Job 36 14

Job 36:14 kjv

They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

Job 36:14 nkjv

They die in youth, And their life ends among the perverted persons.

Job 36:14 niv

They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.

Job 36:14 esv

They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

Job 36:14 nlt

They die when they are young,
after wasting their lives in immoral living.

Job 36 verses

Job 36 14 Meaning

Job 36:14 speaks of those who are described as "hypocrites in heart" (Job 36:13), meaning those who harbor resentment, do not cry out to God for help in their distress, and reject divine correction. Elihu declares that such individuals experience a premature and shameful end. Their lives are cut short in their youth, signifying an untimely and unfulfilled existence. Furthermore, their final state is among the cult prostitutes (or male shrine prostitutes), which symbolizes utter moral depravity, spiritual apostasy, and a profoundly disgraced and abominable end, a clear mark of divine judgment upon their rebellious lives.

Job 36 14 Context

Job 36:14 is part of Elihu's fourth and final speech (Job 36:1–37:24). Elihu asserts that God is great and righteous, never dealing unjustly with people. His purpose is to vindicate God's character and demonstrate that divine actions are always just and wise, often for human benefit, even when they involve suffering or judgment. Elihu focuses on God's use of discipline and affliction as a means to call humanity to repentance and to teach them wisdom (Job 36:10-12).

Immediately preceding this verse, Elihu states: "The hypocrites in heart harbor wrath; they do not cry for help when he binds them" (Job 36:13). He then describes the severe fate of such people. The verse directly contrasts God's offer of prosperity and length of days to the obedient (Job 36:11-12) with the horrific end of the disobedient and impenitent. Elihu views Job, to some extent, as someone holding on to bitterness or failing to understand God's disciplinary purposes, though his understanding is not entirely accurate in Job's unique case.

Historically and culturally, the mention of "cult prostitutes" (Hebrew: קָדֵשׁ, qadesh) is significant. These individuals, both male and female, were associated with fertility cults of pagan deities like Baal and Asherah in Canaanite and surrounding cultures. Their practices involved ritual prostitution, believed to invoke fertility for crops, livestock, and people. Such acts were abhorrent to Yahweh and strictly forbidden by Israelite law (Deut 23:17-18), marking the epitome of spiritual defilement and rebellion against God. The verse is a strong polemic against these detestable practices and their proponents, signifying a rejection of true holiness for ultimate degradation and judgment.

Job 36 14 Word analysis

• They die (יָמוּתוּ - yamutu): A literal termination of physical life. It implies a definitive, often sudden or ignoble, end. This refers back to the "hypocrites in heart" (Job 36:13). It underscores the severe, fatal consequence of their choices.

• in youth (בַּנֹּעַר - banno'ar):

  • בַּ (ba-): Hebrew preposition "in," indicating the state or period.
  • נֹּעַר (no'ar): Hebrew noun meaning "youth," "early age," "prime of life."
  • Significance: Their death is untimely, cut short. Instead of living a long and prosperous life often associated with God's blessings upon the righteous, their life ends before its natural course. This premature end is presented as a specific judgment, often contrasting with the longevity promised to those who follow God's commands (e.g., Exod 20:12, Pro 3:1-2).

• and their life ends (וְחַיָּתָם - v'khayyatam):

  • וְ (və-): Conjunction "and."
  • חַיָּתָם (khayyatam): From חַיָּה (hayya) meaning "life" or "living," with the possessive suffix "-their."
  • The phrase "their life ends" is implied by the preceding context ("they die in youth") and the association that follows. The full meaning suggests not just where they die, but the complete state or trajectory of their life culminating in disgrace.

• among the cult prostitutes (בַּקְּדֵשִׁים - baq'dēshîm):

  • בַּ (ba-): Preposition "among" or "in."
  • קְּדֵשִׁים (qedeshim): Hebrew plural noun, derived from the root ק־ד־שׁ (q-d-sh), which generally means "to be holy" or "to be set apart." However, in biblical usage concerning pagan cults, qadesh refers specifically to "male cult prostitutes" or "male shrine prostitutes" dedicated to idolatrous worship (Deut 23:17-18; 1 Kin 14:24). This term contrasts sharply with the intended meaning of 'holy' for Yahweh's consecrated objects or people.
  • Significance: This signifies the lowest moral degradation and spiritual impurity. To have one's "life end among them" means their very existence, their being, becomes synonymous with such depravity and an ultimate rejection of true holiness. It implies that their lives conclude in public disgrace, association with spiritual abomination, and under severe divine judgment, far from the blessing or dignity often afforded even to the wicked who face only temporal judgment. It highlights complete moral collapse and spiritual harlotry against God.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "They die in youth": This phrase emphasizes an untimely and tragic end, denying them the full span of life and prosperity often associated with those who honor God. It underscores the severity of divine judgment and the short-sightedness of rejecting God's correction.
  • "and their life ends among the cult prostitutes": This powerfully symbolic phrase speaks to both moral degradation and divine abandonment. It is not just about a physical location of death, but the total spiritual and moral state. Their entire existence reaches its climax in such profound shame and association with religious depravity, underscoring complete estrangement from God and His holiness. It paints a picture of ultimate disgrace and a life entirely consumed by rebellion against divine standards.

Job 36 14 Bonus section

The Hebrew word קְּדֵשִׁים (qedeshim) being derived from the root ק־ד־שׁ (q-d-sh, meaning "holy" or "set apart") adds a layer of tragic irony and stark contrast to the verse. Those whose lives end בַּקְּדֵשִׁים (baq'dēshîm) are in fact associated with a twisted, perverse form of "holiness"—a setting apart for pagan deities and abominable practices, rather than being consecrated to the true and living God. This underscores the absolute perversion and deep spiritual illness of those described in the verse. Their end reflects a profound failure to understand or pursue genuine holiness, opting instead for a path that ultimately leads to total spiritual and moral decay. Elihu's pronouncement serves as a stark warning about the ultimate destination for those who fundamentally misunderstand and reject God's holy character and His just pathways. It’s not just punishment; it's a symbolic reflection of their very nature—a life devoted to what God deems impure, culminating in complete exposure of that impurity.

Job 36 14 Commentary

Job 36:14 encapsulates Elihu's view on the swift and ignominious fate of the impenitent. It describes those who stiffen their necks against God's discipline, clinging to their anger and pride rather than seeking His help. Their judgment is twofold: premature death and a disgracefully impure end. The untimely death in "youth" contrasts starkly with God's desire for His people to live long and flourishing lives, signifying a life cut short by divine displeasure. More profoundly, their "life ending among the cult prostitutes" speaks volumes. This is not merely a literal location of death, but a symbol of total moral collapse and spiritual betrayal. Qedeshim represented the nadir of Canaanite idolatry and sexual perversion, abominations to the Holy God of Israel. To be associated with them in death signifies that one's very existence culminated in defilement and absolute spiritual alienation from the Almighty. This ultimate degradation is a dire consequence of sustained rebellion against God, a powerful warning from Elihu that those who scorn God's corrective hand will face severe and humiliating judgment. It stresses the grave spiritual dangers of unyielding pride and resentment in the face of God's sovereign wisdom and His attempts to draw humanity back to Himself.

• Example 1: A heart filled with unaddressed bitterness often leads to destructive patterns that erode one's future and lead to regrettable life choices, embodying a "shortened" existence of genuine joy.
• Example 2: Willfully embracing worldly impurities and refusing spiritual discipline can metaphorically lead one to end their "life" (their essence, their testimony) among defiling influences, far from God's intended holiness.