The Meaning of Job 14:5 Explained

Job 14:5

KJV: Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

YLT: If determined are his days, The number of his months are with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;

Darby: If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

ASV: Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Seeing  his days  [are] determined,  the number  of his months  [are] with thee, thou hast appointed  his bounds  that he cannot pass; 

What does Job 14:5 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 14:5 mean?

Since [are] determined his days the number of his months [is] with You - his limits You have appointed so that cannot he pass
אִ֥ם חֲרוּצִ֨ים ׀ יָמָ֗יו מִֽסְפַּר־ חֳדָשָׁ֥יו אִתָּ֑ךְ [חקו] (חֻקָּ֥יו) עָ֝שִׂ֗יתָ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲבֽוֹר

אִ֥ם  Since 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
חֲרוּצִ֨ים ׀  [are]  determined 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: חָרוּץ 
Sense: to cut, sharpen, decide, decree, determine, maim, move, be decisive, be mutilated.
יָמָ֗יו  his  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
מִֽסְפַּר־  the  number 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִסְפָּר  
Sense: number, tale.
חֳדָשָׁ֥יו  of  his  months 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
אִתָּ֑ךְ  [is]  with  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
[חקו]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(חֻקָּ֥יו)  his  limits 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
עָ֝שִׂ֗יתָ  You  have  appointed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְלֹ֣א  so  that  cannot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲבֽוֹר  he  pass 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.