Job 33:20

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

Complete Jewish Bible:

so that he detests bread as well as richer food.

Berean Standard Bible:

so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.

American Standard Version:

So that his life abhorreth bread, And his soul dainty food.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

So that his life^{H2416} abhorreth^{H2092} bread^{H3899}, and his soul^{H5315} dainty^{H8378} meat^{H3978}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Job 33:20

Job 33:20 is a part of the Book of Job, which is one of the Wisdom Books in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. The verse is situated within a speech by Elihu, one of Job's friends who enters the conversation to offer his perspective on Job's suffering. Elihu speaks after Job's three other friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—have finished their dialogues, and before God himself addresses Job.

In the historical context, the Book of Job deals with the question of why the righteous suffer, a theme that resonates deeply in both ancient and modern times. The dialogue between Job and his friends explores various theological positions, including the retributive justice theory, which suggests that suffering is a direct result of sin.

The specific verse, Job 33:20, is part of Elihu's discourse in which he describes the suffering of an individual who is being disciplined by God through illness or affliction. The themes here include divine chastisement and the purpose of suffering. Elihu suggests that God uses suffering to communicate with humans, to turn them away from wrongdoing, and to prevent them from entering the grave (Sheol) without repentance.

The verse itself, "So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat," poetically illustrates the extent of the sufferer's aversion to food due to his condition. This aversion symbolizes a broader rejection of life's pleasures as the sufferer's entire being is consumed by distress. The language emphasizes the severity of the suffering, which is so intense that even the most appetizing food becomes repulsive. This reflects the depth of the physical and spiritual crisis the individual is enduring, a crisis that Elihu believes is meant to capture the sufferer's attention and prompt a deeper reflection on his life and relationship with God.

In summary, Job 33:20 is embedded in a complex narrative about suffering and divine justice. The verse uses vivid imagery to convey the profound impact of suffering on an individual's daily life, highlighting the loss of appetite as a metaphor for the rejection of life's comforts. Elihu's perspective is that such suffering has a corrective purpose, intended to lead the sufferer to repentance and a closer walk with God.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H2416
   There are 452 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חַי
   Transliteration: chay
   Pronunciation: khah'-ee
   Description: from חָיָה; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively; [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
   
2. Strong's Number: H2092
   There are 1 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: זָהַם
   Transliteration: zâham
   Pronunciation: zaw-ham'
   Description: a primitive root; to be rancid, i.e. (transitively) to loathe; abhor.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3899
   There are 277 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֶחֶם
   Transliteration: lechem
   Pronunciation: lekh'-em
   Description: from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.
   
4. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8378
   There are 20 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תַּאֲוָה
   Transliteration: taʼăvâh
   Pronunciation: tah-av-aw'
   Description: from אָוָה (abbreviated); a longing; by implication, a delight (subjectively, satisfaction, objectively, a charm); dainty, desire, [idiom] exceedingly, [idiom] greedily, lust(ing), pleasant. See also קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3978
   There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַאֲכָל
   Transliteration: maʼăkâl
   Pronunciation: mah-ak-awl'
   Description: from אָכַל; an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit); food, fruit, (bake-)meat(-s), victual.