Job 13 28

Job 13:28 kjv

And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job 13:28 nkjv

"Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job 13:28 niv

"So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.

Job 13:28 esv

Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.

Job 13:28 nlt

I waste away like rotting wood,
like a moth-eaten coat.

Job 13 verses

Job 13 28 Meaning

Job 13:28 profoundly articulates Job's intense physical and existential suffering. He describes his body as progressively deteriorating, likening it to an object decaying from within ("rotten thing that consumes") and to a valuable possession gradually destroyed by insidious means ("garment that is moth-eaten"). This imagery conveys a sense of relentless, irreversible, and hidden consumption, emphasizing his helplessness against the perceived divine assault on his being. It's a vivid depiction of his agony, feeling consumed by affliction.

Job 13 28 Context

Job 13:28 falls within Job’s discourse in response to his friends. At this point in the book (chapters 12-14), Job continues to argue against their simplistic theology of retribution, which posits that suffering directly indicates sin. Despite his severe physical suffering, public humiliation, and profound grief, Job maintains his integrity and believes he has done nothing to deserve such intense punishment. He is grappling with God's perceived hostility towards him (e.g., Job 13:24 "Why do You hide Your face?"). In this verse, Job describes the physical manifestation of his suffering – his body's breakdown and decay – as further evidence of the crushing weight of God’s hand upon him. He perceives himself not just as wounded, but as being consumed from within, a process of deterioration beyond his control, adding to his despair and the mystery of his situation.

Job 13 28 Word analysis

• As: Introduces a simile, comparing Job's state to two vivid images of decay.
• a rotten thing (rāqāḇ - רָקָב):
  • Meaning: Decay, putrefaction, rottenness. Often refers to wood, bones, or substances decaying from internal decomposition.
  • Significance: Implies an organic, inevitable process of destruction. It's not a wound or bruise but an inherent wasting away. In ancient thought, such decay could be associated with curse or extreme desolation.
• that consumes (yibláh - יִבְלֶה):
  • From bāláh (בָּלָה): to wear out, grow old, decay, waste away.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the ongoing, gradual, and progressive nature of the destruction. It's an active process of wearing down or perishing, highlighting that Job's suffering is not a static state but a worsening one.
• as a garment (begeḏ - בֶּגֶד):
  • Meaning: A piece of clothing, an outer covering.
  • Significance: Garments in ancient societies were valuable possessions, often indicative of status and cherished. Their destruction implies loss, poverty, vulnerability, and personal ruin. It also speaks of something external, yet closely associated with one's person.
• that is moth-eaten (māḵūl - מָכוּל):
  • From ʾākal (אָכַל): to eat, consume. Implies destruction by a moth (ʿāš).
  • Significance: Moths attack from within, silently and insidiously, often leaving the outer appearance intact while the inner structure is devoured. This metaphor signifies hidden, persistent, and ruinous destruction that makes something utterly worthless and beyond repair. It highlights the insidious, pervasive nature of Job's suffering, affecting him deep down.

Words-group analysis:

• "as a rotten thing that consumes": This phrase evokes the imagery of deep, organic, and unstoppable internal decay. It's not external injury but a fundamental breaking down of the self, suggesting a loss of vitality, substance, and structure. It portrays a sense of inevitability and a lack of control over the process of deterioration.
• "as a garment that is moth-eaten": This simile complements the first by adding layers of meaning. While "rotten thing" implies a fundamental structural decay, the "moth-eaten garment" emphasizes the insidious, unseen, and complete destruction of something valuable. The garment looks fine on the surface, but it's worthless. This portrays Job’s internal anguish and hidden suffering that outwardly may not reveal its full destructive power, or how his once-honorable status is now ravaged and useless. Both metaphors depict a total and gradual ruination, rendering Job profoundly weak and worn down, nearing utter disintegration.

Job 13 28 Bonus section

The imagery in Job 13:28 speaks to the profound vulnerability of human existence and earthly possessions. In an agrarian society, the destruction of food by rot or valuable clothing by moths represented significant loss and often invoked a sense of divine displeasure or the fleeting nature of all things temporal. For Job, these common perils become metaphors for a deeper, personal disintegration, transcending mere physical illness to encompass a spiritual and existential wearing away. This perspective is vital for understanding Job's profound internal struggle; his body is failing him, but his faith, though severely tested, endures through this perceived 'rotting' and 'consuming' by divine action. This foreshadows a major theme in the book: the limitation of human wisdom in comprehending the complexities of suffering, especially that of the righteous, which simple "cause-and-effect" theology cannot explain.

Job 13 28 Commentary

Job 13:28 offers a profoundly poignant lament, revealing the depth of Job's physical deterioration and mental anguish. By likening himself to a "rotten thing that consumes" and a "moth-eaten garment," Job employs common yet powerful images of decay familiar to his ancient audience. A "rotten thing" (Heb. rāqāḇ) speaks to an internal, structural disintegration, like decaying wood or bones, implying that his suffering is not superficial but consuming him from the very core of his being. This contrasts sharply with simple external wounds; it’s a process of becoming undone from within, slowly but surely. The second simile, a "moth-eaten garment," further underscores the insidious, silent, and thorough nature of his affliction. Moths destroy valuable fabric unnoticed until the damage is irreversible. This suggests that Job’s once robust and dignified life, like a prized garment, is being systematically ruined by an unseen force, rendering him increasingly frail and useless. These metaphors transcend mere physical symptoms, conveying a total consumption—body, spirit, and social standing—under what he perceives as the relentless hand of God. The verse underscores the human experience of chronic illness and the psychological torment of feeling one's identity and vitality consumed, highlighting a deep despair over a suffering whose cause is mysterious and its progression inevitable.