Job 4 21

Job 4:21 kjv

Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Job 4:21 nkjv

Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.'

Job 4:21 niv

Are not the cords of their tent pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?'

Job 4:21 esv

Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?'

Job 4:21 nlt

Their tent-cords are pulled and the tent collapses,
and they die in ignorance.

Job 4 verses

Job 4 21 Meaning

Job 4:21 conveys Eliphaz's conviction regarding the fate of the wicked. He asserts that the source of their strength, preeminence, or the very "cord" sustaining their life is severed. Consequently, they perish without possessing true wisdom, implying a sudden and inglorious end to a life lived without divine insight or understanding.

Job 4 21 Context

Job 4:21 concludes Eliphaz's first speech, following his assertion that righteous people do not perish, but the wicked do (Job 4:7-11). This verse is a rhetorical question serving as a strong affirmation, generalizing about the transience of all human life and especially highlighting the downfall of those Eliphaz deems "wicked." His statements are influenced by a previous profound, mysterious vision (Job 4:12-16) that convinced him of humanity's inherent corruption and inferiority before God. Eliphaz holds a firm, traditional view of retributive justice: the righteous prosper, the wicked suffer and perish. This entire discourse sets the stage for the dramatic theological debate, challenging Job's claim of innocence and the direct link between sin and suffering. The verse draws upon the widespread cultural understanding of life as a fragile, temporary existence, often likened to a nomadic tent.

Job 4 21 Word analysis

• Is not their excellence/cord (יִתְרָם - yitrām):
  • Yitrām comes from yether (יֶתֶר), which can mean "remainder," "overhang," "superabundance," "pre-eminence," "excellency," or "cord," "string," "bowstring," "tent-cord."
  • "Excellence" (NIV, ESV): Interpreters sometimes understand yitrām as referring to the apex of their power, success, or pride – their pre-eminence or the best part of their life. Eliphaz argues that even this pinnacle of human achievement or power is perishable.
  • "Cord" or "Tent-cord" (LSB, KJV "their inward stretching"): Many scholars find this interpretation more fitting given Eliphaz's imagery earlier in the chapter (e.g., lion's teeth broken, Job 4:10-11, perhaps subtly shifting to human vulnerability) and the subsequent verb. The tent-cord is vital for the stability and uprightness of a tent; its removal signifies immediate collapse. This vividly portrays the sudden and complete disintegration of one's life. It underscores the fragility and temporariness of human existence.
• taken away/cut out (יִנֶּסַּע - yinnessaʿ):
  • From the root nāsaʿ (נָסַע), which means "to pull up," "to depart," "to break camp," "to set out."
  • This verb strongly reinforces the "tent-cord" interpretation of yitrām. To "pull up" or "depart" aligns perfectly with the image of nomads breaking camp by pulling up tent stakes or ropes, causing the tent to collapse. It denotes a swift, decisive, and irreversible removal. For human life, it implies a sudden cessation.
  • Figuratively, it signifies the removal of one's source of support, power, or existence.
• They die (יָמוּתוּ - yāmûtū):
  • From the common Hebrew root mût (מוּת), meaning "to die," "to perish."
  • A straightforward statement confirming the inevitable outcome of the preceding actions: the removal of one's "cord" leads directly to death. It emphasizes the finality of their end.
• even without wisdom (בְלֹא חָכְמָה - belō' ḥokmâ):
  • Belō' (בְלֹא) means "without."
  • Ḥokmâ (חָכְמָה) signifies "wisdom," "skill," "insight," "prudence," "understanding." In the biblical sense, particularly in wisdom literature, true ḥokmâ often entails not just intellectual acuity but moral insight and understanding of God's ways, fearing the Lord (Prov 1:7; 9:10).
  • The phrase implies that they die not having gained true understanding or spiritual insight. Their life was devoid of the most essential form of wisdom – divine wisdom that prepares one for eternity or grants insight into life's true meaning. They perish without recognition of divine purpose, guidance, or having laid hold of eternal truth. This suggests a pathetic and unfulfilled existence.
• Words-Group analysis:
  • "Is not their excellence/cord taken away?": This rhetorical question acts as a strong assertion. Eliphaz isn't truly asking for Job's opinion; he's emphatically stating a universal principle as he perceives it. It underscores the fragility and transient nature of even the most robust aspects of human existence when unsupported by true divine connection.
  • "They die, even without wisdom": This emphasizes the qualitative nature of their demise. Their end is not merely physical death but a spiritual and intellectual vacuum—a life unanchored by truth and ending without true understanding. It portrays a wasted life and an ignominious death from Eliphaz's perspective.

Job 4 21 Bonus section

Eliphaz's strong reliance on anecdotal evidence and personal spiritual experience (his vision in Job 4:12-16) heavily influences his interpretation of suffering. He assumes that because he received insight in a profound experience, his understanding of retributive justice must be correct. The rhetorical question format in Job 4:21 (often translated "Do not...?") serves to make his statement sound undeniable and universally true, leaving no room for counter-argument in his view. This verse sets up a core tension of the Book of Job: the simple theological framework of Eliphaz and his friends versus Job's experience and later, God's revelation, which reveals the inadequacy of human attempts to fully grasp divine justice and wisdom based solely on observation or human reasoning. The verse, therefore, represents a limited human perspective attempting to define God's ways.

Job 4 21 Commentary

Eliphaz, from his position of traditional piety, presents a foundational principle: human preeminence or vital strength (their "excellence" or life-sustaining "cord") is intrinsically fragile. Like a nomadic tent quickly dismantled, human life and its accomplishments can be suddenly and completely terminated. He ties this impermanence specifically to a lack of "wisdom." For Eliphaz, this means dying without a right relationship with God or failing to grasp divine truths, resulting in an end that is both final and foolish. He suggests that those who rely solely on worldly strength, status, or self-sufficiency, neglecting true divine insight, are ultimately exposed as powerless and die without eternal understanding. This argument, while seemingly universally applicable to humanity's transience, is subtly aimed at Job, implying that his suffering is evidence of this very lack of wisdom.