Job 21:20 Meaning and Explanation
“His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Job urges that the wrongdoer himself should witness his ruin and drink the cup of God's wrath.
What Does Job 21:20 Mean?
Continuing the thought of the previous verse, Job presses that true justice means the sinner sees his own downfall and tastes God's anger firsthand. The image of drinking the wrath of the Almighty is the cup of judgment poured out for the guilty to drink.
Job longs for a justice that is personal and unmistakable, not displaced onto others. The 'cup of wrath' runs through Scripture as the portion of the unrepentant. Yet the same Scripture reveals a staggering mercy: at the cross, One who was without sin drank that cup in the place of the guilty. Justice and grace meet there, so that those who turn to God need not drink the wrath their sins deserved.
Job 21:20 in the Original Language
chemah (חֵמָה), 'wrath' -- burning anger or heat, here pictured as a cup the guilty must drink.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 21:20
What does Job 21:20 mean?
Job urges that the wrongdoer himself should witness his ruin and drink the cup of God's wrath.