Lexical Summary riqqabon: Decay, rottenness Original Word: רִקָּבוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance rotten From raqab; decay (by caries) -- rotten. see HEBREW raqab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom raqeb Definition rottenness, decay NASB Translation rotten (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רִקָּבוֺן noun [masculine] id.; — ׳עֵץ ר Job 41:19 wood of rottenness, = rotten wood (in figurative). Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Imagery רִקָּבוֹן evokes the idea of rot, decay, corrosion, or putrefaction—the slow disintegration that turns once-sound material into dust. Though the noun appears only once, Scripture frequently uses allied roots (e.g., רָקַב) to describe the frailty of flesh (Job 13:28), idols (Habakkuk 2:18), or earthly treasures (Hosea 5:12). Together they form a biblical vocabulary that highlights the transience of all created things when measured against the permanence of the LORD. Old Testament Usage Job 41:27 presents רִקָּבוֹן within the divine speech on Leviathan: “He regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten wood”. The verse accentuates Leviathan’s invulnerability; materials humanity deems impervious are, to him, as flimsy as refuse. The literary effect is twofold: Historical and Cultural Background Bronze technology marked a pinnacle of ancient craftsmanship, prized for durability in tools and weapons. Job’s likening of bronze to rotted wood (רִקָּבוֹן) would have startled an audience accustomed to equating bronze with permanence. Iron, likewise, symbolized military might (Deuteronomy 3:11; 1 Samuel 17:7). By portraying both metals as disposable, the text dismantles contemporary symbols of security, pressing listeners toward a deeper reverence for the Almighty. Theological Themes 1. Human transience versus divine sovereignty. Rִקָּבוֹן reminds readers that even the best human defenses succumb to decline, whereas God alone transcends decay (Psalm 102:25-27). Practical Application for Ministry • Preaching: Job 41:27 serves as a corrective to material confidence. Congregations can be urged to build on eternal foundations rather than on accomplishments that corrosion will erase (Matthew 6:19-20). Related Biblical Motifs • Moth and rust (Matthew 6:19). Reception in Jewish and Christian Tradition Early Jewish commentators linked Leviathan’s ability to treat bronze as רִקָּבוֹן to God’s mastery over primordial chaos. Church Fathers such as Augustine cited Job 41 to illustrate humanity’s helplessness without divine grace. Reformers applied the verse homiletically to expose idolatrous trust in temporal powers. Contemporary expositors continue to find in רִקָּבוֹן a vivid reminder that only what is founded in Christ endures. Forms and Transliterations רִקָּב֣וֹן רקבון rikkaVon riq·qā·ḇō·wn riqqāḇōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 41:27 HEB: בַּרְזֶ֑ל לְעֵ֖ץ רִקָּב֣וֹן נְחוּשָֽׁה׃ NAS: as straw, Bronze as rotten wood. KJV: as straw, [and] brass as rotten wood. INT: iron wood rotten Bronze 1 Occurrence |
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