Job 34 · Verse 14

Job 34:14

If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

Job 34:14, King James Version

Job 34:14 in other translations

BSB	If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
WEB	If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
ASV	If he set his heart upon himself, If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
YLT	If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
DARBY	If he only thought of himself, and gathered unto him his spirit and his breath,
BBE	If he made his spirit come back to him, taking his breath into himself again,
Webster	If he should set his heart upon man, if he should gather to himself his spirit and his breath;

What does Job 34:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 34:14-15

14-15. "If He were to set His heart on man," either to injure him, or to take strict account of his sins. The connection supports rather [Umbreit], "If He had regard to himself (only), and were to gather unto Himself (Psa 104:29) man's spirit, &c. (which he sends forth, Psa 104:30; Ec 12:7), all flesh must perish together," &c. (Ge 3:19). God's loving preservation of His creatures proves He cannot be selfish, and therefore cannot be unjust.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 14 If he set his heart upon man - I think this and the following verse should be read thus: - "If he set his heart upon man, he will gather his soul and breath to himself; for all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust." On whomsoever God sets his heart, that is, his love, though his body shall perish and turn to dust, like the rest of men, yet his soul will God gather to himself.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 34:10-15

Elihu had showed Job, that God meant him no hurt by afflicting him, but intended his spiritual benefit. Here he shows, that God did him no wrong by afflicting him. If the former did not satisfy him, this ought to silence him. God cannot do wickedness, nor the Almighty commit wrong. If services now go unrewarded, and sins now go unpunished, yet there is a day coming, when God will fully render to every man according…

Read the full comment on Job 34:10-15 →

Job 34:14 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.

אִם\־'im-ifH518

יָשִׂ֣יםya.Simhe will setH7760

אֵלָ֣יו'e.Lavto itH413

לִבּ֑וֹli.Boheart hisH3820

רוּח֥וֹru.Chospirit hisH7307

וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹve.nish.ma.Toand breath hisH5397

אֵלָ֥יו'e.Lavto himselfH413

יֶאֱסֹֽף\׃ye.'e.Sofhe will gatherH622

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

Cross references for Job 34:14

Psalms 104:29
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Job 9:4
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
Job 7:17
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
Isaiah 24:22
And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

set.
7:17; 9:4
upon man. Heb. upon him. he gather.
Ps 104:29; Isa 24:22

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

Context

Job 34:13
Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
Job 34:14
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
Job 34:15
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

Read all of Job 34

Job 34:14 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Si él pusiese sobre el hombre su corazón, y recogiese así su espíritu y su aliento,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	S’il ne pensait qu’à lui-même et retirait à lui son esprit et son souffle,
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn er sein Herz nur auf sich selbst richtete, seinen Geist und seinen Odem an sich zurückzöge,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si direxerit ad eum cor suum, spiritum illius et flatum ad se trahet.