Job 4:14

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 4:14 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.
Job 4:14 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Fear came upon me, and trembling, etc.] Not only a dread of mind, but trembling of body; which was often the case even with good men, whenever there was any unusual appearance of God unto them by a voice, or by any representation, or by an angel; as with Abraham in the vision of the pieces, and with Moses on Mount Sinai, and with Daniel in some of his visions, and with Zechariah, when an angel appeared and brought him the tidings of a son to be born to him; which arises from the frailty and weakness of human nature, a consciousness of guilt, a sense of the awful majesty of God, and an uneasy apprehension of what may be the consequences of it: which made all my bones to shake; not only there…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Fear came upon me - Margin, “Met me.” The Chaldee Paraphrase renders this, “a tempest,” זיקא. The Septuagint, φρίκη frikē - “shuddering,” or “horror.” The sense is, that he became greatly alarmed at the vision. Which made all my bones to shake - Margin, as in Hebrew, the multitude of my bones. A similar image is employed by Virgil, Obstupuere auimis, gelidusque per ima cucurrit Ossa tremor; Aeneid ii. 120. “A cold tremor ran through all their bones.” return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:14 Fear is common in God’s presence (Gen 15:12; Dan 8:17-18; 10:8-10), but God tells his people not to be afraid (Gen 15:1; 26:24; Isa 40:9; 44:8). • Eliphaz’s bones trembled like those of a prophet with terrible news to deliver (Jer 23:9; Hab 3:16).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Fear: Job 7:14; Psa 119:120; Isa 6:5; Dan 10:11; Hab 3:16; Luk 1:12, Luk 1:29; Rev 1:17 came upon: Heb. met all my bones: Heb. the multitude of my bones, Job 33:19 Job 4:15”
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Sources and verification