the Second Week after Easter
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King James Version
Job 14:4
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Who can produce something pure from what is impure?No one!
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.
No one can bring something clean from something dirty.
Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean? No one!
"Who can make a clean thing out of the unclean? No one!
"Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? there is not one.
Who can make the clean out of the unclean?No one!
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
There's no way a human can be completely pure.
Who can bring what is pure from something impure? No one!
Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!
"No one can make something clean from something so dirty.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one.
Nothing clean can ever come from anything as unclean as human beings.
"Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing? No one!
Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
Who can make it cleane, that commeth of an vncleane thinge? No body.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who can bring a cleane thing out of an vncleane? not one.
Who can make it cleane that commeth of an vncleane thing? no bodye.
For who shall be pure from uncleanness? not even one;
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who may make a man clene conseyued of vnclene seed? Whether not thou, which art aloone?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? not one.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!
Who can make clean what is unclean? No one!
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one can.
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one!
Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.
Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
"Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Who can bring: Heb. Who will give, Job 15:14, Job 25:4-6, Genesis 5:3, Psalms 51:5, Psalms 90:5, John 3:6, Romans 5:12, Romans 8:8, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 2:3
a clean: Luke 1:35
Reciprocal: Genesis 8:21 - the imagination Leviticus 12:2 - If a woman Leviticus 12:7 - make Numbers 32:14 - an increase 1 Kings 8:46 - there is no man Job 4:17 - shall a man Job 9:2 - how Job 11:4 - I am clean Psalms 14:3 - there Psalms 53:1 - Corrupt Proverbs 20:9 - General Proverbs 22:15 - Foolishness Isaiah 64:6 - are all Matthew 1:18 - of the Matthew 11:11 - born Mark 2:7 - who Mark 7:21 - out Luke 18:19 - General John 9:34 - wast Acts 4:27 - thy Romans 3:10 - none Romans 7:18 - that in me 1 Corinthians 15:48 - such are they also that are earthy 1 John 1:8 - say
Cross-References
But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an clean?.... Either produce a clean person from an unclean one: it is not to be expected that one, perfectly free from sin, should be generated by, or brought out of, one that is defiled with it; which is the case of all men; the first man, though made upright, sinned, and by sinning defiled himself, and all human nature in him: and so those that immediately descended from him were polluted likewise, and so on in all generations, every man being conceived and shaped in iniquity; so that it is not possible that man that is born of a woman, sinful and unclean, should be clean himself, or be free from sin; by which it is manifest, that the sinfulness of human nature is unavoidable; it is natural and necessary, and cannot be otherwise, such being the case and circumstances of immediate parents, from whom men descend; and that this is the case of all men that come into the world by ordinary and natural generation; there is none righteous or pure from sin: no,
not one; and things being so, Job thought it hard that he should be singled out, and so severely chastised, when the sinfulness of nature was from and by his birth, and was natural and unavoidable, and when there was not a single person on earth free from it. There never was but one instance of one clean being brought out of an unclean person, and that was our Lord Jesus Christ of the Virgin Mary; which was not in the ordinary way of generation, but by a supernatural and extraordinary production of his human nature, through the power of the Holy Ghost, whereby it escaped the original contagion and pollution of mankind: or else, in consequence of this, the sense is, who can bring forth or produce a good work from an impure person? or how can it be expected that a man that is defiled with sin should do a good work perfectly pure? for there is not even a just and good man that doth good and sinneth not; and much less is it to be looked for, that men in a mere state of nature, that are as they come into the world, sinful and impure, should ever be able to perform good works; it may as well be thought that grapes are to be gathered of thorns, or figs of thistles; men must be born again, created in Christ Jesus, have faith in him, and the Spirit of God in them, before they can do that which is truly good from right principles, and with right views; and man at most and best must be an imperfect creature, and deficient in his duty, and cannot bear to be strictly examined, and rigorously prosecuted: or the meaning is, "who can make" g an unclean man a clean one? "no, not one"; a man cannot make himself clean by anything he can do, by his repentance and humiliation, by his good works, duties, and services; none can do this but God; and to this sense some render the words, "who can--is there one" h? there is, that is, God, he can do it, and he only: though men are exhorted to cleanse themselves, this does not suppose a power in them to do it; this is only designed to convince them of the necessity of being cleansed, and to awaken a concern for it; and such as are made sensible thereof will apply to God to purge them, and make them clean, and create a clean heart within them: and this God has promised to do, and does do; he sprinkles the clean water of his grace, and purifies the heart by faith in the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all sin, and is the fountain opened to wash in for sin and uncleanness; the Targum is,
"who can give a clean thing out of a man that is defiled with sins, except God who is one, and can forgive him?''
none can pardon sin but God, or justify a sinner besides him; and he can do both in a way of justice, upon the foot of the blood and righteousness of Christ.
g מי יתן "quis potest facere?" V. L. "dabit", i.e. "faciet", Vatablus; "sistet aut efficiet", Michaelis; "quis efficiet?" Cocceius. h לא אחד "nonne tu qui solus est?" V. L. "annon unus?" sc. Mediator, Cocceius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Who can bring a clean - thing “out of an unclean?” This is evidently a proverb or an adage; but its connection here is not very apparent. Probably, however, it is designed as a plea of mitigation for his conscious frailties and infirmities. He could not but admit that he had faults. But he asks, how could it be expected to be otherwise? He belonged to a race that was sinful and depraved. Connected with such a race, how could it be otherwise than that he should be prone to evil? Why then did God follow him with so much severity, and hold him with a grasp so close and so unrelenting? Why did he treat him as if he ought to be expected to be perfectly pure, or as if it were reasonable to suppose he would be otherwise than unholy? This passage is of great value as showing the early opinion of the world in regard to the native character of man. The sentiment was undoubtedly common - so common as to have passed into a proverb - that man was a sinner; and that it could not be expected that anyone of the race should be pure and holy.
The sentiment is as true as it is obvious - like will beget like all over the world. The nature of the lion, the tiger, the hyaena, the serpent is propagated, and so the same thing is true of man. It is a great law, that the offspring will resemble the parentage; and as the offspring of the lion is not a lamb but a young lion; of a wolf is not a kid but a young wolf, so the offspring of man is not an angel, but is a man with the same nature, the same moral character, the same proneness to evil with the parent. The Chaldee renders this: “Who will give one pure from a man polluted in sin, except God, who is one, and who forgiveth him?” But this is manifestly a departure from the sense of the passage. Jerome, however, has adopted nearly the same translation. As a historical record, this passage proves that the doctrine of original sin was early held in the world. Still it is true that the same great law prevails, that the off-spring of woman is a sinner - no matter where he may be born, or in what circumstances he may be placed. No art, no philosophy, no system of religion can prevent the operation of this great law under which we live, and by which we die; compare the notes at Romans 5:19.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 14:4. Who can bring a clean thing] This verse is thus rendered by the Chaldee: "Who will produce a clean thing from man, who is polluted with sins, except God, who is one?" By Coverdale thus: Who can make it cleane, that commeth of an uncleane thinge? No body.
The text refers to man's original and corrupt nature. Every man that is born into the world comes into it in a corrupt or sinful state. This is called original sin; and is derived from fallen Adam, who is the stock, to the utmost ramifications of the human family. Not one human spirit is born into the world without this corruption of nature. All are impure and unholy; and from this principle of depravity all transgression is produced; and from this corruption of nature God alone can save.
The Septuagint, in the Codex Alexandrinus, reads the verse thus: Τις γαρ εσται καθαρο· απο ῥυπου; ουδε εἱς, εαν και μιας ἡμερας γενηται ὁ βιος αυτου επι της γης; "Who is pure from corruption? Not one, although he had lived but one day upon the earth."
