Job 4 14

Job 4:14 kjv

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

Job 4:14 nkjv

Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake.

Job 4:14 niv

fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.

Job 4:14 esv

dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

Job 4:14 nlt

Fear gripped me,
and my bones trembled.

Job 4 verses

Job 4 14 Meaning

Job 4:14 describes an overwhelming, deep-seated terror experienced by Eliphaz. He recounts how a spirit or vision caused a profound, physical dread and shaking that penetrated to the very core of his being, manifesting in his bones. This intense bodily reaction signifies a complete loss of control and an encounter that transcended ordinary fear, hinting at the powerful, perhaps even divine, presence he felt.

Job 4 14 Context

Job 4:14 is part of Eliphaz the Temanite's first speech, where he attempts to console Job by providing his theological explanation for Job's suffering. Prior to this verse, Eliphaz describes being disturbed by the "secret word" or "whisper" that came to him in the night (Job 4:12), which culminated in the appearance of a spirit. This spirit's presence invoked the profound terror and trembling described in verse 14, setting the stage for Eliphaz's ensuing message (Job 4:17-19) that no human, however righteous, can stand pure before God. Eliphaz presents this personal, terrifying experience as a divine revelation, intending to use its authority to convince Job of his inherent sinfulness and thereby, the justice of God's severe treatment of him. Historically, ancient Near Eastern cultures often revered divine visitations or prophetic visions as sources of profound truth, and Eliphaz uses this shared understanding to bolster his argument against Job.

Job 4 14 Word analysis

• Fear: `וּפַחַד` (u-phaḥaḏ). From `פַחַד` (pachad), meaning "dread," "terror," "trembling." This is a deep, overwhelming, instinctual terror, distinct from respectful reverence (`יראה`, yir'ah). It suggests a sudden, paralyzing dread that strikes at the heart. Eliphaz experiences not a gentle prompting but an abrupt invasion of terror, indicating the potent nature of the encountered spiritual presence.
• came upon me: `קָרָאַנִי` (qārāʾanî). Literally "called me" or "met me," from `קָרָא` (qara'). In this context, with "fear," it means to seize, engulf, or overcome someone completely. The fear isn't just felt, but it actively engulfs or seizes Eliphaz, highlighting its all-consuming nature.
• and trembling: `וּרְעָדָה` (u-rəʿāḏāh). From `רְעָדָה` (re'adah), meaning "shuddering," "quaking," "convulsion." This refers to a strong, involuntary physical shaking. It emphasizes the physical manifestation of the terror, a visceral reaction that demonstrates the severity of Eliphaz's emotional state.
• which made all my bones: `וְרֹב עֲצָמוֹתַי` (wə-rōḇ ʿaṣmôṯaḏay). `רֹב` (rov) means "multitude," "abundance," or "the majority of." `עֲצָמוֹתַי` (atzamotai) means "my bones." This phrase implies that the shaking was not superficial but permeated his entire physical being, down to his skeletal structure. In biblical thought, bones can represent the very essence or core of a person (Ps 6:2, 38:3).
• to shake: `הֶחֱרִֽיד` (heḥĕrîḏ). Hiphil form of `חָרַד` (charad), meaning "to cause to tremble," "to startle," "to quake with fear." This verb carries a strong causative sense. It was the presence of the spirit that caused his bones to quake, indicating an external force acting upon him, confirming the intensity of the spiritual encounter Eliphaz experienced.

• "Fear came upon me, and trembling": This phrase describes a profound, involuntary takeover of terror and physical manifestation. It speaks of a dread that invades and seizes, leading to an immediate, visceral physical response of uncontrolled shaking. It's a foundational experience setting the stage for the rest of his "revelation."
• "which made all my bones to shake": This part emphasizes the depth and totality of the terror. It wasn't just superficial or skin-deep fear; it penetrated to the deepest physical and metaphorical parts of his being. The image of shaking bones signifies a complete physical breakdown and utter helplessness in the face of the overpowering presence. It communicates that the terror Eliphaz felt was not merely psychological, but fundamentally debilitating and physical.

Job 4 14 Bonus section

The nature of the "spirit" (רוח, ruach) Eliphaz encountered is a subject of scholarly discussion. Some interpret it as a genuine, though potentially misconstrued, divine messenger. Others suggest it might have been an evil spirit mimicking a divine revelation, feeding Eliphaz a mixture of truth and falsehood to lead him, and thus Job, astray from understanding God's justice more perfectly. A third view considers it to be Eliphaz's own subjective experience, possibly a dream or hallucination, interpreted by him as a profound visitation due to his pre-existing theological framework. Regardless of its origin, the outcome is Eliphaz's conviction that no one can be pure before God, a half-truth that, when misapplied, became a source of error and accusation against Job. The vivid bodily reactions described in the verse lend authenticity to Eliphaz's perception of the experience, emphasizing how deeply it affected him, validating the "revelation" in his own mind, which then underpinned his entire subsequent argument.

Job 4 14 Commentary

Job 4:14 recounts Eliphaz's personal experience of overwhelming fear during what he perceived as a divine revelation. This intense, paralyzing dread, causing his very bones to quake, underscores the formidable power of the spiritual presence he encountered. Eliphaz offers this account as proof of the authoritative, terrifying nature of his message concerning humanity's impurity before a holy God. While Eliphaz's description of his fear highlights God's awesome power, it simultaneously introduces a key problematic aspect of his theology: he extrapolates from his personal terror to imply that all encounters with God, especially for sinful humans, must result in such overwhelming dread. He believes this fear validates his argument against Job, assuming that Job's suffering must stem from his inherent lack of righteousness before such a terrifying deity. This verse also illustrates how profoundly unsettling an unmediated or misconstrued encounter with the divine can be, stripping away all self-assurance and highlighting human vulnerability.

• Example 1: A believer facing a deep spiritual challenge may recall how Eliphaz's terror underscores the vastness between human and divine, encouraging humility.
• Example 2: In times of uncertainty, contemplating the profound fear depicted can serve as a reminder of God's overwhelming sovereignty, beyond human comprehension or control.