The big picture
Job 14 opens in verse 1 with “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 11 with “As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:”, and closes in verse 22 with “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.” Repeated or prominent terms include days, till, wouldest, appointed, cometh. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Job · King James Version · 22Job 14:1-8
1–8: Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
Job 14:1–8 opens with “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” and reaches “Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 14 develops its own movement around days, till, wouldest, appointed, cometh, with particular weight carried by days, accomplish, appointed.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” Naming Man keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Job 14:1-8
King James Version1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Job 14:9-16
9–16: Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like…
Job 14:9–16 opens with “Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.” and reaches “For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 14 develops its own movement around days, till, wouldest, appointed, cometh, with particular weight carried by wouldest, till, time.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.” Naming Yet keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Job 14:9-16
King James Version9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
Job 14:17-22
17–22: My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine…
Job 14:17–22 opens with “My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.” and reaches “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 14 develops its own movement around days, till, wouldest, appointed, cometh, with particular weight carried by changest, cometh, countenance.
Context that brings the passage to life
“My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.” The line’s distinctive content terms include iniquity, sealed, sewest. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
Job 14:17-22
King James Version17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Job 14:1 begins with “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
Where the chapter turns
Job 14:10 forms a natural hinge: “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?”
The final note
Job 14:22 leaves the reader with “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words days, till, wouldest, appointed, cometh, dost help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What contrasts the two royal encounters?
Melchizedek blesses God as the source of victory; Abram refuses a financial arrangement that would let Sodom claim credit for his wealth.
How does Abram treat Lot after their separation?
He risks resources to rescue him rather than treating earlier disagreement as a reason for abandonment.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.