Job 14 · Verse 10

Job 14:10

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:10, King James Version

Job 14:10 in other translations

BSBBut a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
WEBBut man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
ASVBut man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
YLTAnd a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where is he?
DARBYBut a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?
BBEBut man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
WebsterBut man dieth, and wasteth away: yes, man yieldeth his breath, and where is he?

What does Job 14:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. man ... man--Two distinct Hebrew words are here used; Geber, a mighty man: though mighty, he dies. Adam, a man of earth: because earthly, he gives up the ghost. wasteth--is reduced to nothing: he cannot revive in the present state, as the tree does. The cypress and pine, which when cut down do not revive, were the symbols of death among the Romans.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 But man dieth - No human being ever can spring from the dead body of man; that wasteth away, corrupts, and is dissolved; for the man dies; and when he breathes out his last breath, and his body is reduced to dust, then, where is he? There is a beautiful verse in the Persian poet Khosroo, that is not unlike this saying of Job: - "I went towards the burying ground, and wept To think of the departure of friends which were captives to death; I said, Where are they! and Fate Gave back this answer by Echo, Where are they? Thus paraphrased by a learned friend: - Beneath the cypress' solemn shade, As on surrounding tombs I gazed, I wept, and thought of friends there laid, Whose hearts with warmest love had blazed. Where are those friends my heart doth lack, Whose words, in grief, gave peace? Ah, where? And Fate, by Echo, gave me back This short but just reply, Ah, where?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 14:7-15

Though a tree is cut down, yet, in a moist situation, shoots come forth, and grow up as a newly planted tree. But when man is cut off by death, he is for ever removed from his place in this world. The life of man may fitly be compared to the waters of a land flood, which spread far, but soon dry up. All Job's expressions here show his belief in the great doctrine of the resurrection. Job's friends proving miserable…

Read the full comment on Job 14:7-15 →

Job 14:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְגֶ֣בֶרve.Ge.verand a manH1397
יָ֭מוּתYa.muthe diesH4191
וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁvai.ye.che.Lashand he was weakH2522
וַיִּגְוַ֖עvai.yig.Va'and he expiredH1478
אָדָ֣ם'a.Dama personH120
וְאַיּֽוֹ\׃ve.'ai.Yoand where [is]? heH335

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 14:10

  • Job 19:26

    And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

  • Job 7:7-10

    O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

  • Genesis 49:33

    And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

  • Proverbs 14:32

    The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

  • Luke 16:22-23

    And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

  • Job 14:12

    So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

  • Job 17:13-16

    If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

  • Job 11:20

    But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

  • Acts 5:10

    Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

  • Matthew 27:50

    Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

  • Job 10:18

    Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

  • Job 3:11

    Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wasteth away. Heb. is weakened, or, cut off. man.
3:11; 10:18; 11:20; 17:13-16; Ge 49:33; Mt 27:50; Ac 5:10
where is he.
12; 7:7-10; 19:26; Pr 14:32; Lu 16:22,23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 14:9

    Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

  • Job 14:10

    But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

  • Job 14:11

    As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

Read all of Job 14

Job 14:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas el hombre morirá, y será cortado; y perecerá el hombre, ¿y dónde estará él?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais l’homme meurt et gît là; l’homme expire, et où est-il?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Der Mann aber stirbt und liegt da; und der Mensch verscheidet, und wo ist er?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Homo vero cum mortuus fuerit, et nudatus, atque consumptus, ubi, quæso, est?