Job 21 20

Job 21:20 kjv

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Job 21:20 nkjv

Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Job 21:20 niv

Let their own eyes see their destruction; let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.

Job 21:20 esv

Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Job 21:20 nlt

Let them see their destruction with their own eyes.
Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty.

Job 21 verses

Job 21 20 Meaning

Job 21:20 declares that the wicked individual will undeniably witness and personally experience their own undoing and drink directly from the intense, divine indignation of the Almighty God. This verse expresses the certain, inescapable, and often personal nature of ultimate judgment, contrasting with the immediate and visible retribution often espoused by Job's friends. It emphasizes that while prosperity may attend the wicked for a time, a direct encounter with God's stored-up wrath is an eventual and unavoidable reality.

Job 21 20 Context

Job 21:20 is spoken by Job in his third response to his friends (chapters 21-27). This particular chapter forms a crucial part of Job's argument challenging the simplistic retribution theology advocated by his friends—that the wicked always suffer immediately and overtly, and the righteous always prosper. Job presents a counter-argument that often, the wicked flourish throughout their lives, enjoying peace and prosperity, passing away seemingly undisturbed (Job 21:7-13).

However, in verses 17-21, Job concedes that ultimately and in some manner, judgment will fall upon the wicked. Verse 20 specifically states that "his own eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty." This serves as Job's nuanced affirmation of God's ultimate justice, even if it is not always delivered immediately or visibly in the way his friends demand. He acknowledges that divine judgment is reserved and certain for the wicked, though its timing and specific manifestation may differ from the friends' dogmatic assertions. The historical-cultural context for the original audience revolved around deeply ingrained concepts of divine covenant and justice, where immediate earthly prosperity or suffering was often interpreted as direct divine blessing or curse. Job, through his own suffering, wrestled with and refined this understanding.

Job 21 20 Word analysis

• His own eyes: (עֵינָיו - ʿêynâv) "His eyes," emphasizing direct, personal, and inescapable experience. This is not something he hears about, but witnesses for himself. It signifies that the judgment is uniquely theirs to behold and cannot be diverted or avoided by others.

• shall see: (תִּרְאֶינָה - tir'ênâh) From the verb רָאָה (ra'âh), meaning "to see, look, perceive." The future tense signifies certainty and inevitability. It's a prophetic statement of a definite future event.

• his destruction: (אֵידוֹ - 'êyðô) From אֵיד ('êyð), meaning "calamity, disaster, destruction." It refers to the ruin, downfall, or total collapse of the wicked person, the bitter consequence of their chosen path. This is a comprehensive undoing, not merely a minor setback.

• and he shall drink: (וְיִשְׁתֶּה - weyišteh) From שָׁתָה (shâtâh), meaning "to drink, imbibe." This is a powerful metaphor indicating the full, complete, and unmediated absorption or experience of something. Just as one cannot avoid drinking what is in a cup to the last drop, so the wicked cannot avoid experiencing this judgment to its full extent.

• of the wrath: (מֵחֲמַת - mēchamat) From חֵמָה (ḥêmâh), meaning "heat, burning anger, fury, indignation." This refers specifically to the intense, righteous indignation and divine fury of God, not merely human anger. It suggests a consuming, unyielding force.

• of the Almighty: (שַׁדַּי - Shadday) The Hebrew name for God, typically rendered "Almighty." Often translated from El Shaddai, it signifies God's absolute power, sufficiency, and invincibility. The wrath is not of a finite being, but of the all-powerful, all-sufficient God, ensuring its ultimate execution and devastating effect.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "His own eyes shall see his destruction": This phrase underlines the highly personal and unavoidable nature of the impending doom. It implies a confrontation with one's own undoing, a vivid realization of the consequences of sin.
  • "and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty": This metaphor extends the personal encounter to an internalized experience of divine fury. Drinking a cup of wrath is a common biblical idiom for experiencing severe, unavoidable judgment or suffering decreed by God (e.g., in Prophetic literature), highlighting the severity and divine origin of the punishment.

Job 21 20 Bonus section

The concept of "drinking the cup of wrath" is a significant theological motif throughout Scripture, representing complete and inescapable exposure to divine judgment. This verse in Job contributes to this wider biblical pattern, suggesting that whether the wicked see their doom publicly or not, they will internally and definitively experience the consuming nature of God's holy anger. It emphasizes that God's justice is stored up, active, and eventually poured out, aligning with the idea of a day of reckoning, whether in this life's culmination or in an eschatological context. This highlights the seriousness of sin and God's unwavering righteousness in punishing it.

Job 21 20 Commentary

Job 21:20 is a nuanced yet powerful statement about the ultimate justice of God. While Job has just meticulously argued that the wicked often escape immediate and visible earthly retribution, thriving and dying in peace, this verse affirms that God's justice is never ultimately circumvented. The wicked will personally witness their destruction (suggesting either an inner awareness or a final, manifest downfall) and inescapably drink the "cup" of God's furious wrath. This "drinking" imagery underscores total saturation in divine judgment, meaning no part of the individual's life will escape this consequence. The wrath is "of the Almighty," signaling that it is not merely human consequence but a potent, sovereign, and inescapable act of the all-powerful God. This verse therefore does not contradict Job's previous points but rather serves as a counterpoint: earthly prosperity for the wicked is real, but final accountability before the sovereign Lord is just as real and certain. The mystery often lies not in if judgment will come, but when and how. For instance, a corrupt business person might evade legal consequence for years, accumulating wealth, but then faces sudden public disgrace and utter ruin in old age, or, more profoundly, spiritual devastation and ultimate accountability beyond this life.