Job 14:21

14:20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

KJV

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His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; and they are brought low, but he perceives it not of them.

14:22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

What does Job 14:21 mean?

Job 14:21 is a verse in the book of Job, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include בֵּן (bên), כָּבַד (kâbad), יָדַע (yâdaʻ). It connects to 14 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

His

sonsבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

come

honour,כָּבַדkâbad/kaw-bad'/H3513to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable; causatively, to make weighty (in the same two senses)

and

knowethיָדַעyâdaʻ/yaw-dah'/H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)

not;

and

they

are

brought

low,צָעַרtsâʻar/tsaw-ar'/H6819to be small, i.e. (figuratively) ignoble

but

perceivethבִּיןbîyn/bene/H995to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand

not

them.

Commentary on Job 14:21

HENRY_FULL · Job 14:21

ike Job's messengers: the latter followed one another close with evil tidings, the former followed him with harsh censures: both, unawares, served Satan's design; these to drive him from his integrity, those to drive him from the comfort of it. Eliphaz did not reply to what Job had said in answer to him, but left it to Bildad, whom he knew to be of the same mind with himself in this affair. Those are not the wisest of the company, but the weakest rather, who covet to have all the talk. Let others speak in their turn, and let the first keep silence, 1 Cor. xiv. 30, 31 . Eliphaz had undertaken to show that because Job was sorely afflicted he was certainly a wicked man. Bildad is much of the same mind, and will conclude Job a wicked man unless God do speedily appear for his relief. In this chapter he endeavours to convince Job, I. That he had spoken too passionately, ver. 2 . II. That he and his children had suffered justly, ver. 3, 4 . III. That, if he were a true penitent, God would soon turn his captivity, ver. 5-7 . IV. That it was a usual thing for Providence to extinguish the joys and hopes of wicked men as his were extinguished; and therefore that they had reason to suspect him for a hypocrite, ver. 8-19 . V. That they would be abundantly confirmed in their suspicion unless God did speedily appear for his relief, ver. 20-22 . The Address of Bildad. ( b. c. 1520.)

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 10:3

And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exodus 10:7

And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

1 Kings 19:11

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

Job 6:9

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

Job 6:26

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

Job 7:11

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Job 11:2

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? full: Heb. of lips

Job 11:3

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? lies: or, devices

Job 15:2

Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? vain: Heb. knowledge of wind

Job 16:3

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? vain: Heb. words of wind

Job 18:2

How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

Job 19:2

How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?

Job 19:3

These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. make: or, harden yourselves against me

Proverbs 1:22

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Topics

Death

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Job 14:21.

Genesis 4:17

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. Enoch: Heb. Chanoch

Genesis 4:25

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. Seth: Heb. Sheth: that is Appointed, or, Put

Genesis 9:24

And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

Frequently asked questions

What does Job 14:21 say?

Job 14:21 (King James Version) reads: "His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them."

Is Job 14:21 in the Old or New Testament?

Job 14:21 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Job.

Reflect

As you read Job 14:21, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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