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Scripture Mapping

Job 14

World English Bible

WEB

1“Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. 2He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue. 3Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you? 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass. 6Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day. 7“For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease. 8Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground, 9yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant. 10But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he? 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up, 12so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep. 13“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me! 14If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come. 15You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands. 16But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin? 17My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity. 18“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place. 19The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man. 20You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away. 21His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them. 22But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Job Chapter 14 presents a poignant reflection on the nature of human life and mortality. Job, in his deep anguish, contemplates the brevity and fragility of life, stating, "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble" (Job14:1). This verse encapsulates the essence of human existence, emphasizing that life is often filled with suffering and challenges. Job likens human life to a flower that blooms and withers, illustrating the transient nature of our days on earth. He expresses a longing for hope amidst despair, asking, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job14:14), which reveals his deep yearning for understanding and the possibility of life beyond death. This question resonates with the human quest for meaning and the hope of resurrection, a theme that is later fulfilled in the New Testament through Christ's victory over death.

Job further reflects on God's sovereignty and the seeming finality of death, acknowledging that God has set limits on human life. He pleads for a reprieve, wishing that God would "hide me in the grave" until His anger passes (Job14:13). This desire for a temporary escape from suffering highlights Job's struggle with his circumstances and his desire for restoration. Ultimately, Job's lament in this chapter serves as a profound meditation on mortality, suffering, and the hope of divine intervention, inviting readers to consider the eternal perspective that God offers through faith in Jesus Christ.

In summary, Job 14 is a powerful reminder of the human condition, the reality of suffering, and the hope of resurrection, encouraging believers to trust in God's plan even in the midst of trials. #Job #Mortality #Hope #Resurrection

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Referenced by

  1. Job 7:1v1Job 7:1 speaks of the hard service and limited days of man, a theme echoed in Job 14:1 where Job laments the brevity and trouble of human life.
  2. Psalms 39:5v1Both Psalm 39:5 and Job 14:1-2 emphasize the fleeting nature of human life, comparing it to a shadow or a flower that withers.
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:10v5Ecclesiastes 6:10 reflects on the predetermined nature of human life, stating that what has been is already named. Job 14:5 also speaks of the fixed limits of human life, emphasizing God's sovereignty over human existence.

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