Job 11:20 Meaning and Explanation
“But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Zophar warns that the wicked will fail, find no escape, and see their hope expire like a dying breath.
What Does Job 11:20 Mean?
Zophar ends his speech with a dark warning. The eyes of the wicked will fail, longing in vain for deliverance; they will find no place to escape, and their hope will be like the last gasp of a dying breath. Against the bright future he offered the repentant, he sets the hopeless end of the ungodly. The implication for Job hangs heavy in the air.
There is sober truth here, for a hope built on wickedness cannot stand and at last gives out like an expiring breath. Yet Zophar wrongly numbers the suffering Job among such people. The book will overturn his verdict, showing that the one he warns is the one God commends. The contrast still instructs us: a hope grounded in God endures, while a hope set on anything else finally fails. Where we anchor our hope decides whether it lives or dies with us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 11:20
What does Job 11:20 mean?
Zophar warns that the wicked will fail, find no escape, and see their hope expire like a dying breath.