Job 25 6

Job 25:6 kjv

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Job 25:6 nkjv

How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?"

Job 25:6 niv

how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot? a human being, who is only a worm!"

Job 25:6 esv

how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!"

Job 25:6 nlt

In comparison, people are maggots;
we mortals are mere worms."

Job 25 verses

Job 25 6 Meaning

Job 25:6 profoundly declares humanity's extreme frailty, impurity, and utter insignificance when contrasted with God's immeasurable holiness and perfect purity. It asserts that human beings are fundamentally corruptible and lowly, incapable of achieving righteousness or purity on their own before the absolute perfection of God. The verse underscores that if even celestial bodies and angelic beings are deemed not pure enough in God's sight, then humans, metaphorically described as decay-ridden creatures, are infinitely less so.

Job 25 6 Context

Job 25:6 is spoken by Bildad the Shuhite, the last and shortest of his three speeches to Job. It concludes the final cycle of dialogue between Job and his friends. Bildad's argument serves as a reiteration of the friends' consistent theological position, particularly echoing Eliphaz's earlier pronouncements in Job 4:17-19 and 15:14-16.

In this chapter, Bildad begins by asserting God's sovereignty and majesty, describing Him as possessing dominion and purity even over celestial bodies like the moon and stars (Job 25:2-5). From this premise of God's overwhelming grandeur and spotless holiness, he draws an inevitable conclusion: if heavenly bodies are deemed impure by comparison, then human beings are infinitely more so. The purpose of this declaration is to humble Job and silence his complaints by highlighting humanity's utter inability to be righteous or to contend with a perfectly just and powerful God. It reflects the friends' unwavering belief that suffering must be due to sin, and thus, a suffering human like Job, being a mere "maggot" and "worm," certainly cannot be pure before God.

Job 25 6 Word analysis

• How much less: A logical, rhetorical connective that amplifies the contrast presented in the preceding verses (Job 25:5). It suggests an overwhelming difference in purity and status between God/celestial bodies and human beings.
• man (אֱנוֹשׁ, 'enosh): This Hebrew term specifically denotes humanity in its frail, weak, and mortal state, emphasizing vulnerability and temporality. It is distinct from 'adam which can refer to humankind in general, or 'ish which often implies a strong man. Its choice here highlights inherent human feebleness.
• who is a maggot (רִמָּה, rimmah): This word signifies a larva or grub, associated with decay, putrefaction, and things that are contemptible and insignificant. It conveys extreme lowliness, repulsiveness, and the eventual return to dust. It implies that humanity's very essence is prone to corruption and has no inherent glory or enduring worth in comparison to God.
• and the son of man (וּבֶן־אָדָם, uven-adam): This is a common Hebrew idiom for a human being, literally "a child of Adam." It reinforces the previous term "man" and points to humanity's earthly origin from Adam, implying shared mortality, weakness, and fallen nature inherited from the first man. While "Son of Man" gains a special messianic meaning in later biblical texts (Daniel 7:13, New Testament), its use here is firmly in the sense of mortal, frail humanity, underscoring its base nature.
• who is a worm (תּוֹלֵעָה, tole'ah): Similar to "maggot," this term refers to a small, crawling invertebrate, symbolizing something weak, helpless, despised, and insignificant. In biblical imagery, "worm" often denotes utter degradation and powerlessness (e.g., Ps 22:6; Isa 41:14). It completes the double imagery, stressing humanity's inherent weakness and lack of standing before divine glory.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm": This phrase employs a striking poetic parallelism, using two different but synonymous terms ("maggot" and "worm") to intensely amplify humanity's perceived insignificance and corruptibility. The choice of these creatures represents the lowest form of life, associated with death, decay, and utter helplessness. It aims to completely dismantle any notion of human self-worth or purity when set against the backdrop of God's absolute holiness, implying that human existence is fundamentally contaminated and debased from a divine perspective. The doubling of the imagery leaves no room for human pride.

Job 25 6 Bonus section

• This specific declaration by Bildad showcases the limitations of his, and the other friends', wisdom. While they grasp a facet of truth about God's majesty and human impurity, their theology lacks nuance and compassion for suffering, failing to account for suffering that is not a direct consequence of sin.
• The intense imagery of "maggot" and "worm" emphasizes not just smallness but also decay and the proximity to death, fitting well with Job's own physical condition and his contemplation of the grave.
• Despite the friends' negative depiction of humanity, the Bible also portrays humanity with immense dignity, being made in God's image (Gen 1:27) and "a little lower than the angels" (Ps 8:5). This tension reflects a multifaceted biblical anthropology, where human beings are both greatly dignified by creation and deeply fallen in their nature, highlighting the need for divine intervention and grace.
• Bildad offers no pathway to purification or redemption. His statement leaves humanity in a state of utter hopelessness before a perfectly pure God, thus illustrating why the friends' counsel was ultimately inadequate and later rebuked by God (Job 42:7).

Job 25 6 Commentary

Job 25:6, while expressing a profound theological truth about the infinite gulf between divine perfection and human fallenness, is a cornerstone of Bildad's attempt to humble Job into submission. The verse succinctly uses two powerful, repugnant metaphors – "maggot" and "worm" – to reduce humanity to its most insignificant and decaying state. The assertion is that if even celestial bodies like the moon and stars, often revered for their purity, are imperfect in God's eyes (Job 25:5), how utterly impure and worthless must a mere human be.

This declaration encapsulates a consistent argument from Job's friends: that humanity's inherent corruption and sinfulness preclude any claim to righteousness or even the ability to understand or question God's ways. While the general statement about God's transcendent purity and humanity's inherent impurity is biblically sound (Rom 3:10-23), Bildad's application is limited. He uses it to condemn Job and silence his legitimate questions about suffering, rather than offering hope or acknowledging God's nuanced relationship with humanity (cf. God creating humanity in His image, Gen 1:27, or considering their well-being, Ps 8:4-5). The verse serves as a stark reminder of humanity's total dependence on God, preparing the theological groundwork for the later revelation of God's sovereign wisdom and redemptive plan for even the most "unworthy" of His creation. It underscores humility, fear of God, and the recognition that true purity comes not from human effort, but solely from God's grace.