Job 20 16

Job 20:16 kjv

He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

Job 20:16 nkjv

He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper's tongue will slay him.

Job 20:16 niv

He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him.

Job 20:16 esv

He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.

Job 20:16 nlt

They will suck the poison of cobras.
The viper will kill them.

Job 20 verses

Job 20 16 Meaning

Job 20:16 articulates a severe consequence for the wicked: they will ingest the very thing that proves deadly. The verse portrays a vivid and horrifying image of the ungodly, who may initially find pleasure or profit in their actions, ultimately being consumed by the destructive nature of their own wrongdoing. "He shall suck the poison of asps" implies a willing or involuntary internalizing of deadly corruption, perhaps symbolic of the bitter fruit of their sinful choices or the instruments of their own destruction. Following this, "the viper's tongue shall slay him" emphasizes an inescapable and lethal judgment, delivered by the very essence of treachery or venom associated with their way of life. It speaks to a divine retribution where the tools of the wicked's perceived power or gain turn to become their instrument of destruction and death.

Job 20 16 Context

Job 20:16 is part of Zophar the Naamathite's second speech to Job (Job 20:1-29). In the dialogues between Job and his three friends, the friends repeatedly try to convince Job that his suffering must be a direct result of his sin, aligning with traditional wisdom theology: the righteous prosper, the wicked suffer. Zophar, in particular, delivers a harsh and uncompromising speech about the certain and swift demise of the wicked. His primary argument is that the prosperity of the wicked is exceedingly brief and that their eventual downfall will be spectacular and complete. This verse contributes to Zophar's elaborate description of the wicked man's inevitable downfall, detailing the specific nature of his destruction – it will be internal, painful, and ultimately lethal, orchestrated by divine justice. Zophar believes this directly applies to Job's situation, asserting Job must be secretly wicked despite his outward righteousness.

Job 20 16 Word Analysis

• He shall suck: The Hebrew word for "suck" is יִינַק (yînâq), implying a deep drawing in, absorption, or ingestion. It conveys an intimate, perhaps even desired, contact. This suggests that the wicked's destruction isn't entirely external but something they partake in or embrace, or something that permeates their being. It implies the self-destructive nature of sin, where the sinner internalizes what ultimately destroys them.
• the poison: The Hebrew is חֵמָה (ḥēmâ), which can mean "hot anger," "fury," or "venom," "poison." In the context of serpents, it denotes their lethal secretion. Here, it refers to a substance of intense virulence and destructive power. Metaphorically, it can represent the internal moral corruption or the deadly consequences emanating from wickedness.
• of asps: The Hebrew term is פֶתֶן (peṯen), referring to a cobra or a similar highly venomous snake, known for its potent and quick-acting venom in the Ancient Near East. It's often used metaphorically in Scripture to depict deadly wickedness, treachery, or overwhelming danger (e.g., Pss 58:4, 91:13; Rom 3:13). Its inclusion emphasizes the fatal and inescapable nature of the judgment.
• the viper's: The Hebrew is אֶפְעֶה (ʾep̄ʿeh), generally understood as another type of venomous snake, possibly a viper, distinct from the peṯen but equally deadly. The presence of two types of venomous snakes ("asps" and "vipers") intensifies the imagery of overwhelming and diverse sources of lethal danger, indicating a multi-faceted and unavoidable judgment.
• tongue: The Hebrew word is לָשׁוֹן (lāšôn), meaning "tongue," referring to the physical organ, but here it specifically points to the serpent's fangs or the organ used to deliver venom. This highlights the instrument of death. In a broader biblical context, the "tongue" is often associated with destructive speech, lies, and deceit (e.g., Jas 3:8; Pss 52:2). Thus, the "viper's tongue" can also be interpreted as the deceit or destructive words originating from the wicked, turning to destroy them.
• shall slay him: The Hebrew verb is יַהֲרְגֵהוּ (yaharəḡēhû), which means "to kill," "to put to death." This is the ultimate and irreversible outcome of the previous actions/substances. There is no escape; death is the certain result. It emphasizes the finality of divine judgment upon the wicked.

Words-group analysis:

• He shall suck the poison of asps: This phrase evokes the imagery of the wicked voluntarily or inadvertently consuming deadly venom. It suggests that their actions, their way of life, or the very gains they acquire through unrighteousness, become the source of their demise. The "sucking" implies an intimate absorption, suggesting that the destruction comes from within, as the inevitable fruit of their choices, or that the wicked person becomes intimately familiar with their own undoing.
• the viper's tongue shall slay him: This expands on the previous image, solidifying the external and inevitable nature of the deadly judgment. While "sucking" points to an internal consequence, the "viper's tongue" is the active instrument of execution. It points to an inescapable, sudden, and complete end. The use of the "tongue" of the viper can also symbolically link to the deceptive and destructive speech or nature of the wicked themselves, turning back to destroy them. The cumulative image is one of profound, multi-layered destruction for the ungodly.

Job 20 16 Bonus section

The strong imagery of serpents and their venom in Job 20:16 taps into a universally recognized symbol of danger, deceit, and death in both the Ancient Near East and broader biblical theology. In Genesis 3, the serpent is linked to temptation and the Fall, leading to death. The comparison of the wicked's nature or the effects of sin to serpent venom (e.g., Pss 58, 140; Rom 3) establishes a potent symbolic language that listeners would immediately understand as highly destructive and lethal. The particularity of two different venomous snakes—the asp (peṯen) and the viper (ʾep̄ʿeh)—reinforces the inevitability and multifaceted nature of the doom awaiting the wicked. While Zophar applies this principle universally and to Job specifically, the book of Job ultimately reveals the limits and oversimplification of such rigid theological frameworks, demonstrating that suffering is not always a direct consequence of sin, nor does it always mean one is wicked.

Job 20 16 Commentary

Job 20:16 serves as a powerful and gruesome illustration within Zophar's sermon on the fate of the wicked. His depiction is uncompromising: the wicked person will consume a lethal essence, and the very symbol of treachery will deliver a fatal blow. This isn't just about external punishment but implies an internal unraveling or a self-inflicted demise where the very "good" the wicked sought becomes their bane. The prosperity and temporary joys of the wicked are nothing more than a prelude to a most terrible end. This verse encapsulates the theological premise of Zophar and his friends: there is a direct, causal link between wickedness and severe, inescapable suffering. It is a stark warning that sin's perceived benefits are fleeting, and its true nature is deadly poison. The "poison" they "suck" symbolizes the spiritual corruption and the fruit of their own deeds, while the "viper's tongue" represents the instrument of their certain doom, orchestrated by divine justice. This divine retribution ensures that their chosen path, fraught with moral compromise and exploitation, will inevitably culminate in their own destruction.