Job 5:5 kjv
Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
Job 5:5 nkjv
Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance.
Job 5:5 niv
The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
Job 5:5 esv
The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
Job 5:5 nlt
The hungry devour their harvest,
even when it is guarded by brambles.
The thirsty pant after their wealth.
Job 5 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:16 | ...you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it. | Enemies consuming the harvest |
| Deut 28:33 | A people whom you have not known shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors. | Foreigners consuming fruits of labor |
| Psa 7:15 | He dug a pit and scooped it out, and has fallen into the hole which he made. | The wicked trapped by their own schemes |
| Psa 35:8 | Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let the net which he hid catch himself... | Sudden destruction from self-made traps |
| Psa 37:16 | Better is a little with righteousness than great riches with injustice. | Righteousness preferred over wicked wealth |
| Psa 49:10 | For he sees that even wise men die; The fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their wealth to others. | Wealth left to others upon death |
| Psa 78:64 | Their priests fell by the sword, And their widows could not weep. | Harvest imagery, priests falling by sword |
| Prov 5:22 | His own iniquities will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin. | Wicked snared by their own actions |
| Prov 13:22 | A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, But the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. | Wealth of wicked benefits righteous |
| Prov 14:31 | He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. | Compassion for the needy contrasted with oppression |
| Prov 28:8 | He who increases his wealth by interest and unjust gain Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor. | Wealth gained unjustly transfers to the charitable |
| Jer 17:11 | Like a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly... | Ill-gotten gain will leave him |
| Hab 2:6 | Will not all these take up a taunt-song against him, And a scoffing riddle about him and say, 'Woe to him who increases what is not his… | Woes against those accumulating unjustly |
| Zeph 1:13 | "Their wealth will become plunder And their houses desolation; Though they build houses, They will not inhabit them; Though they plant vineyards, They will not drink their wine." | Plundering of the wicked's wealth |
| Isa 3:14 | "The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people, 'It is you who have devoured the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses.'" | Devouring vineyard/plundering the poor |
| Matt 6:19 | "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." | Earthly treasures are insecure and temporary |
| Lk 12:19-21 | 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' | Rich fool's wealth seized at death |
| Jas 5:1-3 | Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you...Your gold and silver have corroded... | Warning to the rich who exploit, their wealth perishes |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. | Transience of material possessions |
| Heb 10:27 | ...but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. | Consuming judgment upon adversaries |
Job 5 verses
Job 5 5 Meaning
Job 5:5 depicts the ultimate despoiling and dissolution of the wicked's accumulated wealth and livelihood. Eliphaz asserts that the efforts of the wicked bear no lasting fruit, as their "harvest" is consumed by the hungry, plundered even from what seems secured, and their very "substance" is abruptly seized as if by an inescapable trap. This verse conveys the notion of divine retribution, where God ensures that the ill-gotten gains and seemingly secure prosperity of the unrighteous are swiftly and utterly undone, highlighting the transient and unstable nature of their material achievements.
Job 5 5 Context
Job 5:5 is spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job's three friends who come to comfort him in his suffering. This verse is part of Eliphaz's first major speech (chapters 4-5), delivered after observing Job's intense despair and laments. Eliphaz, presenting what he believes to be traditional wisdom and revelation (Job 4:12-16), attempts to explain Job's inexplicable suffering. His argument is rooted in the conventional wisdom of his time: the wicked sow trouble and reap disaster, whereas the righteous are preserved by God. Therefore, Eliphaz implicitly suggests that Job's profound suffering must be a consequence of his hidden sin, reflecting divine retribution. In verses 4-5, Eliphaz vividly describes the calamities that befall the wicked, emphasizing the transient nature of their children and wealth. Verse 5 specifically illustrates how their prosperity vanishes, often becoming sustenance for the truly needy or being snared by unseen dangers, thus affirming the justice of God's ways against the unrighteous. This perspective, however, ultimately fails to account for Job's blamelessness and God's sovereign purposes.
Job 5 5 Word analysis
Whose harvest: Hebrew: Qatsiyr (קָצִיר). This term refers to the literal harvest of grain or fruit, symbolizing the tangible results of one's labor, wealth, or acquired prosperity. The imagery implies a full crop, yet it's not enjoyed by the one who toiled for it. It represents the accumulation of a lifetime, or a season, of work and effort, which is now stripped away.
the hungry: Hebrew: Ra`ev (רָעֵב). This word specifically means "starving" or "famished." It vividly portrays not just someone who is poor, but someone desperate, driven by acute need. The juxtaposition with the wicked's harvest highlights divine irony: what the wicked gained, perhaps even through exploitation, is redistributed to those in genuine, desperate need, signifying a form of divine justice.
eats up: Hebrew: Yokhel (יֹאכַל). From the verb `akal (אָכַל), meaning to eat, consume, or devour. Here, it implies complete consumption, a thorough and rapid devouring that leaves nothing behind for the original owner. The passive nature of the owner in this act emphasizes their powerlessness.
And takes it even out of the thorns: Hebrew: Mi-tsiynim (מִצִּנִּים). "Thorns" (tseniym) refer to thorny plants or brambles. This phrase can be interpreted in a few ways:
- The harvest is so overgrown with thorns, symbolizing neglect or that it has become common property, easily accessible despite the protective barrier that thorns could provide.
- The hungry are so desperate that they will glean even the most meager bits, despite the painful effort of reaching through thorns.
- The harvest, though ostensibly protected or secured, is still easily accessible and taken, indicating its destined loss.It suggests an utter despoiling, leaving no part of the wealth secure, even in seemingly protected or difficult-to-reach places.
And the snare snatches their substance:
- the snare: Hebrew: Pakh (פַּח). This term refers to a bird-trap or snare, often used metaphorically for a sudden, hidden, and inescapable danger or plot. Some ancient versions and commentaries interpret the word pakh differently, or consider a related root. The Septuagint and some later rabbinic traditions interpret this as "thirsty" (tsimmea'), suggesting a robber or plunderer. The Masoretic Text reads pakh, snare. The rendering "robber" in KJV (referring to tsamim - a related concept of those thirsting for spoil) arises from an interpretative tradition, but pakh is widely accepted as "snare" or "trap" in modern translations (NASB, ESV). The imagery of a snare is powerful: something unexpected, designed to capture, leading to sudden, total loss.
- snatches: Hebrew: Yishaq (יִשְׁאַף). From the verb sha'aph (שָׁאַף), meaning to gasp, pant, eagerly desire, or swallow/draw in. Here, it signifies a quick, violent, and complete drawing in or seizing. The active verb "snatches" portrays the swiftness and inevitability of the loss.
- their substance: Hebrew: Heylam (הֵילָם). This word means their strength, vigor, wealth, or produce. It encapsulates all that constitutes their livelihood and accumulated prosperity. The "substance" refers to their entire means of existence or amassed possessions, which are completely devoured.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Whose harvest the hungry eats up": This phrase paints a picture of loss not due to natural disaster, but due to divine arrangement where the fruits of wicked labor are reallocated to those in need. It speaks to reversal of fortune and a form of social justice initiated by divine will.
- "And takes it even out of the thorns": This segment emphasizes the thoroughness of the taking. It is not just the easily accessible portion, but even that which is guarded or seems negligible or difficult to reach. It signifies absolute despoliation, where nothing is spared.
- "And the snare snatches their substance": This part highlights the suddenness, the hidden nature, and the inescapability of the ruin. The wicked do not foresee or escape their undoing, which is swift and complete, reminiscent of being caught in a hidden trap.
Job 5 5 Bonus section
The imagery in Job 5:5 uses agricultural and hunting metaphors common in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature to describe divine judgment. The idea that "the hungry eats up" the harvest of the wicked echoes ancient Israelite law concerning gleaning (Deut 24:19-22) and God's care for the poor, but here it's depicted as a forced consumption or divine redistribution rather than a gracious allowance. The concept of the "snare" or "trap" is a recurring motif in wisdom literature, symbolizing the consequences of the wicked's own actions or divine orchestrations that lead to their downfall (e.g., Ps 7:15). Eliphaz's words, while seemingly authoritative, are later challenged by God Himself (Job 42:7-8), revealing that his understanding of divine justice was too simplistic and lacked insight into the broader purposes of suffering and God's sovereignty. The verse serves as a potent reminder of the fragility of earthly wealth apart from God's blessing, even if Eliphaz misapplied it to Job.
Job 5 5 Commentary
Job 5:5 encapsulates Eliphaz's core argument that God metes out justice by destroying the material well-being of the wicked. He suggests a direct and visible retribution: the product of their labor is taken by the most vulnerable (the hungry), their security is nullified (even "out of the thorns"), and their total wealth is swallowed up by sudden, unseen forces ("the snare"). This verse posits that the wealth acquired by the unrighteous, even if painstakingly gathered, is ultimately insecure and divinely earmarked for reversal. It implies a moral order where God redistributes wealth from the corrupt to the needy, demonstrating the instability of ill-gotten gains. Eliphaz uses this assertion to press Job to acknowledge hidden sin, since his current state mirrors the destruction he attributes to the wicked. This argument, while seemingly reflecting conventional wisdom of divine justice, ultimately fails to address the unique complexities of Job's blameless suffering.