Job 21 10

Job 21:10 kjv

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

Job 21:10 nkjv

Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.

Job 21:10 niv

Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

Job 21:10 esv

Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry.

Job 21:10 nlt

Their bulls never fail to breed.
Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.

Job 21 verses

Job 21 10 Meaning

Job 21:10 describes the continued, unimpeded prosperity of the wicked as observed by Job. In contrast to the simplified theology of his friends who asserted that the wicked always suffer clear and immediate retribution, Job points out instances where the wicked thrive without hindrance. Specifically, this verse illustrates their flourishing material wealth through their livestock, whose bulls impregnate successfully, and cows give birth without miscarrying, symbolizing complete and uninterrupted fruitfulness and abundance, signifying a life free from immediate divine judgment or calamity that Job and his friends might expect.

Job 21 10 Context

Job 21:10 is part of Job’s third and longest speech (Job 21-27) to his three friends. Throughout their dialogues, Job's friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) have maintained the conventional wisdom of their day: that God justly rewards the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with suffering. They interpret Job's immense suffering as undeniable proof of his sin, implying he is wicked. Job, however, consistently argues that this direct correlation is not always evident in his personal experience or in his observation of the wider world. In chapter 21, Job presents his most direct and extensive counter-argument to their theology. He asks why, if their theology is true, the wicked often live long, prosper, raise many children, enjoy peace, and die comfortably (vv. 7-13). Verse 10 specifically provides a vivid, concrete example of the wicked's undisturbed prosperity: their livestock, a primary measure of wealth in an agrarian society, are healthy, prolific, and suffer no loss, which was considered a sign of divine blessing. This observation directly contradicts the friends’ assertion that divine retribution always visibly manifests itself in material suffering for the wicked, intensifying Job’s profound dilemma regarding God’s ways.

Job 21 10 Word analysis

• "Their bulls" (בַּמְרַבּוֹת / bamravvôt):

  • Word Level: From the root רבה (ravah), meaning "to be great," "to multiply," "to become many." This refers to their large cattle, specifically bulls, key for breeding and economic production.
  • Significance: It emphasizes the abundance and increasing numbers of their livestock, indicating a large, successful herd. This signifies significant wealth and flourishing enterprise, contradicting the idea of the wicked losing their possessions.

• "breed" / "gender" (מְהֻלָּבִים / m'hullavîm):

  • Word Level: Hebrew root לבב (lavav), "to be fat" or "to be in good heart." In this context, it speaks to vigorous and successful procreation, literally "impregnated" or "fertilized."
  • Significance: Conveys robust vitality and productivity. The bulls are virile and effective in their reproductive role, highlighting peak health and functioning without hindrance, contributing to their expanding wealth.

• "without fail" / "fail not" (וְלֹא יָשׁוּל / v'lo yashûl):

  • Word Level: וְלֹא (wə'lo) "and not," יָשׁוּל (yashul) from שׁול (shul) meaning "to miscarry," "to bring forth prematurely," or "to fail."
  • Significance: This emphasizes the completeness and perfection of their reproductive success. There are no abortions, no stillbirths, no unfruitful unions. This negates any divine intervention that would cause their progeny to cease or diminish, thus showing undisturbed prosperity.

• "their cows" (פָּרָתָם / paratam):

  • Word Level: פָּרָה (parah) refers to cows, particularly those for breeding or milking. The suffix -tām is "their."
  • Significance: Focus shifts from the male, generative aspect (bulls breeding) to the female, reproductive success (cows giving birth), presenting a comprehensive picture of successful livestock rearing.

• "calve" (וְתַטְלִיט / w'tatlit):

  • Word Level: From טלטל (ṭaltaṭal), to "swing," "cast off," but here meaning "to give birth to (young)." It denotes the actual act of delivering offspring.
  • Significance: Reinforces the practical result of the breeding—successful births.

• "and do not miscarry" / "and casteth not her calf" (וְלֹא תְשַׁכֵּל / w'lo teshakkel):

  • Word Level: וְלֹא (wə'lo) "and not," תְשַׁכֵּל (teshakkel) from שׁכל (shakal), meaning "to be bereaved," "to cause to miscarry," "to make barren."
  • Significance: This re-emphasizes the lack of reproductive failure and loss, extending the perfection of their fortune from the males to the females and their offspring. No loss of offspring, ensuring continuous expansion of their herds and wealth.

Words-Group by words-group analysis:

• "Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry": This whole phrase paints a picture of complete and undisturbed biological and economic success. In ancient societies, the prosperity of livestock was a direct reflection of a household's wealth and status. Miscarriage or barrenness in livestock was a significant financial setback, often attributed to divine displeasure (e.g., Exod 23:26, Deut 7:14). Job's observation of no such calamities befalling the wicked highlights the striking paradox: they seem to enjoy unfettered divine blessing (or at least, an absence of curse) in their most vital economic assets, directly undermining the friends' simplistic theology of immediate retribution. It represents total freedom from agricultural plagues or reproductive misfortune, aspects often seen as divinely administered.

Job 21 10 Bonus section

The agricultural imagery used in Job 21:10 would have resonated deeply with its original audience, for whom livestock health and fertility were foundational to survival and prosperity. The precise terms "bulls" and "cows" cover both genders essential for a thriving herd, demonstrating a complete lack of reproductive failure from all angles. This undisturbed breeding success symbolizes not just general wealth but continual wealth creation and legacy, as the offspring ensure future prosperity. Job's detailed description contrasts sharply with the types of curses mentioned in Deuteronomy 28 for disobedience, which include barrenness of livestock and crops. By showing that the wicked do not experience these anticipated curses, Job profoundly disturbs the traditional understanding of divine action. This specific example sets up a wider theological problem for the reader: how does one reconcile God's justice with the observable reality of the wicked thriving?

Job 21 10 Commentary

Job 21:10 serves as a crucial piece of Job's argument against the overly simplistic "retribution theology" espoused by his friends. They clung to the idea that righteous people are always blessed and wicked people always suffer, usually with observable calamities like loss of livestock or barrenness. Job, however, based his argument on observation, not just dogma. This verse presents concrete, irrefutable evidence from the visible world: the wicked often experience sustained prosperity, their core wealth (cattle) reproducing flawlessly, symbolizing divine blessing, not curse. Job does not deny ultimate justice, but he challenges the immediate, perfectly clear application of it within this life. His point is that God's ways are often inscrutable, and observable fortune in this world is not a direct, constant indicator of a person's moral standing or God's immediate judgment. The absence of divine curses on the wicked's means of livelihood highlights a profound theological mystery that both baffles Job and undermines his friends' comforting but ultimately flawed doctrine.