18 "But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and as a rock is moved from its place,
18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
18 "But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place;
18 "Meanwhile, mountains wear down and boulders break up,
18 "But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place;
18 "But instead, as mountains fall and crumble and as rocks fall from a cliff,
19 as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy a person's hope.
19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
19 the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man.
19 Stones wear smooth and soil erodes, as you relentlessly grind down our hope.
19 As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.
19 as water wears away the stones and floods wash away the soil, so you destroy people's hope.
(Read Job 14:16-22)
Job's faith and hope spake, and grace appeared to revive; but depravity again prevailed. He represents God as carrying matters to extremity against him. The Lord must prevail against all who contend with him. God may send disease and pain, we may lose all comfort in those near and dear to us, every hope of earthly happiness may be destroyed, but God will receive the believer into realms of eternal happiness. But what a change awaits the prosperous unbeliever! How will he answer when God shall call him to his tribunal? The Lord is yet upon a mercy-seat, ready to be gracious. Oh that sinners would be wise, that they would consider their latter end! While man's flesh is upon him, that is, the body he is so loth to lay down, it shall have pain; and while his soul is within him, that is, the spirit he is so loth to resign, it shall mourn. Dying work is hard work; dying pangs often are sore pangs. It is folly for men to defer repentance to a death-bed, and to have that to do which is the one thing needful, when unfit to do anything.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 14:18
Commentary on Job 14:16-22
(Read Job 14:16-22)
Job's faith and hope spake, and grace appeared to revive; but depravity again prevailed. He represents God as carrying matters to extremity against him. The Lord must prevail against all who contend with him. God may send disease and pain, we may lose all comfort in those near and dear to us, every hope of earthly happiness may be destroyed, but God will receive the believer into realms of eternal happiness. But what a change awaits the prosperous unbeliever! How will he answer when God shall call him to his tribunal? The Lord is yet upon a mercy-seat, ready to be gracious. Oh that sinners would be wise, that they would consider their latter end! While man's flesh is upon him, that is, the body he is so loth to lay down, it shall have pain; and while his soul is within him, that is, the spirit he is so loth to resign, it shall mourn. Dying work is hard work; dying pangs often are sore pangs. It is folly for men to defer repentance to a death-bed, and to have that to do which is the one thing needful, when unfit to do anything.