Job 14 · Verse 4

Job 14:4

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Job 14:4, King James Version

Job 14:4 in other translations

BSBWho can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
WEBWho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
ASVWho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
YLTWho giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
DARBYWho can bring a clean man out of the unclean? Not one!
BBEIf only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
WebsterWho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

What does Job 14:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. A plea in mitigation. The doctrine of original sin was held from the first. "Man is unclean from his birth, how then can God expect perfect cleanness from such a one and deal so severely with me?"

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Who can bring a clean thing - This verse is thus rendered by the Chaldee: "Who will produce a clean thing from man, who is polluted with sins, except God, who is one?" By Coverdale thus: Who can make it cleane, that commeth of an uncleane thinge? No body. The text refers to man's original and corrupt nature. Every man that is born into the world comes into it in a corrupt or sinful state. This is called original sin; and is derived from fallen Adam, who is the stock, to the utmost ramifications of the human family. Not one human spirit is born into the world without this corruption of nature. All are impure and unholy; and from this principle of depravity all transgression is produced; and from this corruption of nature God alone can save. The Septuagint, in the Codex Alexandrinus, reads the verse thus: Τις γαρ εσται καθαρο· απο ῥυπου; ουδε εἱς, εαν και μιας ἡμερας γενηται ὁ βιος αυτου επι της γης; "Who is pure from corruption? Not one, although he had lived but one day upon the earth."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 14:1-6

Job enlarges upon the condition of man, addressing himself also to God. Every man of Adam's fallen race is short-lived. All his show of beauty, happiness, and splendour falls before the stroke of sickness or death, as the flower before the scythe; or passes away like the shadow. How is it possible for a man's conduct to be sinless, when his heart is by nature unclean? Here is a clear proof that Job understood and…

Read the full comment on Job 14:1-6 →

Job 14:4 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.

מִֽי\־mi-who?H4310
יִתֵּ֣ןyi.Tenwill he makeH5414
טָ֭הוֹרTa.hora clean [thing]H2889
מִטָּמֵ֗אmi.ta.Me'from an unclean [thing]H2931
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
אֶחָֽד\׃'e.Chadone [person]H259

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

Cross references for Job 14:4

  • John 3:6

    That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

  • Job 15:14

    What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

  • Ephesians 2:3

    Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

  • Romans 8:8-9

    So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

  • Job 25:4-6

    How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

  • Psalms 51:5

    Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

  • Luke 1:35

    And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

  • Romans 5:12

    Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

  • Psalms 90:5

    Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Who can bring. Heb. Who will give.
15:14; 25:4-6; Ge 5:3; Ps 51:5; 90:5; Joh 3:6; Ro 5:12; 8:8,9
Eph 2:3
a clean.
Lu 1:35

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

Context

  • Job 14:3

    And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

  • Job 14:4

    Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

  • Job 14:5

    Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Read all of Job 14

Job 14:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Quién hará limpio de inmundo? Nadie.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qui est-ce qui tirera de l’impur un homme pur? Pas un!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie könnte ein Reiner aus einem Unreinen kommen? Nicht ein einziger!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quis potest facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine? nonne tu qui solus es?