creatures, regardless of strength, status, or lifespan, share the same ultimate physical end. This collective perishability demonstrates the supreme, indiscriminate power of God over all life, which He alone sustains.
• "and man would return to dust": This specific clause focuses on humanity's destiny, directly linking it to its origin from the ground (Gen 2:7, 3:19). It underscores the physical impermanence of the human body and reinforces the concept that humanity is composed of earth, thus destined to rejoin it. It emphasizes humility, dependency, and the finitude of human physical existence in contrast to an eternal God.

Job 34 15 Bonus section

This verse in Job 34 relies heavily on the premise presented in the immediately preceding verse (Job 34:14), stating that if God "gathered to Himself His Spirit and His breath," then verse 15 would be the result. This illustrates that life is not sustained autonomously but is a constant outflow of God's life-giving presence. The "Spirit" here (רוּחַ - ruach) often carries the meaning of life-giving breath, wind, or the very essence of God's vitality, while "breath" (neshama) is the vital breath in the nostrils. Elihu emphasizes that God's authority over life and death is not merely a decree at creation but a continuous, active sustaining presence. This powerful argument against Job's implicit questioning of God's justice relies on the logical deduction that a perfectly sovereign God who sustains all life must necessarily be a perfectly just God, for if He were unjust, why would He bother to uphold such a frail and finite creation? The verse implicitly contrasts the temporary nature of all created beings with the eternal, unwavering nature of the Creator.

Job 34 15 Commentary

Job 34:15 is Elihu's profound statement affirming God's unchallenged sovereignty over life and death, an argument crucial to his defense of divine justice. The verse logically extends the premise set forth in Job 34:14, positing that if God were to merely recall His Spirit and breath—the very essence of life He imparts—all of "flesh" would immediately cease to exist and "man" would revert to "dust." This serves multiple theological purposes: firstly, it unequivocally declares that every living creature owes its very existence to God's continual sustaining power. Life is not an inherent quality of creation but a perpetual gift from the Creator. Secondly, it asserts the impartiality and ultimate equality in death; kings and paupers, the wise and the foolish, the righteous and the wicked, all share the same physical destination—return to dust. This universality of death underpins Elihu's argument for God's inherent justice; since God holds absolute power over life, His decision to sustain creation implies His benevolent and righteous rule, countering Job's despairing accusations. The verse ultimately magnifies God's omnipotence and wisdom, demonstrating that His continuous act of sustaining life is itself proof that He rules with perfect equity, otherwise, chaos and universal non-existence would prevail.