Job 21:33 kjv
The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
Job 21:33 nkjv
The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.
Job 21:33 niv
The soil in the valley is sweet to them; everyone follows after them, and a countless throng goes before them.
Job 21:33 esv
The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.
Job 21:33 nlt
A great funeral procession goes to the cemetery.
Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest,
and the earth gives sweet repose.
Job 21 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 49:10-12 | For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others... | Universality of death; all face the same end |
| Ecc 9:2-3 | All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad... this is the evil in everything under the sun: The same destiny awaits all... | Common destiny for righteous and wicked |
| Psa 73:3-7 | For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pains in their death, but their body is plump. | Wicked prosper and die peacefully |
| Jer 12:1-2 | You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? | Questioning the prosperity of the wicked |
| Psa 37:35-36 | I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought him, but he could not be found. | Brief flourishing, then disappearance |
| Job 3:17-19 | There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster... | Death as a universal rest from troubles |
| Gen 3:19 | By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. | All return to dust at death |
| Heb 9:27 | And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment... | Universality of death and future judgment |
| Ecc 8:8 | No man has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. | No escape from death; universal fate |
| Psa 73:17-20 | until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. Surely you set them in slippery places... Suddenly they are destroyed... | The true end of the wicked is understood by God |
| Isa 57:1-2 | The righteous perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one understands that the righteous is swept away before evil. He enters into peace... | Righteous also find peace in death |
| Job 24:19-20 | Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so does Sheol those who have sinned. The womb forgets him... he is broken like a tree. | Another perspective on wicked's demise |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! | God's ways are beyond human understanding |
| Job 7:8-9 | The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more; Your eyes will be on me, but I shall be no more. As a cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up. | Death is irreversible, universally |
| Job 30:23 | For I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the living. | Death is the appointed end for all living |
| 1 Pet 4:18 | And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" | Distinguishes between righteous/ungodly's end |
| Psa 17:14-15 | from men by Your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life... | Wicked have their reward in this life |
| Hab 1:4 | So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. | Injustice in the present age |
| Eccl 7:2 | It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. | Death is the end for all |
| Isa 14:19-20 | But you are cast out away from your tomb like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a trampled corpse. You will not be joined with them in burial... | Contrast: ignominious burial vs. sweet clods |
| Jer 22:18-19 | ...They shall not mourn for him, saying, 'Ah, my brother!'... He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. | Contrast: no mourning/disgraceful burial |
Job 21 verses
Job 21 33 Meaning
Job 21:33 concludes Job’s argument that the wicked do not always suffer in this life or at their death. It signifies that even for the unrighteous, death can be peaceful and serene, a "sweet" resting place, not necessarily marked by divine curse or turmoil. Furthermore, it emphasizes the universality of death, portraying it as a natural progression for all humanity, countless individuals having walked that path before and many more to follow, thus challenging the simplified retribution theology presented by Job’s friends.
Job 21 33 Context
Job chapter 21 is a powerful continuation of Job’s rebuttal to his three friends. Throughout previous chapters, the friends had steadfastly maintained their retribution theology: righteousness brings prosperity and well-being, while wickedness inevitably leads to suffering and destruction. Job, deeply immersed in his own suffering despite his righteousness, challenges this simplistic view by pointing to empirical observations. In chapter 21, Job specifically confronts their assertion that the wicked are swiftly and visibly punished by God. He argues that, on the contrary, many wicked people live long, prosperous, peaceful lives, often die without distress, and are buried with respect. Verse 33 underscores this point, indicating that even after death, the wicked are laid to rest without the overt signs of divine judgment or unrest, just like anyone else, and indeed, "every man" eventually succumbs to this universal fate. Historically and culturally, a proper burial was immensely significant in the ancient Near East, ensuring the peace of the deceased and the dignity of the family. To have a "sweet" grave was to imply a peaceful rest, directly contradicting the friends’ theology which would predict a disturbed or shameful burial for the wicked.
Job 21 33 Word analysis
The clods of the valley:
- rigvei nachal (רִגְבֵי נָחַל) in Hebrew. Rigvei refers to lumps of soil, earth clods, or chunks of earth, indicating a grave mound. Nachal can refer to a wadi, a stream-bed, or a valley.
- Significance: A typical place for burial, often secluded and offering a sense of repose. This phrase directly points to the burial plot and the physical experience of being in the grave. It contrasts sharply with images of eternal torment or disruption.
are sweet unto him:
- matoq lo (מָתוֹק לוֹ) in Hebrew. Matoq means "sweet," "pleasant," "agreeable." Lo means "to him."
- Significance: This is the core polemical statement. The grave, usually a place of finality, is described as peaceful and pleasant for the deceased, even for the wicked. This image refutes the friends' claim that the wicked die agonizingly or receive an abhorrent burial. It speaks of undisturbed rest, free from the toils of life, regardless of one's past deeds, at least from an earthly perspective.
and every man shall draw after him:
- v'chol adam yishmokh acharaiv (וְכָל־אָדָם יִשְׁמֹךְ אַחֲרָיו) in Hebrew. V'chol adam means "and every man" or "and all humanity." Yishmokh means "will draw," "will follow," or "will stretch out." Acharaiv means "after him."
- Significance: Emphasizes the universal and inevitable nature of death. Death is not a solitary event but a continuous procession. No one is exempt, and everyone eventually "draws after" those who have gone before. This underlines the commonality of the grave, regardless of righteousness or wickedness.
as there have been innumerable before him:
- ka'asher lo yechusar b'fanav (כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְחֻשָּר בְּפָנָיו) in Hebrew. Ka'asher means "as" or "just as." Lo yechusar (more accurately related to mispar, "number") implies "without number," "innumerable," "countless." B'fanav means "before him."
- Significance: Reinforces the historical and enduring nature of death. The sheer multitude of those who have died before him illustrates that death is a fundamental aspect of human existence, not solely a specific punitive measure for an individual. It frames death as a common end for humanity through the ages, further undermining the idea that the death of a wicked person is necessarily a unique, pronounced judgment.
Job 21 33 Bonus section
The phrase "sweet clods" could also imply a quiet rebuke to those who believe they can fully comprehend divine justice on earth. It points to a profound mystery: the immediate, earthly experience of the wicked's death may not align with human expectations of just retribution. This verse subtly redirects the focus from immediate earthly judgment to God's larger, often unrevealed, eternal plan and judgment. It teaches humility concerning our limited perspective on how God operates in the world, foreshadowing later biblical revelation that true justice often awaits the life to come.
Job 21 33 Commentary
Job 21:33 encapsulates Job's crucial argument against the prevailing retribution theology of his time. He observes that reality is far more complex than his friends suggest. The "sweet clods of the valley" are a stark and challenging image for his listeners, asserting that the wicked often find a peaceful resting place in death, free from torment and disgrace. This direct observation contradicts the popular belief that the wicked receive a cursed burial or a disturbed grave as an immediate earthly sign of divine judgment. Furthermore, the verse highlights the grim universality of death—a pathway trodden by countless individuals before and awaiting every living person. By stressing the innumerability of the dead and the common fate of all, Job suggests that death itself, even for the wicked, should be understood as an aspect of the human condition, not always as an isolated act of specific divine retribution. Job is pushing his friends, and by extension the reader, to acknowledge the unfathomable complexities of God's ways, which often defy human attempts to neatly categorize and judge the immediate experiences of blessing and curse in this life.