Job 15 33

Job 15:33 kjv

He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

Job 15:33 nkjv

He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.

Job 15:33 niv

He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.

Job 15:33 esv

He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine, and cast off his blossom like the olive tree.

Job 15:33 nlt

They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested too early,
like an olive tree that loses its blossoms before the fruit can form.

Job 15 verses

Job 15 33 Meaning

Job 15:33 depicts the inevitable and premature downfall of the wicked. Like a vine that sheds unripe grapes or an olive tree that drops its blossoms, the wicked lose their potential, their offspring, and their gains before they can mature or come to full fruition. Their efforts and aspirations are thwarted, resulting in a loss of future promise and a barren outcome.

Job 15 33 Context

Job 15:33 is spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, who is presenting his second discourse in the book of Job (Job 15:1-35). This verse is part of Eliphaz's consistent argument that Job's suffering is a direct result of Job's sin. Eliphaz, a proponent of traditional retributive justice, firmly believes that the wicked inevitably meet with swift and comprehensive punishment, while the righteous are blessed. In this speech, he attributes to the wicked every imaginable calamity, asserting that God repays evildoers according to their deeds. Verse 33 uses vivid agricultural imagery to paint a picture of premature loss and barrenness, thereby serving as a condemnation and a prediction of the wicked man's destiny – a destiny Eliphaz implicitly believes Job is experiencing. His rhetoric is a direct polemic against Job's persistent claims of innocence and suggests that any seeming prosperity of the wicked is superficial and ultimately without fruit or lasting impact.

Job 15 33 Word analysis

• He: Refers to "the wicked man" introduced by Eliphaz earlier in the discourse (e.g., Job 15:20-21). It denotes an individual whose character is estranged from God, operating contrary to divine commands.
• shall shake off: The Hebrew verb is ḥāmaṣ (חָמַץ), though naḥal (נָחַל) or šālak (שָׁלַךְ) might also evoke the imagery of forceful or premature removal. The sense here implies a violent, involuntary ejection or shedding. This loss is not a natural maturation process but an abrupt, destructive intervention, likely divine judgment.
• his unripe grape: The Hebrew word is bōser (בֹּסֶר), referring to sour, unripe, or wild grapes. These grapes are of no value for harvest and are either rejected by the vine itself or forcibly removed before they can mature. This signifies the loss of potential, progeny, or assets before they are ready, resulting in bitter disappointment rather than sweet reward. It speaks of a promise that never ripens.
• as the vine: The Hebrew is gèphen (גֶּפֶן), a vine, particularly a grapevine. Vines are renowned for their fruitfulness and often symbolize prosperity or heritage in biblical literature. Here, the imagery shows the loss of fruit from an otherwise potentially fruitful source, indicating the inherent instability and ultimate barrenness for the wicked despite their initial appearance.
• and shall cast off: The Hebrew root is šālak (שָׁלַךְ), meaning "to throw, cast, hurl." This reiterates the action of forcefully ejecting or abandoning, emphasizing the irreversible and conclusive nature of the loss. It mirrors the "shaking off" with similar intensity and finality.
• his flower: The Hebrew word is pirḥô (פִּרְחוֹ), "his blossom" or "his flower." A flower is the precursor to fruit; without it, no fruit can develop. Losing the flower indicates the complete eradication of future possibility and hope, cutting off potential before it can even begin to materialize into tangible results. It represents the dashing of nascent aspirations or offspring.
• as the olive: The Hebrew is záyit (זַיִת), the olive tree. The olive is known for its longevity, strength, and valuable oil. Here, its appearance in the simile underlines that even from a seemingly robust and long-lasting entity, the wicked will suffer loss. An olive tree naturally sheds some blossoms, but here it suggests a total loss, preventing the development of any lasting, fruitful yield for the wicked.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine": This phrase directly likens the wicked man's fate to a vine shedding worthless fruit. It vividly portrays the premature loss of something that held promise but never reached maturity or usefulness, representing offspring, wealth, or legacy that fails to endure.
• "and shall cast off his flower as the olive": This second part extends the imagery, showing a deeper level of barrenness. Losing the "flower" is an even earlier stage of loss than "unripe grape," implying that the wicked's potential is cut off before it can even begin to form, leading to absolute unfruitfulness. The dual imagery of vine and olive reinforces the comprehensive nature of their eventual desolation.

Job 15 33 Bonus section

This verse reflects a common understanding of natural law and divine retribution in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature, where an action directly correlated with its consequence. For Eliphaz, the natural world serves as a testament to this truth, providing metaphors that are universally understood within his culture. The vine and olive tree, both symbols of blessing and sustenance, are here subverted to illustrate curse and barrenness when associated with the wicked. The force implied in "shake off" and "cast off" suggests more than mere misfortune; it indicates an active, external, and ultimately divine agency in bringing about this premature desolation.

Job 15 33 Commentary

Job 15:33 encapsulates Eliphaz's deeply ingrained theological perspective concerning divine justice: the wicked are inevitably met with a divinely ordained, profound, and often violent loss of all their prospects. Using agricultural analogies from two essential fruit-bearing trees – the vine and the olive – Eliphaz vividly describes a life that never comes to fruition. The "unripe grape" signifies endeavors or progeny that fail to mature, symbolizing efforts that are aborted, fortunes that evaporate, or children who are lost prematurely. The "flower of the olive" points to an even more fundamental failure; the very potential for future gain, wealth, or legacy is destroyed before it can even blossom. This is not merely a natural shedding, but a deliberate "shaking off" and "casting off," implying divine judgment. For Eliphaz, this premature barrenness is the visible evidence of hidden sin, making the wicked man's seemingly abundant life ultimately barren and his end tragic. The verse illustrates a pervasive biblical theme of futility and decay that awaits those who live in rebellion against God, where outward prosperity proves to be hollow and temporal.