Job 4 · Verse 10

Job 4:10

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
Job 4:10, King James Version

Job 4:10 in other translations

BSBThe lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
WEBThe roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
ASVThe roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
YLTThe roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
DARBYThe roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;
BBEThough the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
WebsterThe roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

What does Job 4:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 4:10-11
10-11. lion--that is, wicked men, upon whom Eliphaz wished to show that calamities come in spite of their various resources, just as destruction comes on the lion in spite of his strength (Psa 58:6; 2Ti 4:17). Five different Hebrew terms here occur for "lion." The raging of the lion (the tearer), and the roaring of the bellowing lion and the teeth of the young lions, not whelps, but grown up enough to hunt for prey. The strong lion, the whelps of the lioness (not the stout lion, as in English Version) [Barnes and Umbreit]. The various phases of wickedness are expressed by this variety of terms: obliquely, Job, his wife, and children, may be hinted at by the lion, lioness, and whelps. The one verb, "are broken," does not suit both subjects; therefore, supply "the roaring of the bellowing lion is silenced." The strong lion dies of want at last, and the whelps, torn from the mother, are scattered, and the race becomes extinct.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 The roaring of the lion - By the roaring lion, fierce lion, old lion, stout lion, and lion's whelps, tyrannous rulers of all kinds are intended. The design of Eliphaz in using these figures is to show that even those who are possessed of the greatest authority and power - the kings, rulers, and princes of the earth - when they become wicked and oppressive to their subjects are cast down, broken to pieces, and destroyed, by the incensed justice of the Lord; and their whelps - their children and intended successors, scattered without possessions over the face of the earth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 4:7-11

Eliphaz argues, 1. That good men were never thus ruined. But there is one event both to the righteous and to the wicked, Ec 9:2, both in life and death; the great and certain difference is after death. Our worst mistakes are occasioned by drawing wrong views from undeniable truths. 2. That wicked men were often thus ruined: for the proof of this, Eliphaz vouches his own observation. We may see the same every day.

Read the full comment on Job 4:7-11 →

Job 4:10 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.

שַׁאֲגַ֣תsha.'a.Gat[the] roaring ofH7581
אַ֭רְיֵה'Ar.yeha lionH738
וְק֣וֹלve.Koland [the] sound ofH6963
שָׁ֑חַלSha.chala lionH7826
וְשִׁנֵּ֖יve.shi.Neiand [the] teeth ofH8127
כְפִירִ֣יםkhe.fi.Rimyoung lionsH3715
נִתָּֽעוּ\׃ni.Ta.'uthey are broken outH5421

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

Cross references for Job 4:10

  • Psalms 58:6

    Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.

  • Psalms 3:7

    Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

  • Psalms 57:4

    My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

  • Proverbs 30:14

    There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

  • Job 5:15

    But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

  • Job 29:17

    And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the teeth.
29:17; Ps 3:7; 57:4; 58:6; Pr 30:14

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

Context

  • Job 4:9

    By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

  • Job 4:10

    The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

  • Job 4:11

    The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.

Read all of Job 4

Job 4:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El bramido del león, y la voz del león, y los dientes de los leoncillos son quebrantados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Le rugissement du lion et la voix du lion rugissant sont étouffés, et les dents des jeunes lions sont brisées;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Das Brüllen des Löwen und des Brüllers Stimme sind verstummt, und die Zähne der jungen Löwen sind ausgebrochen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Rugitus leonis, et vox leænæ, et dentes catulorum leonum contriti sunt.