Job 30:6
in Job 30so that they lived on the slopes of the wadis, among the rocks and in holes in the ground.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So that they dwell in frightful valleys, In holes of the earth and of the rocks.
KJV
To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
⋯
This verse in Job 30
Commentary
10 notes on this verseTo dwell in the cliffs of the valleys,.... Or "brooks" (l), in such hollow places as were made by floods and streams of waters: in caves of the earth, and in the rocks; where they betook themselves for fear of men, and through shame, being naked and miserable not fit to be seen: Job has respect to the Horites and Troglodytes, his neighbours, who dwelt in such places chiefly. (l) נחלים "torrentium", Tigurine version, Pagninus, Montanus, &c.
This site's exposition
They plucked mallow among the shrubs
on Job 30:4-6
“They plucked mallow among the shrubs, and the roots of the broom tree were their food”. Gill and Clarke read these as a bitter salt plant and a food of last resort. Banished “from among men” and “shouted down like thieves”, these fathers were treated as criminals.
This site's exposition
in holes in the ground
Barnes reads the Hebrew behind slopes as a word for horror, so the wadis are dreadful places. Gill thinks Job has in view neighbors who lived in caves, the Horites. They hid among the rocks for fear and shame.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
The words "under the rocks and the thorny bushes," that is, those, who are on the prowl in the mountains and the deserts, live on the fruits of thorny bushes because of their destitution.
They shall dwell in the desert places of the torrents, and in the caves of the earth, or upon the ground.
Seventh, he shows the vile character of their dwellings, because they do not have houses to live in saying, "they live in desert stream beds," which are the dry stream beds caused by storms where they protected themselves from the heat, "and in the caverns …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
One would not think it possible that ever the human nature should sink so low, and degenerate so far, as it did in these people. When we thank God that we are men we have reason to thank him that we are not such men.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
They are forced "to dwell." cliffs of the valleys--rather, "in the gloomy valleys"; literally, "in the gloom of the valleys," or wadies. To dwell in valleys is, in the East, a mark of wretchedness.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys - They were obliged to take shelter in the most dangerous, out-of-the-way, and unfrequented places. This is the meaning.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys - The word here rendered “cliffs” (ערוץ ‛ârûts) denotes rather “horror,” or something “horrid,” and the sense here is, that they dwelt in “the horrer of valleys;” that is, in horrid valleys. The idea is that of deep and frightful glens, where wild beasts ranged, far from the abodes of men, and surrounded by frightful wastes. The word rendered “valleys” (נחל nachal) means properly a brook, stream, water-course - what is now called a wady; a place where the winter torrents run, but which is usually dry in summer; see the notes at Job 6:15. In caves of the earth - Margin, as in Hebrew “holes.” Septuagint “Whose houses are - πρῶγλαι πετρῶν trōglai petrōn - caverns of the rocks;” that is, who are “Troglodytes.” Caves furnished a natural dwelling for the poor and the outcast, and it is well known that it was not uncommon in Egypt, and in the deserts of Arabia, to occupy such caves as a habitation; see Diod. Sic. Lib. iii. xiv. and Strabo, Lib. 16, And in the rocks - The caverns of the rocks. Dr. Richardson found a large number of such dwellings in the vicinity of Thebes, many of which were large and beautifully formed and sculptured with many curious devices. Mr. Rich, also, saw a large number of such caves not far from Mousal. Residence in Koordistan, vol. ii. p. 94.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּעֲר֣וּץ | baarutz | on [the] slope of | H6178 → | |
| נְחָלִ֣ים | nechalim | wadis | H5158 → | 141 times |
| לִשְׁכֹּ֑ן | lishkon | to dwell | H7931 → | 129 times |
| חֹרֵ֖י | chorei | holes of | H2356 → | |
| עָפָ֣ר | ʾafar | [the] ground | H6083 → | 110 times |
| וְכֵפִֽים׃ | vekhefim | and rocks | H3710 → |
בַּעֲר֣וּץon [the] slope of
baarutzH6178 →
נְחָלִ֣יםwadis
nechalimH5158 →141 times
לִשְׁכֹּ֑ןto dwell
lishkonH7931 →129 times
חֹרֵ֖יholes of
choreiH2356 →
עָפָ֣ר[the] ground
ʾafarH6083 →110 times
וְכֵפִֽים׃and rocks
vekhefimH3710 →
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
Revelation 6:15Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
it leads to
- Isaiah 2:21
They will flee to caverns in the rocks and crevices in the cliffs, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 2:19
Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.
- Isaiah 24:21–22
In that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven above and the kings of the earth below.
- Isaiah 2:21
Through
Isaiah 2:19Men will flee to caves in the rocks and holes in the ground, away from the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty, when He rises to shake the earth.
it leads to
- Isaiah 2:10
Go into the rocks and hide in the dust from the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 23:30
At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
- Hosea 10:8
The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall…
- Isaiah 2:10
Through
Judges 6:2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 13:6
Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
- Hebrews 11:38
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
- 1 Samuel 13:6
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 XX; Ishodad of Merv, COMMENTARY ON JOB 30:6-7; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.