The Meaning of Job 14:20 Explained

Job 14:20

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

YLT: Thou prevailest over him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.

Darby: Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

ASV: Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Job 14:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 14:1-22 - Shall Man Live Again?
Continuing his appeal, Job looks from his own case to the condition of mankind generally, Job 14:1-6. All men are frail and full of trouble, Job 14:12; why should God bring a creature so weak into judgment with Him? Job 14:3. The sinfulness of man is universal-not one can be proved clean before God, Job 14:4. Since man is so frail Job pleads that he may not have such unwonted affliction, but may get some pleasure, Job 14:6, r.v., out of his brief day.
The anticipation of death as total extinction strengthens Job's appeal, Job 14:7-12. Of a tree there is hope that, if cut down, it will sprout again, Job 14:7-9. But at present Job sees no such hope for man. He dies, and is done with, as waters "fail from the sea," Job 14:10-12. This is a gloomy, despairing thought, and one against which the mind rebels as soon as uttered. Against the belief that death is the end of all things every man's better nature revolts. Hence the picture of another life beyond the present immediately rises to Job, Job 14:13-15. It may be only a yearning desire, for Job still asks the question, Job 14:14. Yet this desire, as that for a Daysman, Job 9:32-34, both suggested by the heart's despair, is equally answered by the gospel.
The hope for a future life is made stronger by the apparent injustices that exist now, Job 14:16-22. God's treatment of Job appears to be so severe that Job must perish under His hand, Job 14:18-22. A future life is surely necessary to remedy the inequalities of the present. Evidently this is not the place and time of judgment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 14

1  Job entreats God for favor, by the shortness of life, and certainty of death
7  He waits for his change
16  By sin the creature is subject to corruption

What do the individual words in Job 14:20 mean?

You prevail against him forever and he passes on You change his countenance and send him away
תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ לָ֭נֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ

תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ  You  prevail  against  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: תָּקַף  
Sense: (Qal) to prevail over or against, overcome, overpower.
לָ֭נֶצַח  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ  and  he  passes  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה  You  change 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: to repeat, do again, change, alter.
פָ֝נָ֗יו  his  countenance 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ  and  send  him  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.

What are the major concepts related to Job 14:20?

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