Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Job 14
Job 14:1-2"Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble." He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.
Job opens with a universal truth about the human condition: our lives are short and difficult. The images of a fading flower and a fleeting shadow powerfully capture our sense of vulnerability and impermanence.Job 14:10-12But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep.
Job 14:14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come.
This is the pivotal question of the entire chapter and one of the most significant in all of Scripture. From the depths of his pain, Job voices the universal human longing for life beyond the grave.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Suffering Man's Direct Plea to God
This chapter is part of Job's response to his friend Zophar, who had just accused him of arrogance and deserving his punishment. Job ignores his friend and turns his speech into a direct, raw, and emotional address to God. He is not speaking in a vacuum. He is a man who has lost his children, his wealth, and his health, and he is pleading his case before the Almighty, whom he feels is treating him unjustly.
The Case of Frail Humanity vs. an All-Powerful Creator
The tone is one of deep lament, a form of prayer that is brutally honest about pain and doubt. Job lays out the facts as he sees them: humanity is frail and short-lived, while God is eternal and all-powerful. He questions the logic of God bringing such a weak creature into judgment, essentially asking, 'Why pick on me?' This sets the stage for his exploration of life, death, and the desperate search for hope.
Job's Lament: A Journey from Despair to a Glimmer of Hope
In this chapter, Job takes the stand to argue his case before God. He begins by painting a bleak picture of human existence, moves to the stark finality of death, and then, in a surprising turn, allows a flicker of hope for a future life to emerge from his pain. The chapter concludes as this hope is once again overwhelmed by the reality of his present suffering, showing the raw, fluctuating nature of faith in crisis.
The Short, Troubled Life of Man (Job 14:1-6)
1 "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble."
2 He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.
3 And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.
5 Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,
6 Look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.
Commentary:
Job argues that since life is so short and fragile, God should give humanity a break from His constant judgment.
A Tree Has More Hope Than a Person (Job 14:7-12)
7 “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil,
9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.
10 But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he?
11 As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up,
12 so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep.
Commentary:
Job observes that a cut-down tree can regrow, but a person who dies seems to be gone forever.
The Desperate Question of an Afterlife (Job 14:13-17)
13 Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come.
15 You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands.
16 For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin;
17 My transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity.
Commentary:
Job voices a deep longing for life after death, wondering if renewal and a restored relationship with God are possible.
Hope Is Washed Away (Job 14:18-22)
18 But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place;
19 The waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes; you change his countenance, and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself."
Commentary:
Job's brief hope fades as he concludes that God's overwhelming power ultimately crushes human hope, leaving a person to die alone in pain.
Core Truths in a Cry of Pain
The Fragility of Human Life
Job 14 powerfully illustrates that human life is brief, fleeting, and filled with hardship. The imagery of a flower that withers and a shadow that disappears emphasizes our temporary and vulnerable nature in a vast and often harsh world.
The Finality of Death
From Job's perspective, death is a stark and absolute end. He contrasts the finality of human death with the regenerative cycle of a tree, highlighting the despair that comes from believing there is nothing beyond the grave.
The Longing for an Afterlife
Despite his despair, Job voices one of Scripture's most significant questions about life after death. His desire to be remembered by God and called back into relationship reveals a deep, innate human hope for a future that transcends our mortal limits.
The Struggle with God's Justice
Job cannot reconcile his suffering with his understanding of God. He sees God's immense power as a destructive force that overwhelms frail humanity, leading him to question God's motives and plead for relief from His constant scrutiny.
Finding Meaning in Job's Lament
Job's raw honesty in chapter 14 shows that God is not afraid of your doubts, anger, or questions. It gives you permission to approach Him without pretense, especially in times of suffering. Your relationship with God can handle the full weight of your grief and confusion, as His did with Job.
Job's desperate question in 14:14 hangs in the air, but the New Testament answers it with a resounding 'Yes.' The resurrection of Jesus Christ transforms the finality Job feared into a temporary state. It assures you that death is not the end of your story but the beginning of an eternal life with God, offering a concrete hope that Job could only long for.
Job's feeling of isolation in verse 21 is a real part of suffering. This chapter encourages you to find meaning not in changing your circumstances, but in honestly engaging with God right where you are. True connection is found in bringing your pain to Him and to a trusted community, knowing that even when you feel alone, you are seen and heard by your Creator.
Humanity's Cry for Life Beyond
Job 14 voices one of humanity's deepest cries, lamenting that life is short and death seems so final. In his suffering, Job contrasts our fragile existence with the resilience of nature, questioning why God would focus on such a fleeting creature. Yet, from the depths of this despair emerges a pivotal question - 'If a man dies, shall he live again?' - revealing a deep-seated hope for a future renewal and a restored relationship with the Creator.
What This Means for Us Today
Job's raw honesty gives us a model for bringing our deepest questions and pains to God. His desperate plea for life beyond the grave is a question that echoes through the ages, finding its ultimate answer not in philosophy, but in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This chapter invites us to voice our own doubts, knowing that God is big enough to handle them.
- What questions or doubts are you afraid to bring to God today?
- How does the promise of resurrection change your perspective on the troubles Job describes?
- In moments of despair, how can you, like Job, still express a longing for God?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This psalm, attributed to Moses, also reflects deeply on the shortness of human life compared to God's eternal nature.
The Preacher's exploration of life's futility and toil 'under the sun' echoes the sense of despair and meaninglessness that Job expresses.
This chapter provides the definitive New Testament answer to Job's question, explaining the reality and hope of the resurrection for believers.
Discussion Questions
- Job compares a person to a flower that withers and a shadow that flees (Job 14:2). How does this imagery make you feel about your own life, and where do you find lasting value?
- In verses 13-15, Job expresses a deep desire for a restored relationship with God after death. What does this tell us about the fundamental human longing for connection with our Creator, even in the midst of doubt and pain?
- The chapter swings between hope (v. 14-15) and despair (v. 18-19). Why is it important that the Bible includes such raw and honest expressions of a fluctuating faith, and how does this encourage you in your own spiritual journey?