Job 1:20

Job 1:20 Meaning and Explanation

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

King James Version (KJV)

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Job rises, tears his robe, shaves his head in mourning, and falls to the ground in worship.

What Does Job 1:20 Mean?

Now, at last, Job acts. He rises, tears his robe, and shaves his head, the customary gestures of deep grief and loss. Then, instead of cursing as the accuser predicted, he falls to the ground and worships. His sorrow and his reverence move together.

This is one of the most astonishing turns in all of Scripture. Job does not hide his anguish, yet in the depths of it he bows before God. Real faith does not pretend the wound away; it brings the broken heart into the presence of the LORD. Such grief-stricken worship foreshadows another who, in His own hour of anguish, fell to the ground and yielded Himself wholly to the Father.

Job 1:20 in the Original Language

shachah (שָׁחָה), 'worshipped' -- to bow low, to prostrate oneself, the body's surrender before God.

Frequently Asked Questions About Job 1:20

What does Job 1:20 mean?

Job rises, tears his robe, shaves his head in mourning, and falls to the ground in worship.

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