The Meaning of Job 15:16 Explained

Job 15:16

KJV: How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

YLT: Also -- surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking as water perverseness.

Darby: How much less the abominable and corrupt, man, that drinketh unrighteousness like water!

ASV: How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!

Discover Job 15:16

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Job 15:16?

MEANING: What does Job 15:16 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Job 15:16 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Job 15:16?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

How much more abominable  and filthy  [is] man,  which drinketh  iniquity  like water? 

What does Job 15:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 15:1-35 - "the Heavens Are Not Clean"
The second colloquy, like the first, is commenced by Eliphaz. He begins by rebuking Job, Job 15:1-16. He complains that the words of Job proved him to be unwise, Job 15:2-3, and even impious, Job 15:4. His very speech testified to his iniquity, Job 15:5-6. With something of irony Eliphaz asks upon what Job's claim to superior wisdom rests. Was he the first man? Job 15:7. Or had he access to the secret counsel of God? Job 15:8. In refusing the counsel of his friends, Job 15:9-10, and the consolations of God they had offered, Job 15:11, r.v., had he not proved his want of wisdom? He had even proved his folly and his impiety, by attempting to assert his innocence before God, Job 15:12-14, in whose presence even the heavens were unclean, Job 15:15-16. It is clear that Eliphaz and his friends did not believe the sincerity of Job's protestations of innocence.
Eliphaz then attempts to instruct Job, Job 15:17-35. His theme is almost the same as that of his former speech. It is the righteousness of God as specially manifested in the punishment of the wicked. He claims that his doctrine is that of the wise men, Job 15:17-19; then proceeds to describe the wicked man as troubled in conscience and full of fear, Job 15:20-24; attributes this to his bold impiety, Job 15:25-28; and predicts his fearful doom, Job 15:29-35. The application of such teaching to Job must have been very painful. He insinuated that Job's terrible afflictions were God's testimony against his sin. We know better from John 11:4-5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 15

1  Eliphaz reproves Job for impiety in justifying himself
17  He proves by tradition the restlessness of wicked men

What do the individual words in Job 15:16 mean?

How how much less [who is] abominable and filthy man who drinks like water iniquity
אַ֭ף כִּֽי־ נִתְעָ֥ב וְֽנֶאֱלָ֑ח אִישׁ־ שֹׁתֶ֖ה כַמַּ֣יִם ؟ עַוְלָֽה

אַ֭ף  How 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
כִּֽי־  how  much  less 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נִתְעָ֥ב  [who  is]  abominable 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: תָּעַב  
Sense: to abhor, be abominable, do abominably.
וְֽנֶאֱלָ֑ח  and  filthy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָלַח  
Sense: (Niphal) to be corrupt morally, tainted.
אִישׁ־  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
שֹׁתֶ֖ה  who  drinks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
כַמַּ֣יִם  like  water 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
؟ עַוְלָֽה  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.

What are the major concepts related to Job 15:16?

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Similar Scriptures for Job 15:16

Job 34:7 [6]
Proverbs 19:28 [6]
Titus 3:3 [3]
Psalms 53:3 [2]
Job 4:19 [2]
Psalms 14:1-3 [2]
Job 42:6 [2]
Romans 3:9-19 [2]
Job 20:12 [2]
Romans 1:28-30 [2]
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