Job 9:26
in Job 9They sweep by like boats of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
KJV
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
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This verse in Job 9
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThey are passed away as the ships carrying fruits. They that traverse seas transporting fruits, do themselves indeed enjoy the smell of the same, but the food thereof they convey to others. What else then did the ancient Fathers shew themselves, saving ships carrying fruits? They indeed in foretelling the mystery of God's Incarnation, themselves enjoyed the sweet odour of hope, but to ourselves they brought down the fruit by the completion of that hope. For what they but smelled at in expecting, we are replenished with in seeing and receiving.
This site's exposition
My days are swifter than a runner
on Job 9:25-31
"My days are swifter than a runner" returns to the speed of life. Resolving to "forget my complaint" brings no comfort, since "I would still dread all my sufferings". Even "If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye," God would plunge him "into the pit".
This site's exposition
They sweep by like boats of papyrus
The Hebrew behind boats of papyrus puzzled the King James translators. Barnes follows Gesenius, who explained them as light boats of papyrus on the Nile. The days sweep by like such boats and like an eagle swooping on its prey.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He means, "My memories themselves are dead, and I don't even know what I am talking about, as my pain is so great! In the moment itself, in which I speak, I forget, as the storm around me is so strong!"
The swift runner does not appear to touch the ground; he appears as though he has wings. [Job says], " 'My life is swifter than a runner.' I look at what is above. 'I do not run aimlessly.' I do not touch the ground." Because …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, when one pursues some end, he must acquire for himself those means which are capable of attaining the end, just as one who desires to be healed must acquire medicines by which he can be cured. In the same way, he who wishes to …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): " My days (that is, all my good days) are gone, never to return, gone of a sudden, gone ere I was aware. Never did any courier that went express" (like Cushi and Ahimaaz) "with good tidings make such haste as all my comforts did from me.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
What great need to redeem time, which runs out, runs on so fast toward eternity! And how vain are the enjoyments of time, which we may be deprived of, even while time continues! Our day may be longer than our sunshine: and when that is gone, it is as if it had never been.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They are passed away as the swift ships,.... Those that are lightest built, and run swiftest.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
As the swift ships - אניות אבה oniyoth ebeh. Ships of desire, or ships of Ebeh, says our margin; perhaps more correctly, inflated ships, the sails bellying out with a fair brisk wind, tide favorable, and the vessels themselves lightly freighted. The Vulgate has, Like ships freighted with apples. Ships laden with the best fruits - Targum. Ships well adapted for sailing - Arabic. Shipes that be good under sale - Coverdale. Probably this relates to the light fast-sailing ships on the Nile, which were made of reeds or papyrus.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They are passed away as the swift ships - Margin, Ships of desire; or ships of Ebeh. Hebrew אבה אניה 'onı̂yâh 'êbeh. Vulgate, Naves poma portantes. Septuagint, “Is there any track left by ships in their passage?” The Chaldee renders it as the Vulgate, “Ships bearing good fruit;” that is, as such fruit was perishable, haste was required in order to reach the place of destination. Our translators were evidently perplexed by the word אבה 'êbeh, as appears by their placing two different phrases in the margin. “Ships of desire,” denotes the value or desirableness of such ships; and the phrase, “Ships of Ebeh,” denotes their confession of ignorance as to the meaning of the word. Gesenius explains the word to mean reed, bulrush, or papyrus - from an Arabic use of the word, and supposes that the reference is to the light vessels made of the papyrus, which were used on the Nile; see the note at Isa 18:2. Such vessels would be distinguished for the ease with which they might be rowed, and the rapidity of their motion. Chardin supposes that the reference is to vessels that were made to go on the Euphrates or the Tigris, and that were borne along with the rapid current. The supposition of an allusion to any boat or vessel under full sail, will be in accordance with the language here, though the probability is, that the reference is to the light vessels, made of reeds, that might be propelled with so much fleetness. Sails were frequently used, also, for such vessels. As the eagle that hasteth to the prey - A striking emblem of rapidity. Few things can be more rapid than the motion of the eagle, as he darts upon his victim.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָ֭לְפוּ | chalfu | they have passed on | H2498 → | 28 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| אֳנִיּ֣וֹת | ʾoniyot | ships of | H591 → | |
| אֵבֶ֑ה | ʾeveh | reed | H16 → | |
| כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר | kenesher | like an eagle | H5404 → | |
| יָט֥וּשׂ | yatus | [which] it rushes | H2907 → | |
| עֲלֵי־ | ʾalei- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֹֽכֶל׃ | ʾokhel | food | H400 → | 43 times |
חָ֭לְפוּthey have passed on
chalfuH2498 →28 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
אֳנִיּ֣וֹתships of
ʾoniyotH591 →
אֵבֶ֑הreed
ʾevehH16 →
כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁרlike an eagle
kenesherH5404 →
יָט֥וּשׂ[which] it rushes
yatusH2907 →
עֲלֵי־on
ʾalei-H5921 →5755 times
אֹֽכֶל׃food
ʾokhelH400 →43 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
Proverbs 23:5When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
it leads to
- Proverbs 27:24
for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.
- 1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- 1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us…
- James 5:1–2
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
- Matthew 6:19
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
- Proverbs 27:24
Through
Jeremiah 4:13Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
it leads to
- Isaiah 19:1
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will…
- Isaiah 66:15
For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire.
- Isaiah 19:1
Through
Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:13
Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
- Jeremiah 4:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON JOB 9:25-26; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book IX; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 9:25-27; 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.