Job 22 16

Job 22:16 kjv

Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Job 22:16 nkjv

Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?

Job 22:16 niv

They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.

Job 22:16 esv

They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.

Job 22:16 nlt

They were snatched away in the prime of life,
the foundations of their lives washed away.

Job 22 verses

Job 22 16 Meaning

Job 22:16 describes the fate of the wicked from Eliphaz's perspective: they are those "who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was swept away by a flood." This verse articulates a core belief of Eliphaz and his friends—that divine justice inevitably brings about the swift and devastating destruction of the unrighteous, often through catastrophic means and a premature end to their lives. The imagery depicts a complete and sudden collapse of their established existence, similar to a structure being overwhelmed by an irresistible deluge. Implicitly, Eliphaz uses this general principle to accuse Job of hidden sin, suggesting that Job's suffering is a clear sign of his wickedness and justly deserved punishment.

Job 22 16 Context

Job 22:16 is part of Eliphaz the Temanite’s third and final speech to Job. By this point in the book, the theological debate between Job and his friends has intensified. Eliphaz represents a rigid, traditional understanding of retributive justice, firmly believing that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. He implies that God would not inflict such intense suffering upon an innocent person. In this chapter, Eliphaz takes a direct and accusatory stance, explicitly outlining sins he assumes Job must have committed (though Job is blameless, as stated in Job 1-2). Verse 16 uses powerful, destructive imagery of premature death and total collapse by flood, echoing ancient Near Eastern flood narratives and God’s past judgments. Eliphaz invokes this imagery not just as a general truth but as a direct reflection of what he perceives to be Job’s situation, arguing that Job is being judged for his presumed hidden wickedness, as were others before him who suffered similar fates. This statement is rooted in the conventional wisdom of their day, which failed to account for suffering outside of punishment for specific sins, a premise the entire book of Job ultimately challenges.

Job 22 16 Word analysis

• who were snatched away: This translates the Hebrew term קֻמְּטוּ (qummṭū), which is a Niphal participle, conveying a passive action: "those who were consumed" or "those who were gathered up." It suggests a sudden, violent, and unavoidable removal by an external, powerful force—here, implied to be divine judgment. It emphasizes not a gentle passing, but a forceful, destructive taking.
• before their time: This translates לֹא־עֵת (lō’-ʿēṯ), meaning "not time" or "untimely." This signifies a premature end to life, a lifespan cut short, often seen in ancient Near Eastern wisdom as a direct consequence of grave wickedness. It highlights the divine interruption of an expected natural life course due to the severity of their transgressions.
• whose foundation: This is יְסוֹדָם (yᵉsôdām), referring to "their foundation" or "their base." In the context of a house or structure, it signifies the established and stable underpinning. Metaphorically, it represents the entire structure of their life: their security, prosperity, plans, and everything they built their existence upon. Its removal indicates utter ruin and a complete collapse of their reality.
• was swept away: This translates יֻצַּק (yuṣṣaq), a Niphal imperfect, meaning "was poured out" or "was inundated" or "was melted." This strong verb emphasizes being utterly overwhelmed, submerged, and dissolved by an immense, fluid force. It conveys the idea that their very basis of existence was liquified or obliterated.
• by a flood: This is נָהָר (nāhār), generally meaning "river," but here, "torrent" or "flood." In biblical imagery, a "flood" often serves as a powerful metaphor for overwhelming destruction and divine judgment, specifically evoking the primordial Noahic flood (Gen 6-9) or destructive torrents of divine wrath (Ps 69:15; Isa 43:2). It signifies a vast, irresistible force that obliterates everything in its path, leaving nothing behind.

• "snatched away before their time": This phrase succinctly captures the theme of premature and divinely enforced destruction upon the wicked. It implies that their very life was abruptly terminated not by natural means, but by a sovereign decree that cut short their appointed years, denying them a full measure of life which was often viewed as a blessing. This idea undergirds the friends' argument that Job's suffering must imply sin, as a blameless person would not experience such a truncated existence.
• "whose foundation was swept away by a flood": This powerful imagery vividly portrays absolute and comprehensive ruin. The "foundation" represents everything a person builds their life upon – their security, achievements, relationships, and even their very identity. To have this "swept away by a flood" implies a cataclysmic, uncontrollable, and divinely ordained deluge of judgment that completely obliterates all semblance of their existence and prosperity, leaving nothing left to stand upon. It signifies the irreversible dismantling of their entire established life by overwhelming force.

Job 22 16 Bonus section

The concept of the "foundation" in this verse, being symbolic of a person's life and security, stands in stark contrast to the true foundation laid by God in the person of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11). While Eliphaz describes the temporary, humanly built foundations of the wicked being destroyed, the New Testament introduces Christ as the firm and unshakeable rock upon which the righteous build their lives, capable of withstanding any flood or storm. The Eliphazian view emphasizes the fragility of human constructs when confronted by divine wrath, but the broader biblical narrative points to an eternal foundation that guarantees stability even amidst trials. Furthermore, Eliphaz's focus on premature death aligns with a common understanding in the ancient Near East that a long life was a sign of divine blessing and righteousness, whereas an early death was a sign of divine displeasure and sin. The book of Job, however, subverts this direct correlation, demonstrating that divine blessing (or displeasure) is not always measured by the length or prosperity of one's life.

Job 22 16 Commentary

Job 22:16 encapsulates the cornerstone of Eliphaz’s faulty theology: that suffering is directly proportional to sin, and divine justice is always swift, visible, and retributive. By describing the wicked as being "snatched away before their time" and having their "foundation... swept away by a flood," Eliphaz paints a vivid picture of divine judgment, mirroring Old Testament narratives of cataclysmic punishment, such as the Noahic flood. This imagery serves to condemn Job implicitly, suggesting that his extraordinary suffering is merely the consequence of his own hidden wickedness, as God treats all evildoers universally. However, the dramatic irony of the book reveals Eliphaz’s error: God Himself later rebukes Eliphaz and his friends for not speaking what is right about Him, indicating that God’s ways are far more complex and multifaceted than their simplistic wisdom could grasp. This verse, therefore, highlights the tension between a limited understanding of divine justice (that God punishes only specific sin directly and immediately) and the deeper truths of God's sovereignty, which includes allowing righteous suffering for His own purposes, distinct from punitive measures for sin.