Original Word: רֶגֶב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: regeb
Pronunciation: reh'-gheb
Phonetic Spelling: (reh'-gheb)
KJV: clod
NASB: clods
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to pile together]

1. a lump of clay

clod

From an unused root meaning to pile together; a lump of clay -- clod.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a clod (of earth)
NASB Translation
clods (2).

[רֶ֫גֶב] noun masculine clod of earth; — plural רְגָכִים יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ Job 38:38 clods are joined together; construct רְגְבֵי נָחַ֑ל Job 21:33 clods of (the) wady.

Meaning and Imagery

The noun רֶגֶב evokes the picture of a small lump of earth, a clod that has been moistened, pressed together, and then hardened by the elements. In the world of the ancient Near East, such lumps were familiar sights in plowed fields, on burial sites, and after heavy rains had compacted loose dust. Scripture uses this mundane image to communicate truths about mortality and divine governance.

Occurrences and Literary Context

1. Job 21:33 – “The clods of the valley will gently cover him; moreover, all men will follow after him, innumerable before him.”

In Job’s lament, the clod becomes a poetic symbol of the grave. As the valley’s earth settles over the dead, Job observes that the same fate awaits all people. The imagery stresses the universal reach of death and its seeming tranquility for the wicked, sharpening Job’s question about divine justice.

2. Job 38:38 – “when the dust hardens into a mass and the clods of earth stick together?”

The Lord’s interrogation of Job points to natural processes that lie beyond human control. The hardening of dust into clods underscores God’s silent but comprehensive rule over the inanimate creation. What is effortless for the Creator remains inscrutable for His creatures.

Spiritual Lessons on Human Mortality

• The clod in Job 21:33 anchors the biblical teaching that “to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). The fragile lump of soil mirrors human frailty (Psalm 103:14), calling each generation to sober reflection on life’s brevity and the certainty of judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
• The apparent peacefulness of the wicked in death (Job 21) reminds believers not to measure divine justice by present appearances. Final recompense lies in God’s hands (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

Divine Sovereignty Over Creation

• Job 38:38 links the clod’s formation to God’s providential oversight. Rain, evaporation, and compression obey His command (Psalm 147:8). The verse reinforces the doctrine that every corner of the natural order—down to a single lump of dirt—answers to the Creator (Colossians 1:16-17).
• By highlighting processes mankind cannot replicate, the passage humbles human pride and invites trust in the Lord’s wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Historical and Cultural Background

Agrarian societies watched freshly plowed soil turn to clods under the sun, then break apart again under the plow or after rainfall. Farmers judged soil health by the size and texture of these lumps, knowing that good seedbeds required the right moisture balance. The Bible’s use of רֶגֶב therefore resonated with everyday experience, providing a concrete metaphor for both burial practices and seasonal cycles.

Practical Application for Believers

• Funerals and graveside services often include reminders that the body returns to the earth. Job’s language encourages pastors to couple such reminders with hope in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
• In creation-care ministries, Job 38:38 offers a theological basis for stewardship. The God who commands dust to cohere into clods also entrusts the land to human cultivation (Genesis 2:15).
• Personal devotions may draw on the clod motif to cultivate humility, gratitude, and anticipation of the new creation where “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).

Related Biblical Motifs

Dust: Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 3:20

Grave imagery: Isaiah 14:11; Ezekiel 32:23

Rain and soil: Deuteronomy 11:14; Isaiah 55:10

Summary

רֶגֶב, though appearing only twice, supplies Scripture with a vivid emblem of life’s transience and God’s meticulous rule. From the grave to the field, the humble clod calls hearts to face mortality, marvel at the Creator’s handiwork, and rest in His sovereign purposes.

וּרְגָבִ֥ים ורגבים רִגְבֵ֫י רגבי riḡ·ḇê riḡḇê rigVei ū·rə·ḡā·ḇîm ūrəḡāḇîm uregaVimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts