Job 16:15
in Job 16I have sewn sackcloth over my skin; I have buried my horn in the dust.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.
KJV
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
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This verse in Job 16
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I have sewed sackcloth - I have put on the badges of humiliation and grief; see the notes at Isa 3:24. This was the usual emblem of mourning. In order more deeply to express it, or to make it a “permanent” memorial of sorrow, it would seem that it was “sewed” around the body - as we “sew” crape on the hat. And defiled my horn in the dust - The word rendered “defiled” (from עלל ‛âlal) has, according to Gesenius, the notion of “repetition,” derived from the use of the Arabic word.
This site's exposition
I have sewn sackcloth over my skin
on Job 16:15-17
In "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin" mourning is stitched on. "I have buried my horn in the dust" grinds his strength and dignity into the ground. Clarke notes that sackcloth sewn to the skin pictures a grief too settled to lay aside as ordinary mourning was.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XIII · Written before 604.
proposed
Ver. 15. I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and covered my flesh with ashes. What ought to be understood by 'sackcloth and ashes,' but penance; what by 'the skin' and 'the flesh,' but sin of the flesh? And so whereas there are persons who after the backsliding of the flesh are brought back to penance, it is as if 'sackcloth were sewn upon the skin,' and 'the flesh covered with ashes;' because the guilt of the flesh is 'covered with ashes' by penance, that it should not be seen for its avenging in the inquest of the strict Judge.
Job calls to mind all these things about the greatness of his adversity to show that he cannot be the equal of his friends with whom he is arguing, because they were free from adversities of this kind. However Eliphaz had accused him of pride …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
I have not only put on sackcloth, but sewed it on, as being resolved to continue my humiliation, as long as my affliction continues. Defiled my horn - I have willingly parted with all my wealth, and power, and glory (as the horn often signifies in scripture,) and been content to lie in the dust.
Silks upon sores, such sores, he thought, would be unsuitable; sackcloth would be more becoming. Those are fond indeed of gay clothing that will not be weaned from it by sickness and old age, and, as Job was (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those who are free in passing such censures must expect to have them retorted; it is easy, it is endless: but cui bono?--what good does it do? It will stir up men's passions, but will never convince their judgments, nor set truth in a clear light.
He still holds fast his integrity, concerning which he appeals to God's righteous judgment from the unrighteous censures of his friends,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
sewed--denoting the tight fit of the mourning garment; it was a sack with armholes closely sewed to the body. horn--image from horned cattle, which when excited tear the earth with their horns. The horn was the emblem of power (1Ki 22:11). Here, it is in the dust--which as applied to Job denotes his humiliation from former greatness.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
I have sewed sackcloth - שק sak, a word that has passed into almost all languages, as I have already had occasion to notice in other parts of this work. Defiled my horn in the dust - The horn was an emblem of power; and the metaphor was originally taken from beasts, such as the urus, wild ox, buffalo, or perhaps the rhinoceros, who were perceived to have so much power in their horns. Hence a horn was frequently worn on crowns and helmets, as is evident on ancient coins; and to this day it is an appendage to the diadem of the kings and chiefs of Abyssinia. In the second edition of Mr. Bruce’s Travels in Abyssinia, vol. viii., plates 2 and 3, we have engravings of two chiefs, Kefla Yasous, and Woodage Ashahel, who are represented with this emblem of power on their forehead. Mr. Bruce thus describes it: “One thing remarkable in this cavalcade, which I observed, was the head dress of the governors of provinces. A large broad fillet was bound upon their forehead, and tied behind their head. In the middle of this was a horn, or a conical piece of silver, gilt, about four inches in length, much in the shape of our common candle extinguishers. This is called kirn, or horn; and is only worn in reviews, or parades after victory. This, I apprehend, like all others of their usages is taken from the Hebrews; and the several allusions made in Scripture to it arise from this practice. ‘I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly; and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn.’ ‘Lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck; for promotion cometh not,’ etc. […]
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שַׂ֣ק | sak | sackcloth | H8242 → | |
| תָּ֭פַרְתִּי | tafarti | I have sewed | H8609 → | |
| עֲלֵ֣י | ʾalei | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| גִלְדִּ֑י | gildi | skin my | H1539 → | |
| וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּי | veolalti | and I have inserted | H5953 → | |
| בֶעָפָ֣ר | veafar | in the dust | H6083 → | 110 times |
| קַרְנִֽי׃ | karni | horn my | H7161 → |
שַׂ֣קsackcloth
sakH8242 →
תָּ֭פַרְתִּיI have sewed
tafartiH8609 →
עֲלֵ֣יover
ʾaleiH5921 →5755 times
גִלְדִּ֑יskin my
gildiH1539 →
וְעֹלַ֖לְתִּיand I have inserted
veolaltiH5953 →
בֶעָפָ֣רin the dust
veafarH6083 →110 times
קַרְנִֽי׃horn my
karniH7161 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 22:12On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth.
it leads to
- Joel 1:13
Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Micah 1:16
Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile.
- Joel 2:17
Let the priests who minister before the LORD weep between the portico and the altar, saying, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not make Your heritage a reproach, an object of scorn among…
- Joel 1:13
Through
1 Kings 21:27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 3:31
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 6:30
When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
- Genesis 37:34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
- 2 Samuel 3:31
Through
Psalms 75:5Do not lift up your horn against heaven or speak with an outstretched neck.’”
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 30:8
Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger…
- Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
- 2 Chronicles 30:8
About Job
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.