The Meaning of Job 14:14 Explained

Job 14:14

KJV: If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

YLT: If a man dieth -- doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.

Darby: (If a man die, shall he live again?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

ASV: If a man die, shall he live again ? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If a man  die,  shall he live  [again]? all the days  of my appointed time  will I wait,  till my change  come. 

What does Job 14:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 14:1-22 - Shall Man Live Again?
Continuing his appeal, Job looks from his own case to the condition of mankind generally, Job 14:1-6. All men are frail and full of trouble, Job 14:12; why should God bring a creature so weak into judgment with Him? Job 14:3. The sinfulness of man is universal-not one can be proved clean before God, Job 14:4. Since man is so frail Job pleads that he may not have such unwonted affliction, but may get some pleasure, Job 14:6, r.v., out of his brief day.
The anticipation of death as total extinction strengthens Job's appeal, Job 14:7-12. Of a tree there is hope that, if cut down, it will sprout again, Job 14:7-9. But at present Job sees no such hope for man. He dies, and is done with, as waters "fail from the sea," Job 14:10-12. This is a gloomy, despairing thought, and one against which the mind rebels as soon as uttered. Against the belief that death is the end of all things every man's better nature revolts. Hence the picture of another life beyond the present immediately rises to Job, Job 14:13-15. It may be only a yearning desire, for Job still asks the question, Job 14:14. Yet this desire, as that for a Daysman, Job 9:32-34, both suggested by the heart's despair, is equally answered by the gospel.
The hope for a future life is made stronger by the apparent injustices that exist now, Job 14:16-22. God's treatment of Job appears to be so severe that Job must perish under His hand, Job 14:18-22. A future life is surely necessary to remedy the inequalities of the present. Evidently this is not the place and time of judgment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 14

1  Job entreats God for favor, by the shortness of life, and certainty of death
7  He waits for his change
16  By sin the creature is subject to corruption

What do the individual words in Job 14:14 mean?

If dies a man shall he live [again] all the days of my hard service I will wait Till comes my change
אִם־ יָמ֥וּת גֶּ֗בֶר הֲיִ֫חְיֶ֥ה כָּל־ יְמֵ֣י צְבָאִ֣י אֲיַחֵ֑ל עַד־ בּ֝֗וֹא חֲלִיפָתִֽי

יָמ֥וּת  dies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
גֶּ֗בֶר  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּבֶר  
Sense: man, strong man, warrior (emphasising strength or ability to fight).
הֲיִ֫חְיֶ֥ה  shall  he  live  [again] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
יְמֵ֣י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
צְבָאִ֣י  of  my  hard  service 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֲיַחֵ֑ל  I  will  wait 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָחַל  
Sense: to wait, hope, expect.
עַד־  Till 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בּ֝֗וֹא  comes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
חֲלִיפָתִֽי  my  change 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֲלִיפָה  
Sense: a change, change (of garments), replacement.