VERSE STUDY • KJV

Job 4:12-21

¹² Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴ Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: ¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image [was] before mine eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying], ¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: ¹⁹ How much less [in] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are crushed before the moth? ²⁰ They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding [it]. ²¹ Doth not their excellency [which is] in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹² Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴ Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: ¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image [was] before mine eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying], ¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: ¹⁹ How much less [in] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are crushed before the moth? ²⁰ They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding [it]. ²¹ Doth not their excellency [which is] in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹² Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it. ¹³ In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, ¹⁴ fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder. ¹⁵ Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled. ¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice: ¹⁷ ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker? ¹⁸ If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error, ¹⁹ how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth! ²⁰ They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever. ²¹ Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’

WEB World English Bible

¹² “Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, ¹⁴ fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up. ¹⁶ It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying, ¹⁷ ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error. ¹⁹ How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth! ²⁰ Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it. ²¹ Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’

ASV American Standard Version

¹² Now a thing was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof. ¹³ In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴ Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake. ¹⁵ Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up. ¹⁶ It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, ¹⁷ Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? ¹⁸ Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly: ¹⁹ How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth! ²⁰ Betwixt morning and evening they are destroyed: They perish for ever without any regarding it. ²¹ Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹² And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it. ¹³ In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, ¹⁴ Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear. ¹⁵ And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh; ¹⁶ It standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude is over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear: ¹⁷ ‘Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner? ¹⁸ Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.’ ¹⁹ Also—the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation is in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.) ²⁰ From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish. ²¹ Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!

Surrounding context — Job 4

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

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

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

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.

13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image [was] before mine eyes, [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],

17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

19 How much less [in] them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation [is] in the dust, [which] are crushed before the moth?

20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding [it].

21 Doth not their excellency [which is] in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

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