John Gill Commentary Job 8:11

"Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow without water?" — Job 8:11 (ASV)

Can the rush grow up without mire ?
&c.] No, at least not long, or so as to lift up his head on high, as the word signifies ^F1 ; the rush or bulrush, which seems to be meant, delights in watery places, and has its name in Hebrew from its absorbing or drinking up water; it grows in moist and watery clay, or in marshy places, which Jarchi says is the sense of the word here used; the Septuagint understands it of the "paper reed", which, as Pliny ^F2 observes, grows in the marshy places of Egypt, and by the still waters of the river Nile:

can the flag grow without water ?
or "the sedge" ^F3 ; which usually grows in moist places, and on the banks of rivers; this unless in such places, or if without water, cannot grow long, or make any very large increase, or come to maturity; so some ^F4 render it, "if the rush should grow up without" then it would be with it as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F1: (hagyh) "an attollit se", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "an superbiet", so some; Beza, Schultens.
• F2: Nat. Hist. l. 13. c. 11.
• F3: (wxa) "carectum", V. L. "ulva", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt, Michaelis, Schultens.
• F4: Sic Bar Tzemach & Belgae.