14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. [1]

Other Translations of Job 8:14

New International Version

14 What they trust in is fragileThe meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. ; what they rely on is a spider's web.

English Standard Version

14 His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web.Hebrew house

The Message

14 They hang their life from one thin thread, they hitch their fate to a spider web.

New King James Version

14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider's web.

New Living Translation

14 Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 8:14

Commentary on Job 8:8-19

(Read Job 8:8-19)

Bildad discourses well of hypocrites and evil-doers, and the fatal end of all their hopes and joys. He proves this truth of the destruction of the hopes and joys of hypocrites, by an appeal to former times. Bildad refers to the testimony of the ancients. Those teach best that utter words out of their heart, that speak from an experience of spiritual and divine things. A rush growing in fenny ground, looking very green, but withering in dry weather, represents the hypocrite's profession, which is maintained only in times of prosperity. The spider's web, spun with great skill, but easily swept away, represents a man's pretensions to religion when without the grace of God in his heart. A formal professor flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure, and cheats the world with his vain confidences. The flourishing of the tree, planted in the garden, striking root to the rock, yet after a time cut down and thrown aside, represents wicked men, when most firmly established, suddenly thrown down and forgotten. This doctrine of the vanity of a hypocrite's confidence, or the prosperity of a wicked man, is sound; but it was not applicable to the case of Job, if confined to the present world.

19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

Other Translations of Job 4:19

New International Version

19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!

English Standard Version

19 how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth.

The Message

19 So how much less these bodies composed of mud, fragile as moths?

New King James Version

19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth?

New Living Translation

19 how much less will he trust people made of clay! They are made of dust, crushed as easily as a moth.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 4:19

Commentary on Job 4:12-21

(Read Job 4:12-21)

Eliphaz relates a vision. When we are communing with our own hearts, and are still, Psalm 4:4, then is a time for the Holy Spirit to commune with us. This vision put him into very great fear. Ever since man sinned, it has been terrible to him to receive communications from Heaven, conscious that he can expect no good tidings thence. Sinful man! shall he pretend to be more just, more pure, than God, who being his Maker, is his Lord and Owner? How dreadful, then, the pride and presumption of man! How great the patience of God! Look upon man in his life. The very foundation of that cottage of clay in which man dwells, is in the dust, and it will sink with its own weight. We stand but upon the dust. Some have a higher heap of dust to stand upon than others but still it is the earth that stays us up, and will shortly swallow us up. Man is soon crushed; or if some lingering distemper, which consumes like a moth, be sent to destroy him, he cannot resist it. Shall such a creature pretend to blame the appointments of God? Look upon man in his death. Life is short, and in a little time men are cut off. Beauty, strength, learning, not only cannot secure them from death, but these things die with them; nor shall their pomp, their wealth, or power, continue after them. Shall a weak, sinful, dying creature, pretend to be more just than God, and more pure than his Maker? No: instead of quarrelling with his afflictions, let him wonder that he is out of hell. Can a man be cleansed without his Maker? Will God justify sinful mortals, and clear them from guilt? or will he do so without their having an interest in the righteousness and gracious help of their promised Redeemer, when angels, once ministering spirits before his throne, receive the just recompence of their sins? Notwithstanding the seeming impunity of men for a short time, though living without God in the world, their doom is as certain as that of the fallen angels, and is continually overtaking them. Yet careless sinners note it so little, that they expect not the change, nor are wise to consider their latter end.