KJV ORIGINAL
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If God decided to focus His attention on humanity, if He chose to take back to Himself the spirit and breath He gave us;
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse is saying that if God decided to withdraw the life and spirit He has given to people, we would cease to exist.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of Elihu's speech to Job, where he's defending God's justice and sovereignty. Elihu is arguing that God has absolute power over life and death, and that all human life depends entirely on God's sustaining power. The context involves the ancient understanding that God's breath or spirit is what gives life to all living beings.
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