Job 8:19
in Job 8Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, this is the joy of his way; And out of the earth shall others spring.
KJV
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
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This verse in Job 8
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Behold, this is the joy of his way - This is evidently sarcastic. “Lo! such is the joy of his course! He boasts of joy, as all hypocrites do, but his joy endures only for a little time. This is the end of it. He is cut down and removed, and the earth and the heavens disown him!” And out of the earth shall others grow - This image is still derived from the tree or plant.
This site's exposition
He is a well-watered plant in the sunshine
on Job 8:16-19
A second portrait follows the spider's web, "a well-watered plant in the sunshine", thriving before it is torn out. The line "yet others will spring from the dust" fills the wicked man's place. Bildad implies Job's place stands ready to be filled or restored by his response.
This site's exposition
Surely this is the joy of his way
Barnes and Clarke both hear sarcasm in the joy of his way. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the others that spring from the dust as a fresh crop of weeds among the stones. The plant is gone and others take its place.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book VIII · Written before 604.
proposed
Behold, this is the joy of his way, that out of the earth others also should grow. As though it were in plain words, 'When the Judge cometh, he is not acknowledged, but receives punishment a thousand fold, because he rejoiced in his wickedness more amply in proportion as he spread evil among others also.' For he that is not satisfied with being wicked himself here, must be tormented There with the due of the guilt of others also. Now then let the hypocrites rejoice, and triumph to have gotten the suffrages of their fellow-creatures.
He next explains the reason for this, "For this is the joy of his path," or "of his life that others may be brought forth from the earth again," as if to say: The progress and life of the rush do not tend to abide …
"Out of the earth still others will spring." In other words, God inflicts these punishments on the impious as their just reward, but with regard to the righteous, regardless of the state of abasement in which he finds them, God will make them spring up …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
); this is that which all his joy comes to. The way of the ungodly shall perish, Ps. i. His hope, he thought, would in the issue be turned into joy; but this is the issue, this is the joy.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Behold, this is the joy of his way,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This then is his "joy" at the last. and out of the earth--others immediately, who take the place of the man thus punished; not godly men (Mt 3:9). For the place of the weeds is among stones, where the gardener wishes no plants. But, ungodly; a fresh crop of weeds always springs up in the place of those torn up: there is no end of hypocrites on earth [UMBREIT].
Behold this is the joy of his way - A strong irony. Here is the issue of all his mirth, of his sports, games, and pastimes! See the unfeeling, domineering, polluting and polluted scape-grace, levelled with those whom he had despised, a servant of servants, or unable to work through his debaucheries, cringing for a morsel of bread, or ingloriously ending his days in that bane of any well-ordered and civilized state, a parish workhouse. This also I have most literally witnessed. Out of the earth shall others gross - As in the preceding case, when one plant or tree is blasted or cut down, another may be planted in the same place; so, when a spendthrift has run through his property, another possesses his inheritance, and grows up from that soil in which he himself might have continued to flourish, had it not been for his extravagance and folly. This verse Mr. Good applies to God himself, with no advantage to the argument, nor elucidation of the sense, that I can see. I shall give his translation, and refer to his learned notes for his vindication of the version he has given: - “Behold the Eternal (הוא) exulting in his course; Even over his dust shall raise up another.” In this way none of the ancient versions have understood the passage. I believe it to be a strong irony, similar to that which some think flowed from the pen of the same writer: Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these God will bring thee into judgment; Ecc 11:9. These two places illustrate each other.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֶן־ | hen- | there! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| ה֭וּא | hu' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ | mesos | [is] [the] joy of | H4885 → | |
| דַּרְכּ֑וֹ | darko | way its | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗ר | umeafar | and from [the] dust | H6083 → | 110 times |
| אַחֵ֥ר | ʾacher | another | H312 → | 166 times |
| יִצְמָֽחוּ׃ | yitzmachu | they will spring up | H6779 → | 33 times |
הֶן־there!
hen-H2005 →316 times
ה֭וּאthat
hu'H1931 →1879 times
מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ[is] [the] joy of
mesosH4885 →
דַּרְכּ֑וֹway its
darkoH1870 →707 times
וּ֝מֵעָפָ֗רand from [the] dust
umeafarH6083 →110 times
אַחֵ֥רanother
ʾacherH312 →166 times
יִצְמָֽחוּ׃they will spring up
yitzmachuH6779 →33 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
Psalms 113:7He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
it leads to
- Luke 1:52–53
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Psalms 107:41
But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.
- Luke 1:52–53
Through
1 Samuel 2:8He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth…
it leads to
- Psalms 113:7–8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
- Daniel 2:48
Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
- James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
- Psalms 113:7–8
Through
Matthew 3:9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
it leads to
- Luke 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up…
- Romans 9:7–8
Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
- Luke 3:8
About Job
This page draws on 11 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); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book VIII; Ishodad of Merv, COMMENTARY ON JOB 8:19; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.