Lexical Summary pirchach: Bud, sprout, blossom Original Word: פִרְחַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance youth From parach; progeny, i.e. A brood -- youth. see HEBREW parach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom parach Definition a brood NASB Translation brood (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִּרְחָח noun masculine collective brood (? as offshoot, off spring); — ׳פ Job 30:12, i. e. the wretched crowd. Topical Lexicon Canonical Placement and Occurrence The word appears once in the received Hebrew text, at Job 30:12, where Job laments that a band of insolent youths now surround and assault him. This solitary attestation provides a vivid snapshot of the social contempt that has befallen the righteous sufferer. Literary Setting in Job Job 30 stands in deliberate contrast to Job 29. In chapter 29 Job recalls his past honor; in chapter 30 he catalogs his present humiliation. When he says, “The rabble rises at my right; they lay snares for my feet and build siege ramps against me” (Job 30:12), the word translated “rabble” evokes reckless, undisciplined youth who have rejected every norm of respect. Their encroachment “at my right”—the traditional place of an advocate—underscores Job’s isolation. The imagery of ambush and siege reverses the former protection Job once enjoyed (Job 1:10). Social and Historical Background Ancient Near Eastern societies generally expected younger men to honor elders (Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 16:31). For a group of youths to mock and persecute an elder—especially one formerly esteemed—signals a complete breakdown of communal order. Comparable disruptions appear when “worthless men” ally with Abimelech (Judges 9:4) or when “scoundrels” beset Jephthah (Judges 11:3). In Job the behavior of these youths exposes the depth of Job’s reversal and hints at societal decay that can arise when God’s restraining favor is withdrawn. Theological Implications 1. Human Depravity: The episode portrays how easily people take advantage of the vulnerable (Psalm 35:15-16). Job’s righteousness does not spare him from such malice, affirming that suffering is not always a direct punishment for sin (Job 1:1, 1:8). Intertextual Resonance While the Hebrew term itself is unique to Job 30:12, its semantic field overlaps with: In the New Testament, mobs instigated by “some wicked men” oppose Paul (Acts 17:5), and believers are warned that “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Together these passages affirm the biblical pattern: unruly crowds often embody opposition to God’s servants. Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral Care: Modern sufferers sometimes experience social scorn comparable to Job’s. Shepherds can point them to Job 30 to validate their pain and to Job 42 for hope of restoration. Christological Perspective Job’s encounter with insolent youths prefigures the greater Innocent Sufferer. Like Job, Jesus was surrounded by mockers (Psalm 22:7-8; Matthew 27:39-44). Yet through His resurrection He secured the ultimate reversal of shame, offering vindication to all who trust Him (Romans 8:30). Job’s experience thus anticipates the redemptive arc fulfilled in Christ. Devotional Reflection Believers facing derision may pray with Job, lamenting present anguish while entrusting vindication to God. The solitary use of this stark term reminds readers that even unique forms of suffering fall within the compass of God’s Word, providing both realism about evil and assurance of His sovereign, redemptive purpose. Forms and Transliterations פִּרְחַ֪ח פרחח pir·ḥaḥ pirChach pirḥaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 30:12 HEB: עַל־ יָמִין֮ פִּרְחַ֪ח יָ֫ק֥וּמוּ רַגְלַ֥י NAS: On the right hand their brood arises; KJV: [hand] rise the youth; they push away INT: against the right their brood arises my feet 1 Occurrence |
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