Job 33:18

Job 33:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
• New International Version (NIV)to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.
• English Standard Version (ESV)he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.
• New Living Translation (NLT)He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.

Context of Job 33:18

16Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. 17In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. 19“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, 20So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

Job 33:18 word by word

יַחְשֹׂ֣ךְ נַ֭פְשׁוֹ מִנִּי־שָׁ֑חַת וְ֝חַיָּת֗וֹ מֵעֲבֹ֥ר בַּשָּֽׁלַח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He keepeth backחָשַׂךְchâώak · to withholdH2820
• his soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• from the pitשַׁ֫חַתshachath · Pit: hellH7845
• and his lifeחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
• from perishingעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• by the swordשֶׁ֫לַחshelach · missileH7973

Cross-references for Job 33:18

• Acts 16:27And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
• Romans 2:4Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
• 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Commentaries on Job 33:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18He keepeth back his soul from the pit - By the above means, how many have been snatched from an untimely death! By taking the warning thus given, some have been prevented from perishing by the pit - some sudden accident; and others from the sword of the assassin or nocturnal murderer. It would be easy to give examples, in all these kinds; but the knowledge of the reader may save this trouble to the commentator.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18He keepeth back his soul from the pit - The word soul in the Hebrew is often equivalent to self, and the idea is, that he keeps the man from the pit in this manner. The object of these warnings is to keep him from rushing on to his own destruction. The word rendered “pit” - שׁחת shachath properly means a pit, or pitfall, in which traps are laid for wild animals; Psalm 7:15; Psalm 9:15; then a cistern that is miry; Job 9:31; a prison, Isaiah 51:14; then…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 God speaks to us by conscience, by providences, and by ministers; of all these Elihu discourses. There was not then, that we know of, any Divine revelation in writing, though now it is our principal guide. When God designs men's good, by the convictions and dictates of their own consciences, he opens the heart, as Lydia's, and opens the ears, so that conviction finds or forces its way in. The end and design of these admonitions are to keep…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18from perishing by the sword: This phrase can also mean "from crossing over the river of death" (New Living Translation). Both translations make sense in the context (compare 36:12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. his soul--his life. the pit--the grave; a symbol of hell. perishing by the sword--that is, a violent death; in the Old Testament a symbol of the future punishment of the ungodly.Read the comment

Topics related to Job 33:18

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Agency
• Conviction
• God
• God Continued...
• Philosophy
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Account
• Elihu
• Path
• Ransom
• Soul
• Stick
• Wish
• Affliction
• Elihu (2)
• Resurrection

Commentaries on Job 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings