Job 29 17

Job 29:17 kjv

And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

Job 29:17 nkjv

I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.

Job 29:17 niv

I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.

Job 29:17 esv

I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.

Job 29:17 nlt

I broke the jaws of godless oppressors
and plucked their victims from their teeth.

Job 29 verses

Job 29 17 Meaning

Job 29:17 describes Job's active role as a righteous and influential leader in his past. It portrays him as a powerful defender of the vulnerable, who intervened to disarm oppressive wrongdoers and recover what they had unjustly taken. The imagery evokes a lion breaking the fangs of a predator to free its prey, signifying Job's decisive actions in administering justice and protecting the exploited from their tormentors.

Job 29 17 Context

Job 29:17 is part of Job's final monologue, where he contrasts his past blessed state with his current suffering. In this chapter, Job describes the reverence he commanded and the respect he received from society's various strata – the young, the old, princes, and nobles. He recounts his reputation not as one who passively received honor, but as an active and compassionate leader who used his authority to do good. He elaborates on how he was a voice for the voiceless, eyes for the blind, and feet for the lame. Specifically, verse 17 highlights his active intervention in legal and social matters to dismantle oppressive power structures and ensure justice for the victimized. This portrayal aims to emphasize Job's unparalleled righteousness and deep empathy, further compounding the mystery and injustice of his severe misfortunes. Historically, such figures acted as tribal or civic judges at the city gates, arbitrating disputes and defending the community's integrity and welfare.

Job 29 17 Word analysis

• I broke (וָאֲשַׁבֵּר - wa'ashābbêr): A strong verb from the root shavar, meaning "to break," "shatter," "burst apart." The intensive Piel stem indicates a deliberate, powerful, and decisive action. It signifies a complete shattering of capability, not just a mild incapacitation. Job actively dismantled the source of the wicked's power to oppress.
• the fangs (מְתַלְּעוֹת - mᵊṯallᵊ'ôṯ): From the root tala' which means "to devour," "chew." This term refers to jawteeth, molars, or literally "double-pointed teeth." In a metaphorical context, especially when paired with breaking, it clearly alludes to the destructive, tearing power of predatory animals like lions (Psa 58:6). It represents the wicked person's capacity to inflict pain, tear down, and consume their victims through exploitation and injustice. Its plural form emphasizes the fullness of their destructive potential.
• of the unrighteous (עָוֶל - 'āvel): This noun denotes "iniquity," "unrighteousness," "perversity," or "wickedness." It specifically refers to one who acts unjustly, contrary to divine or societal standards of right. It emphasizes that Job's target was not merely any person, but those whose very actions were characterized by oppression and ethical wrong.
• and cast the spoil (וָאַשְׁלִךְ טֶרֶף - wa'ashlikh ṭereph):
  • cast (וָאַשְׁלִךְ - wa'ashlikh): From the root shalakh, meaning "to send," "throw," "cast away." In the Hiphil stem, it suggests an active ejection or causing something to be relinquished. Here, it implies Job forced the wicked to release their grasp on what they had unlawfully seized.
  • spoil (טֶרֶף - ṭereph): This noun means "prey," "plunder," or "something torn." It refers to the victim or possessions violently taken or acquired through predatory acts. In this context, it is what the wicked had unjustly seized from their victims.
• from his teeth (מִשִּׁנָּיו - mishinnâv): Directly reinforces the image of something being forcefully removed from a firm grip, just as a predatory animal holds its prey. It specifies that Job recovered the victims or their resources from the very instrument of the oppressor's power, underlining the completeness and effectiveness of his intervention.

Words-group analysis:

• "I broke the fangs of the unrighteous": This phrase paints a vivid picture of Job's active role as a judge and deliverer. By "breaking the fangs," Job effectively neutralizes the power of the oppressor, rendering them harmless. This is not mere adjudication, but a forceful, righteous intervention, mirroring divine justice. It highlights Job's strength and willingness to confront injustice directly and dismantle its tools. This polemically contrasts with any prevailing thought that powerful individuals or gods only protected their own interests, not those of the marginalized. Job embodied a justice that actively disarmed malevolence.
• "and cast the spoil from his teeth": This complementary phrase illustrates the immediate consequence of breaking the oppressor's fangs: the liberation of the unjustly held "spoil." "Spoil" refers to what was unjustly taken—be it people, possessions, or freedom. This not only stopped the wicked from inflicting further harm but also recovered what was lost, bringing restitution and true deliverance. It signifies a restoration of order and justice, where the victim is freed from the clutches of the powerful and their illicit gains are stripped away.

Job 29 17 Bonus section

The imagery of "breaking teeth" for adversaries appears multiple times in the Psalms (e.g., Psa 3:7, 58:6), associating such an act with divine judgment and deliverance. Job, in a sense, embodied this divine quality on earth, demonstrating a human imitation of God's attribute of justice. The "fangs" metaphor also extends to the New Testament, where the destructive nature of evil powers or false teachers is often depicted with devouring or tearing imagery, though not directly with "fangs." Christ's victory on the cross disarmed spiritual principalities and powers, essentially "breaking their fangs" and recovering those who were their "spoil" (Col 2:15, Heb 2:14). This Old Testament illustration thus provides a foreshadowing of the ultimate cosmic victory over evil and oppression. Furthermore, this verse reminds believers that true righteousness often requires courage and confrontation of injustice, not passive avoidance, when God has entrusted one with the capacity to intervene.

Job 29 17 Commentary

Job 29:17 serves as a powerful declaration of Job's profound commitment to justice and his proactive role in upholding it. It extends beyond the general beneficence described elsewhere, revealing a specific, decisive, and even confrontational aspect of his character. The animalistic metaphor of breaking "fangs" and snatching "spoil" communicates the aggressive nature of injustice and Job's equally forceful, yet righteous, counter-aggression. He didn't merely mediate; he intervened directly to dismantle the capacity for oppression. This demonstrates that Job understood his position of authority not as a means for personal gain or prestige, but as a divine trust to champion the cause of the vulnerable, replicating the character of God who frequently acts to rescue the afflicted from the grip of the powerful. This verse stands as a testament to Job's ethical uprightness and compassionate action, making his subsequent suffering even more perplexing in the eyes of his friends and readers.

Examples for practical usage:

• A pastor standing against exploitation within the community.
• A leader implementing policies that prevent the powerful from victimizing the weak.
• An advocate retrieving rightful resources for those defrauded.