Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Of what use was the strength of their hands to me, since their vigor had gone from them? New Living Translation A lot of good they are to me— those worn-out wretches! English Standard Version What could I gain from the strength of their hands, men whose vigor is gone? Berean Standard Bible What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them? King James Bible Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? New King James Version Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished. New American Standard Bible “Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them. NASB 1995 “Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them. NASB 1977 “Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them. Legacy Standard Bible Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them. Amplified Bible “Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me? Vigor had perished from them. Christian Standard Bible What use to me was the strength of their hands? Their vigor had left them. Holman Christian Standard Bible What use to me was the strength of their hands? Their vigor had left them. American Standard Version Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished. Contemporary English Version And those who insult me are helpless themselves. English Revised Version Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished. GOD'S WORD® Translation Of what use to me was the strength of their hands? Their strength is gone. Good News Translation They were a bunch of worn-out men, too weak to do any work for me. International Standard Version Furthermore, what could I have gained from men whose strength is gone? Majority Standard Bible What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them? NET Bible Moreover, the strength of their hands--what use was it to me? Men whose strength had perished; New Heart English Bible Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished? Webster's Bible Translation Yes, to what might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age had perished? World English Bible Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAlso—the power of their hands, why [is it] to me? On them old age has perished. Young's Literal Translation Also -- the power of their hands, why is it to me? On them hath old age perished. Smith's Literal Translation Also the strength of their hands wherefore to me? Upon them old age perished. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe strength of whose hands was to me as nothing, and they were thought unworthy of life itself. Catholic Public Domain Version the strength of whose hands was nothing to me, and they were considered unworthy of life itself. New American Bible Such strength as they had meant nothing to me; their vigor had perished. New Revised Standard Version What could I gain from the strength of their hands? All their vigor is gone. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWhose fathers I have disdained, and did not consider them equal to the dogs of my flocks. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated In those days that I despised their fathers and I did not value them with the dogs of my flocks OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished. Brenton Septuagint Translation Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term of life was lost. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Job's Honor Turned into Contempt1“But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs. 2 What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them? 3Gaunt from poverty and hunger, they gnawed the dry land, and the desolate wasteland by night.… Cross References Job 12:2-3 “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die! / But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? Job 29:8-10 the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet. / The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. / The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. Job 32:6-9 So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know. / I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom. / But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. ... Job 12:20-21 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders. / He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty. Job 29:21-25 Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel. / After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew. / They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers. ... Isaiah 3:5 The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable. Ecclesiastes 4:13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning. Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old. 1 Kings 12:6-11 Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked. / They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.” / But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. ... 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. / He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, / so that no one may boast in His presence. 1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 2 Timothy 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, Isaiah 47:6 I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke. Lamentations 5:12-14 Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect. / Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood. / The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music. Treasury of Scripture Yes, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? Jump to Previous Age Force Gain Good Hands Indeed Perished Power Profit Ripe Strength Use Vigor Vigour WheretoJump to Next Age Force Gain Good Hands Indeed Perished Power Profit Ripe Strength Use Vigor Vigour WheretoJob 30 1. Job's honor is turned into extreme contempt15. and his prosperity into calamity What use to me was the strength of their hands In this phrase, Job reflects on the perceived futility of relying on the strength of those who are now weak. This can be seen as a metaphor for the transient nature of human power and ability. In the cultural context of the Ancient Near East, physical strength was often equated with one's ability to contribute to society and provide for one's family. Job's lament highlights the reversal of fortunes he has experienced, where those who once might have been strong and useful are now of no benefit to him. This can be connected to the broader biblical theme of the fleeting nature of human strength, as seen in Psalm 103:15-16, which compares human life to grass that flourishes and then withers. since their vigor had left them? Persons / Places / Events 1. JobA man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing intense suffering and questioning the justice of God. 2. The Young Men In this context, Job refers to younger men who are now mocking him. They are described as having lost their vigor, indicating a lack of strength or usefulness. 3. The Land of Uz The setting of the Book of Job, traditionally considered to be in the region of Edom or northern Arabia. 4. Job's Suffering The broader context of this verse is Job's lament over his current state of suffering and the loss of respect and status he once held. 5. God's Sovereignty Throughout the Book of Job, the theme of God's sovereignty and the mystery of His ways is prevalent, as Job grapples with understanding his suffering. Teaching Points Human FrailtyRecognize the limitations of human strength and the inevitability of physical decline. Reflect on how this awareness should lead us to rely more on God's strength. Value of Wisdom Over Strength Understand that wisdom and character are more valuable than physical strength. Encourage the pursuit of spiritual growth and maturity over physical prowess. Empathy in Suffering Develop empathy for those who are suffering or have lost their former strength. Consider how we can support and uplift those who feel marginalized or weak. God's Strength in Our Weakness Embrace the truth that God's power is made perfect in our weakness. Seek God's strength in times of personal weakness or challenge.(2) Whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, is the description of the fathers; Job 30:3 seqq. describes their children. The people here spoken of seem to have been somewhat similar to those known to the ancients as Troglodytes (Herod. iv. 183, &c.), the inhabitants of caves, who lived an outcast life and had manners and customs of their own. They are desolate with want and famine. They flee into the wilderness on the eve of wasteness and desolation, or when all is dark (yester night), waste, and desolate. It is evident that Job must have been familiar with a people of this kind, an alien and proscribed race living in the way he mentions.Verse 2. - Yes, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me? Men, who had no such strength in their hands as to yield an employer any profit - poor, weak creatures, in whom old age (rather, manly vigour) was perished. An effete race seems to be pointed at, without strength or stamina, nerveless, spiritless, "destined to early decay and premature death;" but how they had sunk into such a condition is not apparent. Too often such remanents are merely tribes physically weak, whom more powerful ones have starved and stunted, driving them into the least productive regions, and in every way making life hard for them. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Indeed,גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and what use לָ֣מָּה (lām·māh) Preposition-l | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what to me לִּ֑י (lî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew was the strength כֹּ֣חַ (kō·aḥ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species) of their hands, יְ֭דֵיהֶם (yə·ḏê·hem) Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural Strong's 3027: A hand since their vigor כָּֽלַח׃ (kā·laḥ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3624: Firm or rugged strength had left them? אָ֣בַד (’ā·ḇaḏ) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish Links Job 30:2 NIVJob 30:2 NLT Job 30:2 ESV Job 30:2 NASB Job 30:2 KJV Job 30:2 BibleApps.com Job 30:2 Biblia Paralela Job 30:2 Chinese Bible Job 30:2 French Bible Job 30:2 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 30:2 Of what use is the strength (Jb) |
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