Job 34:14
in Job 34If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If he set his heart upon himself, If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
KJV
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
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This verse in Job 34
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIf he hath directed his heart towards Him, He will gather to Himself his spirit, and his breath. The heart is crooked, when it seeks for things below. It is made straight when it is raised to things above. If a man therefore direct his heart to the Lord, the Lord draws to Himself his spirit and his breath. He uses, namely, spirit for inward thoughts, but breath, which is drawn through the body, for outward actions.
This site's exposition
Who gave Him charge over the earth
on Job 34:13-15
The question “Who gave Him charge over the earth” grounds God's justice in His place as Creator. If He were to “withdraw His Spirit and breath”, “all flesh would perish together”. Davidson notes that Elihu anticipates the Lord's answer, an argument from unaccountable power Job will meet from another mouth.
This site's exposition
withdraw His Spirit and breath
Adam Clarke reads the verse as a promise. On whomever God sets His love, that person's soul is gathered to Him while the body returns to dust. Gregory the Dialogist takes spirit as the inward thoughts and breath as the outward acts.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, he shows by experience that there is no violence or evil in God. For so great is his power by which he conserves things in being, that if he should wish to use violence against his justice, he could immediately annihilate all men. So …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If he set his heart upon man,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
If he set his heart upon man - I think this and the following verse should be read thus: - “If he set his heart upon man, he will gather his soul and breath to himself; for all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.” On whomsoever God sets his heart, that is, his love, though his body shall perish and turn to dust, like the rest of men, yet his soul will God gather to himself.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If he set his heart upon man - Margin, as in Hebrew “upon him” - meaning “man.” That is, if he fixes his attention particularly on him, or should form a purpose in regard him. The argument seems to be tbis. “If God wished such a thing, and should set his heart upon it, he could easily cut off the whole race. He has power to do it, and no one can deny him the right. Man has no claim to life, but he who gave it has a right to withdraw it, and the race is absolutely dependent on this infinite Sovereign. Being such a Sovereign, therefore, and having such a right, man cannot complain of his Maker as unjust, if he is called to pass through trials.” Rosenmuller, however, supposes this is to be taken in the sense of severe scrutiny, and that it means, “If God should examine with strictness the life of man, and mark all his faults, no flesh would be allowed to live. All would be found to be guilty, and would be cut off.” Grotius supposes it to mean, “If God should regard only himself; if he wished only to be good to himself - that is, to consult his own welfare, he would take away life from all, and live and reign alone.” This is also the interpretation of Umbreit, Schnurrer, and Eichhorn. Noyes regards it as an argument drawn from the benevolence of God, meaning if God were severe, unjust, and revengeful, the earth would be a scene of universal desolation. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
If He puts His heart on man to destroy him, why should He come upon him with a pretext? He can immediately gather in to Himself.. His spirit and His soul His spirit and His soul that He blew into him, and no one will stop Him.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Who gave Him a charge over the earth Who rules over Him, saying, ‘Why did You do so?’ or ‘I did not command You so’? For who gave Him a charge over His dominion, and why should He find pretexts for His creatures?
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יָשִׂ֣ים | yasim | he will set | H7760 → | 584 times |
| אֵלָ֣יו | ʾelav | to it | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לִבּ֑וֹ | libo | heart his | H3820 → | 595 times |
| רוּח֥וֹ | rucho | spirit his | H7307 → | 378 times |
| וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹ | venishmato | and breath his | H5397 → | 24 times |
| אֵלָ֥יו | ʾelav | to himself | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יֶאֱסֹֽף׃ | yeesof | he will gather | H622 → | 200 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יָשִׂ֣יםhe will set
yasimH7760 →584 times
אֵלָ֣יוto it
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
לִבּ֑וֹheart his
liboH3820 →595 times
רוּח֥וֹspirit his
ruchoH7307 →378 times
וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹand breath his
venishmatoH5397 →24 times
אֵלָ֥יוto himself
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
יֶאֱסֹֽף׃he will gather
yeesofH622 →200 times
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
Job 7:17What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
it leads to
- Hebrews 2:6
But somewhere it is testified in these words: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
- Psalms 8:4
what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?
- Psalms 144:3
O LORD, what is man, that You regard him, the son of man that You think of him?
- Hebrews 2:6
Through
Psalms 104:29When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.
it leads to
- Job 34:14–15
If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 12:7
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
- Psalms 146:4
When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.
- Job 34:14–15
Through
Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
it leads to
- Job 36:5
Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
- Job 36:5
Through
Isaiah 24:22They will be gathered together like prisoners in a pit. They will be confined to a dungeon and punished after many days.
it leads to
- Zechariah 9:11
As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.
- Zechariah 9:11
About Job
This page draws on A. B. Davidson, The Book of Job, Cambridge Bible; Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.