Job 15 · Verse 14

Job 15:14

What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Job 15:14, King James Version

Job 15:14 in other translations

BSBWhat is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
WEBWhat is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
ASVWhat is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
YLTWhat is man that he is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?
DARBYWhat is man, that he should be pure? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
BBEWhat is man, that he may be clean? and how may the son of woman be upright?
WebsterWhat is man, that he should be clean? and he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

What does Job 15:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Eliphaz repeats the revelation (Job 4:17) in substance, but using Job's own words (see on Job 14:1, on "born of a woman") to strike him with his own weapons.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 What is man, that he should be clean? - מה אנוש mah enosh; what is weak, sickly, dying, miserable man, that he should be clean? This is the import of the original word enosh. And - born of a woman, that he should be righteous? - It appears, from many passages in the sacred writings, that natural birth was supposed to be a defilement; and that every man born into the world was in a state of moral pollution. Perhaps the word יצדק yitsdak should be translated, that he should justify himself, and not that he should be righteous.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 15:1-16

Eliphaz begins a second attack upon Job, instead of being softened by his complaints. He unjustly charges Job with casting off the fear of God, and all regard to him, and restraining prayer. See in what religion is summed up, fearing God, and praying to him; the former the most needful principle, the latter the most needful practice. Eliphaz charges Job with self-conceit. He charges him with contempt of the counsels…

Read the full comment on Job 15:1-16 →

Job 15:14 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.

מָֽה\־mah-what?H4100
אֱנ֥וֹשׁ'e.No.osh[is] a personH582
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
יִזְכֶּ֑הyiz.Kehhe will be pureH2135
וְכִֽי\־ve.khi-and thatH3588
יִ֝צְדַּ֗קyitz.Dakhe will be righteousH6663
יְל֣וּדye.Lud[one] born ofH3205
אִשָּֽׁה\׃'i.Shaha womanH802

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

Cross references for Job 15:14

  • Ecclesiastes 7:20

    For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

  • Job 14:4

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

  • Proverbs 20:9

    Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

  • Romans 7:18

    For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

  • 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 14:3

    They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

  • 1 Kings 8:46

    If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;

  • 1 John 1:8-10

    If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

  • 2 Chronicles 6:36

    If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;

  • Psalms 51:5

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

  • Ecclesiastes 7:29

    Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

  • Galatians 3:22

    But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
is man.
9:2; 14:4; 25:4-6; 1Ki 8:46; 2Ch 6:36; Ps 14:3; 51:5; Pr 20:9
Ec 7:20,29; Joh 3:6; Ro 7:18; Ga 3:22; Eph 2:2,3; 1Jo 1:8-10

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

Context

  • Job 15:13

    That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

  • Job 15:14

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

  • Job 15:15

    Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

Read all of Job 15

Job 15:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Qué cosa es el hombre para que sea limpio, y que se justifique el nacido de mujer?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qu’est-ce que l’homme mortel, pour qu’il soit pur, et celui qui est né d’une femme, pour qu’il soit juste?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was ist der Mensch, daß er rein sein sollte, und der vom Weibe Geborene, daß er gerecht wäre?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quid est homo ut immaculatus sit, et ut justus appareat natus de muliere?