Job 5:23
in Job 5For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
KJV
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
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This verse in Job 5
Commentary
11 notes on this verseBut with the stones of the countries shall be thy covenant. And the beasts of the earth shall be peacemakers to thee. The Churches of the nations are like separate countries in the world, which, while they be planted in one faith, are separated by a diversity of customs and of tongues. What then do we take the stones of the countries to mean but the Elect ones of the Church, to whom it is declared by the voice of him who was the first among the teachers, Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house?
This site's exposition
He will rescue you from six calamities
on Job 5:19-23
Eliphaz counts deliverance in a rising number, covering famine, battle, destruction and wild beasts. Clarke notes the six-and-seven pattern as a Hebrew idiom for completeness. The promise hangs on Job's repentance, the friends' whole method: a sweeping future blessing made to argue backward for a present hidden sin.
This site's exposition
you will have a covenant with the stones of the field
Barnes notes that the field stones and wild animals are pictured as enemies made to be at peace. Matthew Henry reads the covenant through Hosea 2:18, a reconciled God making peace between man and the creatures. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown look to Isaiah 65:25.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
He lists the abundance of goods after the immunity from evil. First, as to the fertility of the earth, he says, "You shall be in league with the stones of the field," i.e. the stony and sterile land will bear fruit for you. As Deuteronomy …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
18 , I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field. This implies that while man is at enmity with his Maker the inferior creatures are at war with him; but tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia--a reconciled God reconciles all things. Our covenant with God is a covenant with all the creatures that they shall do us no hurt but be ready to serve us and do us good.
2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. 3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
This is a bold metaphor, but such as are frequent both in scripture and other authors. This is an addition to the former privilege; they shall not hurt thee, ver. 22, nay, they shall befriend thee, as being at peace with thee. Our covenant with God is a covenant with all the creatures, that they shall do us no hurt, but serve and be ready to do us good.
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field - In the Hebrew, “There shall be a covenant between thee and the stones of the field.” The sense is, they shall not harm thee. They are here spoken of as enemies that were made to be at peace, and that would not annoy or injure. It is to be remembered that this was spoken in Arabia, where rocks and stones abounded, and where traveling, from that cause, was difficult and dangerous.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Arabia, derived from Arabah--a desert plain. The first clause of this verse answers to the first clause of Job 5:22; and the last of this verse to the last of that verse. The full realization of this is yet future (Isa 65:23, 25;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field - Instead of אבני abney, stones, Mr. Good reads בני beney, sons, or produce; but this reading is not supported by any ancient version, nor, as far as I know, by any MS. yet collated. We must, therefore, take up the text as we find it, and make the best we can of the present reading. The Chaldee gives a plausible sense: Thou needest not to fear, “because thy covenant is on tables of stone, which are publicly erected in the field; and the Canaanites, which are compared to the beasts of the field, have made peace with thee.” Perhaps the reference is to those rocks or strong holds, where banditti secured themselves and their prey, or where the emirs or neighboring chiefs had their ordinary residence. Eliphaz may be understood as saying: Instead, then, of taking advantage of thee, as the Sabeans have done, the circumjacent chieftains will be confederate with thee; and the very beasts of the field will not be permitted to harm thy flocks. Coverdale seems to have had an idea of this kind, as we find he translates the verse thus: - But the castels in the londe shall be confederate with the, And the beastes of the felde shall give the peace. I believe the above to be the meaning of the place. See the next verse, Job 5:24 (note).
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | [will be] with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אַבְנֵ֣י | ʾavnei | [the] stones of | H68 → | 273 times |
| הַשָּׂדֶ֣ה | hasadeh | the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| בְרִיתֶ֑ךָ | veritekha | covenant your | H1285 → | 284 times |
| וְחַיַּ֥ת | vechaiyat | and [the] animal[s] of | H2416 → | 498 times |
| הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗ה | hasadeh | the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| הָשְׁלְמָה־ | hashelemah- | it will be at peace | H7999 → | 116 times |
| לָֽךְ׃ | lakh | to you |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
עִם־[will be] with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
אַבְנֵ֣י[the] stones of
ʾavneiH68 →273 times
הַשָּׂדֶ֣הthe field
hasadehH7704 →334 times
בְרִיתֶ֑ךָcovenant your
veritekhaH1285 →284 times
וְחַיַּ֥תand [the] animal[s] of
vechaiyatH2416 →498 times
הַ֝שָּׂדֶ֗הthe field
hasadehH7704 →334 times
הָשְׁלְמָה־it will be at peace
hashelemah-H7999 →116 times
לָֽךְ׃to you
lakh
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
Daniel 6:22My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:17
But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of…
- Hebrews 11:33
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
- Acts 12:11
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
- Psalms 91:11–13
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- 2 Timothy 4:17
Through
Leviticus 26:6And I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to fear. I will rid the land of dangerous animals, and no sword will pass through your land.
it leads to
- Isaiah 35:9
No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.
- Zephaniah 3:13
The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. But they will feed and lie down, with no one to make…
- Psalms 147:14
He makes peace at your borders; He fills you with the finest wheat.
- Isaiah 35:9
Through
Hosea 2:18On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 34:25
I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
- Ezekiel 34:25
Where this verse is studied
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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book VI; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.