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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Job 30:2

Even the strength of their hands, wherefore was it mine? Upon them, vigour was lost;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Persecution;   Thompson Chain Reference - Job;  

Dictionaries:

- Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Age, Aged, Old Age;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What use to me was the strength of their hands?Their vigor had left them.
Hebrew Names Version
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, Men in whom ripe age has perished?
King James Version
Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
English Standard Version
What could I gain from the strength of their hands, men whose vigor is gone?
New Century Version
What use did I have for their strength since they had lost their strength to work?
New English Translation
Moreover, the strength of their hands— what use was it to me? Men whose strength had perished;
Amplified Bible
"Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me? Vigor had perished from them.
New American Standard Bible
"Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them.
World English Bible
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, Men in whom ripe age has perished?
Geneva Bible (1587)
For whereto shoulde the strength of their handes haue serued mee, seeing age perished in them?
Legacy Standard Bible
Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me?Vigor had perished from them.
Berean Standard Bible
What use to me was the strength of their hands, since their vigor had left them?
Contemporary English Version
And those who insult me are helpless themselves.
Complete Jewish Bible
What use to me was the strength in their hands? All their vigor had left them.
Darby Translation
Yea, whereto [should] the strength of their hands [profit] me, [men] in whom vigour hath perished?
Easy-to-Read Version
Their fathers are still too weak to be of any use to me. All their strength is gone.
George Lamsa Translation
Whose fathers I have disdained, and did not consider them equal to the dogs of my flocks.
Good News Translation
They were a bunch of worn-out men, too weak to do any work for me.
Lexham English Bible
Moreover, what use to me is the strength of their hands? With them, vigor is destroyed.
Literal Translation
Also, what profit for me was the strength of their hands; for full vigor had perished from them?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The power & stregth of their hades might do me no good, & as for their age, it is spet & past awaye without eny profit.
American Standard Version
Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? Men in whom ripe age is perished.
Bible in Basic English
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me? all force is gone from them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished.
King James Version (1611)
Yea whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom olde age was perished?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For wherto might the strength of their handes haue serued me? for the time was but lost among them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Yea, why had I the strength of their hands? for them the full term of life was lost.
English Revised Version
Yea, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit me? men in whom ripe age is perished.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Of whiche men the vertu of hondis was for nouyt to me, and thei weren gessid vnworthi to that lijf.
Update Bible Version
Yes, the strength of their hands, whereto should it profit 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?
New King James Version
Indeed, what profit is the strength of their hands to me? Their vigor has perished.
New Living Translation
A lot of good they are to me— those worn-out wretches!
New Life Bible
Yes, what good could I get from the strength of their hands? Their strength was gone.
New Revised Standard
What could I gain from the strength of their hands? All their vigor is gone.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The strength of whose hands was to me as nothing, and they were thought unworthy of life itself.
Revised Standard Version
What could I gain from the strength of their hands, men whose vigor is gone?
Young's Literal Translation
Also -- the power of their hands, why [is it] to me? On them hath old age perished.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Indeed, what good was the strength of their hands to me? Vigor had perished from them.

Contextual Overview

1 But, now, they who are of fewer days than I, have poured derision upon me; whose fathers I refused - to set with the dogs of my flock. 2 Even the strength of their hands, wherefore was it mine? Upon them, vigour was lost; 3 In want and hunger, they were lean, - who used to gnaw the dry ground, a dark night of desolation! 4 Who used to pluck off the mallow by the bushes, with the root of the broom for their food; 5 Out of the midst, were they driven, men shouted after them, as after a thief; 6 In the fissures, of the ravines had they to dwell, in holes of dust and crags; 7 Among the bushes, used they to shriek, Under the bramble, were they huddled together: 8 Sons of the base, yea sons of the nameless, they were scourged out of the land. 9 But, now, their song, have I become, Yea I serve them for a byword; 10 They abhor me - have put themselves far from me, and, from my face, have not withheld - spittle!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 12:1 - while Philemon 1:11 - unprofitable

Cross-References

Genesis 16:2
So then Sarai said unto Abram Behold, I pray thee, Yahweh hath restrained me, from bearing, go in I pray thee unto, my handmaid, peradventure I may be built up from, her, And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Genesis 20:18
For Yahweh, had restrained from bearing, every female a of the house of Abimelech, - because of Sarah, wife of Abraham.
Genesis 25:21
So then Isaac made entreaty unto Yahweh in behalf of his wife, for she was, barren, - and Yahweh suffered himself to be entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 29:31
And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren.
Genesis 30:5
and Bilhah conceived, and bare unto Jacob a son;
Genesis 30:6
and Rachel said God hath vindicated me. Moreover also he hath hearkened unto my voice, and hath given me a son. For this cause, called she his name Dan.
Genesis 30:13
and Leah said, For my happiness, surely happy have daughters pronounced me. So she called his name, Asher.
Genesis 30:14
Then went Reuben, in the days of the wheat harvest, and found mandrakes, in the field, and brought them in unto Leah his mother, and Rachel said unto Leah, Pray give me, stone of the mandrakes of thy son
Genesis 31:36
And it was vexing to Jacob and he contended with Laban, - and Jacob responded and said to Laban, What was my trespass, what my sin, that thou shouldst have come burning after me?
Genesis 50:19
And Joseph said unto them - Do not fear, - although in place of God, I am.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yea, whereto [might] the strength of their hands [profit] me,.... For though they were strong, lusty, hale men, able to do business, yet their strength was to sit still and fold their hands in their bosoms, so that their strength was of no profit or avail to themselves or others; they were so slothful and lazy, that Job could not employ them in any business of his to any advantage to himself; and this may be one reason, among others, why he disdained to set them with the dogs of his flock to keep it; for the fathers seem to be intended all along to Job 30:8; though it matters not much to which of them the words are applied, since they were like father like son:

in whom old age was perished? who did not arrive to old age, but were soon consumed by their lusts, or cut off for their sins; and so the strength and labour of their hands, had they been employed, would have been of little worth; because the time of their continuance in service would have been short, especially being idle and slothful: some understand it of a lively and vigorous old age, such as was in Moses; but this being not in them, they were unfit for business, see Job 5:26; or they had not the endowments of old age, the experience, wisdom, and prudence of ancient persons, to contrive, conduct, and manage affairs, or direct in the management of them, which would make up for lack of strength and labour. Ben Gersom, Bar Tzemach, and others, interpret the word of time, or the time of life, that was perished or lost in them; their whole course of life, being spent in sloth and idleness, was all lost time.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me - There has been much difference of opinion respecting the meaning of this passage. The general sense is clear. Job means to describe those who were reduced by poverty and want, and who were without respectability or home, and who had no power in any way to affect him. He states that they were so abject and worthless as not to be worth his attention; but even this fact is intended to show how low he was himself reduced, since even the most degraded ranks in life did not show any respect to one who had been honored by princes. The Vulgate renders this, “The strength - virtus - of whose hands is to me as nothing, and they are regarded as unworthy of life.” The Septuagint, “And the strength of their hands what is it to me? Upon whom perfection - συντέλεια sunteleia - has perished.” Coverdale, “The power and strength of their hands might do me no good, and as for their age, it is spent and passed away without any profit.” The literal translation is, “Even the strength of their hands, what is it to me?” The meaning is, that their power was not worth regarding. They were abject, feeble, and reduced by hunger - poor emaciated creatures, who could do him neither good nor evil. Yet this fact did not make him feel less the indignity of being treated by such vagrants with scorn.

In whom old age was perished - Or, rather, in whom vigor, or the power of accomplishing, anything, has ceased. The word כלח kelach, means “completion,” or the act or power of finishing or completing anything. Then it denotes old age - age as “finished” or “completed;” Job 5:26. Here it means the maturity or vigor which would enable a man to complete or accomplish anything, and the idea is, that in these persons this had utterly perished. Reduced by hunger and want, they had no power of effecting anything, and were unworthy of regard. The word used here occurs only in this book in Hebrew Job 5:26; Job 30:2, but is common in Arabic; where it refers to the “wrinkles,” the “wanness,” and the “austere aspect” of the countenance, especially in age. See “Castell’s Lex.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 30:2. The strength of their hands profit me — He is speaking here of the fathers of these young men. What was the strength of their hands to me? Their old age also has perished. The sense of which I believe to be this: I have never esteemed their strength even in their most vigorous youth, nor their conduct, nor their counsel even in old age. They were never good for any thing, either young or old. As their youth was without profit, so their old age was without honour. See Calmet.

Mr. Good contends that the words are Arabic, and should be translated according to the meaning in that language, and the first clause of the third verse joined to the latter clause of the second, without which no good meaning can be elicited so as to keep properly close to the letter. I shall give the Hebrew text, Mr. Good's Arabic, and its translation: -

The Hebrew text is this: -

עלימו אבד כלח

aleymo abad calach


בחסר ובכפן גלמוד

becheser ubechaphan galmud

The Arabic version this: -

[Arabic]

[Arabic]

Which he translates thus: -

"With whom crabbed looks are perpetual,

From hunger and flinty famine."


This translation is very little distant from the import of the present Hebrew text, if it may be called Hebrew, when the principal words are pure Arabic, and the others constructively so.


 
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