The Meaning of Job 36:16 Explained

Job 36:16

KJV: Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

YLT: And also He moved thee from a strait place, To a broad place -- no straitness under it, And the sitting beyond of thy table Hath been full of fatness.

Darby: Even so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of thy table would be full of fatness.

ASV: Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress Into a broad place, where there is no straitness; And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Even so would he have removed  thee out of the strait  [into] a broad place,  where  [there is] no straitness;  and that which should be set  on thy table  [should be] full  of fatness. 

What does Job 36:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 36:1-33 - He Despiseth Not Any
God is mighty, but He does not despise thee, though thou be the least of saints. His eyes are upon thee for good, and He will set thee before His throne forever. He will stoop to thy low dungeon, whispering instruction to thine ear and commanding thee to return. There are broad places before thee in which there shall be no straitness; tables await thee full of fatness. Thy path leads from thy present prison-house into liberty and light.
Remember the unsearchable numbers of His years. Behold the wonderful machinery by which He collects from ocean, lake, and stream the clouds which, like floating cisterns, carry the waters to be bleached in the snow of the hills, and oxidized in the torrent beds! There is more love than terror in creation. Nature's myriad voices proclaim with Scripture, "God is love." He cannot, therefore, be indifferent to the righteous man or neglect him. He may discipline him to make him hate sin; but, when this end is attained, He will assuredly withdraw His rod, Job 36:10-11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 36

1  Elihu shows how God is just in his ways
16  How Job's sins hinder God's blessings
24  God's works are to be magnified

What do the individual words in Job 36:16 mean?

And indeed He would have brought you out of [dire] distress [Into] a broad place no [there is] restraint where and what is set on your table [would be] full of richness
וְאַ֤ף הֲסִיתְךָ֨ ׀ מִפִּי־ צָ֗ר רַ֭חַב לֹא־ מוּצָ֣ק תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְנַ֥חַת שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗ מָ֣לֵא דָֽשֶׁן

וְאַ֤ף  And  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אַף  
Sense: also, yea, though, so much the more adv.
הֲסִיתְךָ֨ ׀  He  would  have  brought  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: סוּת  
Sense: to incite, allure, instigate, entice.
מִפִּי־  out 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
צָ֗ר  of  [dire]  distress 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
רַ֭חַב  [Into]  a  broad  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רַחַב  
Sense: breadth, broad or wide expanse.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מוּצָ֣ק  [there  is]  restraint 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מוּצָק  
Sense: constraint, distress.
תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ  where 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
וְנַ֥חַת  and  what  is  set  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: נַחַת 
Sense: rest, quietness.
שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗  your  table 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֻׁלְחָן  
Sense: table.
מָ֣לֵא  [would  be]  full 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
דָֽשֶׁן  of  richness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֶּשֶׁן  
Sense: fat ashes, fatness.