Job 33 21

Job 33:21 kjv

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

Job 33:21 nkjv

His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen.

Job 33:21 niv

Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.

Job 33:21 esv

His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.

Job 33:21 nlt

Their flesh wastes away,
and their bones stick out.

Job 33 verses

Job 33 21 Meaning

Elihu describes the advanced stage of a severe illness, where a person's body has wasted away so drastically that their flesh is consumed and barely visible, while their bones, normally hidden beneath skin and muscle, now visibly protrude. This imagery underscores the extreme suffering one might experience under divine discipline, intended not for destruction, but as a severe corrective measure leading to a crucial intervention.

Job 33 21 Context

Job 33:21 is found within the first discourse of Elihu (chapters 32-37), who enters the debate after Job and his three friends have concluded their arguments. Elihu presents a different perspective on suffering than the friends, who held to a rigid retribution theology. While not fully disagreeing that sin can lead to suffering, Elihu strongly emphasizes God's use of suffering as a disciplinary and corrective measure. He contends that affliction can be a form of divine communication, meant to draw a person away from pride, to warn them of danger, and to ultimately purify and instruct them. Verse 21, describing an individual so ravaged by illness that their flesh has wasted away and their bones protrude, graphically illustrates the severe physical suffering that God may allow (v. 19-20). This extreme state is not portrayed as God's final judgment, but as a crucible that leads the afflicted person to a point of spiritual reckoning. Elihu sets the stage for God's merciful intervention through an "intercessor" or "messenger" (v. 23) who brings about repentance and leads to glorious restoration (v. 24-28). It highlights the stripping away of outward form to reveal the raw reality, symbolizing how trials expose hidden spiritual truths.

Job 33 21 Word analysis

• His flesh:
  • Hebrew: בְּשָׂרוֹ (bᵉśārōw), from בָּשָׂר (basar), referring to the physical substance of the human body, specifically the soft tissues.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the body's normal, healthy appearance. Its mention sets the stage for the dramatic decay to follow, underscoring the severity of the affliction affecting the person's very being.
• is consumed away:
  • Hebrew: תֵּכַל (tēḵal), from the root כָּלָה (kalāh), meaning "to complete," "to bring to an end," "to consume," or "to perish."
  • Significance: Denotes a process of radical, continuous deterioration and wasting. It conveys a progressive fading or disappearance, suggesting not a sudden demise, but a debilitating decline.
• that it cannot be seen:
  • Hebrew: מֵרְאִי (mērᵉ’î), from רָאָה (ra’ah), meaning "to see" or "to appear," preceded by the preposition "min" (מֵ), implying "from" or "away from sight."
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the extreme extent of emaciation and decay. The body's natural form and features are obscured, almost disappearing due to extreme weight loss, making the person appear virtually unrecognizable or insubstantial.
• and his bones:
  • Hebrew: וְעֲצָמָיו (wᵉ‘aṣāmāw), from עֶצֶם (‘etsem), meaning "bone," "frame," or "strength."
  • Significance: These represent the skeletal structure, normally hidden and serving as the body's hidden foundation. Their mention introduces a stark contrast with the vanished flesh.
• which were not seen / once hidden:
  • While not a direct translation of a specific word, this interpretative phrase (derived from context and implied meaning of "stick out") sets up the visual paradox.
  • Significance: It highlights that the very structure of the person, which should naturally remain covered, is now unnaturally exposed due to the disappearance of the flesh, emphasizing the severity of the illness.
• stick out:
  • Hebrew: שֻׁפְּצוּ (shuppᵊṣû), a rare and vivid verb from a root conveying "to protrude," "to project," "to be made bare," or "to be pointed."
  • Significance: This powerful term depicts the bones becoming grotesquely visible and prominent, not just discernable through skin but literally protruding, due to extreme loss of muscle and fat. It paints a picture of extreme, almost shocking, skeletal prominence due to emaciation.

Words-group analysis:

• "His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen": This phrase vividly depicts severe physical decline. It speaks of a body so profoundly afflicted that its normal contours vanish, symbolizing how intense suffering can strip away superficialities, leading to a state of near non-existence from a visual standpoint.
• "and his bones that were not seen stick out": This clause creates a sharp and poignant contrast. What was naturally concealed is now jarringly revealed. It underscores the severity of the emaciation by depicting the body's core structure becoming painfully evident, suggesting that suffering can reveal the stark realities or foundational aspects of life.

Job 33 21 Bonus section

• Elihu's Unique Contribution: Elihu's perspective provides a critical nuance to the problem of suffering presented in Job. While Job's friends rigidly connect suffering to specific sin as punishment, Elihu posits a broader range of purposes for suffering, including correction, warning, and spiritual refinement. The extreme physical state described in 33:21 highlights the intensity of such corrective discipline, necessary to bring about deep-seated change in an unrepentant heart, aiming always toward the possibility of redemption and healing. This view broadens the theological understanding of God's ways beyond a simple cause-and-effect relationship between sin and calamity.
• Contrast of Internal and External Reality: The description of bones, usually hidden, becoming externally visible, offers a powerful metaphor. Just as the internal skeleton becomes external, severe affliction can strip away external pretense, revealing the inner reality, the true state of one's spirit or relationship with God. It brings a person face to face with their vulnerabilities and dependencies.

Job 33 21 Commentary

Job 33:21 presents a chillingly graphic image of a body ravaged by sickness, where flesh wastes away and bones protrude. This severe physical deterioration is presented by Elihu not merely as a consequence of sin, but as a deliberate and intense act of divine discipline (vv. 19-20). The purpose of this affliction, according to Elihu, is redemptive. It serves to humble the individual, diverting them from destructive paths and self-importance, ultimately leading them to a place of spiritual brokenness and receptiveness. This state of profound physical agony sets the stage for a spiritual turning point—a search for understanding and, ideally, the divine intercession mentioned in subsequent verses (vv. 23-26). The verse highlights God's sovereign control over life and death, even in suffering, underscoring that His aim is often restoration and deeper relationship, not merely punishment or annihilation. This suffering, while harsh, is framed as part of a loving divine pedagogy designed to purify and save.