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Job 14:10 meaning

Man’s finite existence leaves him utterly dependent on God’s eternal power.

“But man dies and lies prostrate; Man expires, and where is he?” (v.10). This verse takes place in the Book of Job, a poetic and philosophical discourse about human suffering and divine sovereignty. Job, who likely lived around the second millennium BCE, resides in the land of Uz, a region whose exact location is not definitively known but is thought to have been east of Canaan. By asking this poignant question, Job highlights the fragile nature of mortal life and points to the mystery of humanity’s fate beyond death. His lament arises amid personal tragedy, showing his deep struggle with the reality that even the strongest person will ultimately face the grave.

When Job exclaims, “Man expires, and where is he?” (v.10), he is calling attention to a fundamental question about the afterlife. While he recognizes that people must die, he also wrestles with the uncertainty of what happens next. This struggle mirrors the broader biblical narrative on mortality, which finds resolution in the New Testament’s teaching of eternal life (John 11:25). Job’s rhetorical question is symbolic of the human quest for hope beyond the earthly experience, highlighting the tension between finite human perspective and infinite divine wisdom.

In pondering “where is he?” (v.10), Job acknowledges human limitations in grasping God’s larger plan. This verse stirs reflection on the meaning of life and the inevitability of facing one’s own end. Even as Job wrestles with suffering, his question ultimately sets the stage for the theme that only God has complete knowledge and control over life, death, and what follows.

Job 14:10