The Meaning of Job 8:4 Explained

Job 8:4

KJV: If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

YLT: If thy sons have sinned before Him, And He doth send them away, By the hand of their transgression,

Darby: If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also given them over into the hand of their transgression.

ASV: If thy children have sinned against him, And he hath delivered them into the hand of their transgression;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If thy children  have sinned  against him, and he have cast them away  for  their transgression; 

What does Job 8:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 8:1-22 - God Will Not Cast Away
Bildad now takes up the argument, appealing to the experience of former generations to show that special suffering, like Job's, indicated special sin, however deeply concealed. He feels that God could not pervert judgment, and that the sudden destruction of Job's children proved that they had transgressed.
Job 8:11-13 are probably quoted from an old poem, embodying the sententious observation of some older generation, which compared the ungodly to the rapid growth and more rapid destruction of the papyrus plant. Job 8:14-15 compare the state of the ungodly to the slight fabric of the spider's web, fine-spun, flimsy, and insecure. Job 8:16-19 employ yet another comparison-that of the weeds, which grow to rank luxuriance, spreading over heaps of stones and even walls, which they are figuratively said to see in the distance and creep toward; the very earth is ashamed of them, as presently they lie withered on the path. But notice the assurances that God will uphold all those who return to Him. Be of good cheer; thou shalt yet praise Him! [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 8

1  Bildad shows God's justice in dealing with men according to their works
8  He alleges antiquity to prove the certain destruction of the hypocrite
20  He applies God's just dealing to Job

What do the individual words in Job 8:4 mean?

if your sons have sinned against Him and He has cast them away for their transgression
אִם־ בָּנֶ֥יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־ ל֑וֹ וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם בְּיַד־ פִּשְׁעָֽם

בָּנֶ֥יךָ  your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חָֽטְאוּ־  have  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
ל֑וֹ  against  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וַֽ֝יְשַׁלְּחֵ֗ם  and  He  has  cast  them  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
פִּשְׁעָֽם  their  transgression 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּשַׁע  
Sense: transgression, rebellion.