Job 27:14
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
Original Language Analysis
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 9
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
בָנָ֣יו
If his children
H1121
בָנָ֣יו
If his children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
3 of 9
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
חָ֑רֶב
the sword
H2719
חָ֑רֶב
the sword
Strong's:
H2719
Word #:
5 of 9
drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
לֹ֣א
H3808
לֹ֣א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
7 of 9
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:41Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.Job 20:10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.Luke 23:29For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Historical Context
Job 27 occurs in the dialogue's final cycle, where Job responds to Bildad's third speech (chapter 25). By this point, the friends' arguments have exhausted themselves—Zophar doesn't even speak in the third cycle. Job's speech spans chapters 26-31, his longest uninterrupted discourse. In ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, generational punishment was assumed—children bore consequences of parental sin (Exodus 20:5). Job both affirms this principle (vv. 14-23) yet denies its application to himself, creating theological tension the book explores.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Job maintain belief in divine justice while experiencing apparent injustice in his own life?
- What does this verse teach about the limits of earthly legacy when disconnected from covenant faithfulness?
- How do we reconcile God's justice toward the wicked with His compassion toward innocent children affected by their parents' sin?
Analysis & Commentary
If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword—Job describes the futility of the wicked person's legacy. The Hebrew verb רָבָה (ravah, multiply) ironically inverts the covenant blessing of Genesis 1:28; what should be blessing becomes curse. For the sword (לְמוֹ־חֶרֶב, lemo-cherev) indicates violent death awaits numerous offspring—quantity provides no security. The parallelism intensifies: his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread uses שָׂבַע (sava, be satisfied/filled), the same word used of divine satisfaction (Psalm 17:15). Job argues that wickedness produces generational futility—children inherit hunger, not abundance.
This verse belongs to Job's final speech defending his integrity (chapters 27-31). Having endured his friends' accusations that suffering proves guilt, Job now affirms traditional wisdom about divine justice—but with personal authority. He speaks from experience, having lost his own children suddenly. The irony is devastating: Job describes the wicked's fate while embodying its very pattern. Yet he maintains his innocence, trusting that his children's deaths don't prove divine judgment on him.