Bible Strands
Job 15:14
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Eliphaz addresses Job in the midst of a theological dispute, countering Job’s defense by emphasizing the inherent moral limitation of humanity.
The words — The Hebrew מָֽה (mah) means “what” and יִזְכֶּ֑ה (yiz.Keh) means “he will be pure,” framing a rhetorical question about human capability.
The thread — This assertion runs through Job 14:4, Ecclesiastes 7:20, and Proverbs 20:9, which all state that no human actually is pure or righteous.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to accept that inherent moral purity and righteousness are unattainable for human beings.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Cross-references
- Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
- Job 14:4 Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
- Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
- Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
- Job 25:4 How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?
- 1 Kings 8:46 When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near,
- Psalms 14:3 All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
- 1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- 2 Chronicles 6:36 When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near,
- Job 9:2 “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?