עֹ֣ור וּ֭בָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁ֑נִי וּֽבַעֲצָמֹ֥ות וְ֝גִידִ֗ים תְּסֹכְכֵֽנִי׃
(Job 10:11)
You clothed me with skin and flesh; with bones and sinews You knit me together.
The Grammar of Creation and Vulnerability
In this verse, Iyov (Job) poetically describes the intricate process of his own formation, portraying God as the artisan who clothed and joined together the human body. Through parallel verbs and rhythmic coordination, the syntax paints an image of divine craftsmanship. The two clauses are balanced in form and meaning, each pairing a material element of the body with a creative verb. The Hebrew syntax moves from the outer layers—skin and flesh—to the inner framework—bones and sinews—reflecting the structured layering of creation.
Clause Division and Poetic Parallelism
The verse divides neatly into two poetic clauses:
- עֹור וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי — “You clothed me with skin and flesh.”
- וּבַעֲצָמֹות וְגִידִים תְּסֹכְכֵנִי — “And with bones and sinews You knit me together.”
Both clauses employ a 2 + 2 pattern: two nouns representing body components, followed by a 2nd person singular verb + 1st person suffix, expressing the divine action upon the speaker.
Clause 1: The Outer Garment of Flesh
- עֹור וּבָשָׂר — “skin and flesh,” forming a hendiadys for the external human covering.
- עֹור — “skin,” masculine singular noun.
- וּבָשָׂר — “and flesh,” coordinated by waw-conjunction, a frequent pairing in Hebrew anthropological language.
- תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי — Hifil imperfect 2nd masculine singular + 1st common singular suffix, from לָבַשׁ (“to clothe”).The Hifil form gives a causative nuance: “You caused me to be clothed,” implying intentional design and protective care.
The clause therefore expresses formation through covering—God as one who “dresses” the human frame with living material.
Clause 2: The Internal Framework
- וּבַעֲצָמֹות וְגִידִים — “and with bones and sinews.”
- עֲצָמֹות — plural of עֶצֶם (“bone”), symbolizing strength and structure. (Note: Although עֶצֶם is masculine, its plural form here, עֲצָמֹות, takes the feminine plural ending).
- גִידִים — plural of גִיד (“sinew,” “tendon”), representing connection and movement.
- תְּסֹכְכֵנִי — Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular + 1st singular suffix from סָכַךְ (“to cover,” “to weave together,” “to hedge in”).Here the verb carries a figurative nuance of interlacing or enclosing—depicting the Creator’s hand binding the skeleton with sinews like a weaver crafting a net. The presence of the prefix וּבָ on עֲצָמֹות indicates the preposition בְּ (“with” or “by means of”), marking these elements as the instruments of the creative act.
The prepositional phrase וּבַעֲצָמֹות introduces the materials of the act, while the main verb describes the action of joining—a vivid image of anatomy and artistry combined.
Parallelism and Thematic Movement
Both clauses are parallel in structure but distinct in focus:
| Clause | Body Elements | Verb Form | Semantic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| עֹור וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי | Outer layers (skin, flesh) | Hifil imperfect | Covering and formation |
| וּבַעֲצָמֹות וְגִידִים תְּסֹכְכֵנִי | Inner frame (bones, sinews) | Qal imperfect | Weaving and structure |
The parallelism reinforces the completeness of divine formation—external protection matched with internal cohesion. The symmetry mirrors the duality of human nature: frailty and strength, exposure and support.
Morphology Overview
- עֹור — Noun, masculine singular; “skin.”
- בָשָׂר — Noun, masculine singular; “flesh.”
- תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי — Verb, Hifil imperfect 2ms + 1cs suffix; “You have clothed me.” Root: ל־ב־שׁ.
- עֲצָמֹות — Noun, feminine plural; “bones.”
- גִידִים — Noun, masculine plural; “sinews.”
- תְּסֹכְכֵנִי — Verb, Qal imperfect 2ms + 1cs suffix; “You knit me together / covered me.” Root: ס־כ־ךְ.
Syntax and Theological Implication
The verse’s syntactic flow moves from outer-to-inner creation, corresponding to God’s careful crafting of both visible and hidden parts. Each verb is second person, marking intimate divine agency. The imperfect aspect suggests an ongoing or completed process viewed as dynamic and purposeful.
This verse stands as one of the most delicate examples of embodied theology in the Hebrew Bible: creation is not abstract but tactile, interlaced with divine craftsmanship. Through the parallel syntax—תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי / תְּסֹכְכֵנִי—Job confesses that his very body is evidence of YHWH’s artistry and sovereignty, even in suffering.