Job 15:33

KJV

He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

KJV (with Strong's)

He shall shake off {H2554} his unripe grape {H1154} as the vine {H1612}, and shall cast off {H7993} his flower {H5328} as the olive {H2132}.

Complete Jewish Bible

he will be like a vine that sheds its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that drops its flowers.

Berean Standard Bible

He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

American Standard Version

He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, And shall cast off his flower as the olive-tree.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 15:33, delivered by Eliphaz in his second discourse, employs vivid agricultural metaphors to illustrate the inevitable and premature downfall of the wicked. Through the imagery of a vine shaking off its unripe grapes and an olive tree casting off its blossoms, Eliphaz asserts that the unrighteous will experience a life devoid of lasting fruitfulness, cut short before achieving any meaningful or mature outcome, thereby emphasizing their inherent instability, futility, and lack of an enduring legacy.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within Eliphaz the Temanite's second and more aggressive speech to Job, found in [Job chapter 15](/job/15 "Job 15 - Eliphaz's Second Discourse"). Following Job's lament in [Job 14](/job/14 "Job 14 - Job's Lament and Hope"), Eliphaz accuses Job of speaking "empty words" and casting off "the fear of God" ([Job 15:4](/job/15-4 "Job 15:4 - Eliphaz Accuses Job")). His discourse is a forceful reiteration of the traditional retribution theology, arguing that suffering is a direct consequence of sin. [Job 15:33](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - The Fate of the Wicked") serves as a vivid metaphorical illustration of this principle, portraying the wicked as inherently unstable and destined for swift, unproductive destruction, thereby implicitly condemning Job's perceived iniquity and urging him to confess his supposed wrongdoing.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The imagery in [Job 15:33](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - Agricultural Metaphors") draws heavily from the agrarian society of the ancient Near East, where viticulture (grape cultivation) and olive farming were central to life and economy. Grapes and olives were staple crops, and their successful harvest was crucial for sustenance and prosperity. The failure of these crops, especially the premature dropping of fruit or blossoms, would have been a universally understood symbol of loss, futility, and divine disfavor. Eliphaz's argument reflects a prevalent wisdom tradition of the time, which often linked material prosperity to righteousness and misfortune to wickedness, a concept that the broader narrative of the [Book of Job](/job "The Book of Job - Suffering and Divine Justice") ultimately challenges and critiques as an oversimplified view of God's justice and human suffering.
* **Key Themes:** The verse contributes to several key themes within Eliphaz's discourse and the larger book, albeit from Eliphaz's limited perspective. A primary theme is **The Transience of the Wicked**, emphasizing that any apparent prosperity or success of the unrighteous is fleeting and unstable, akin to fruit that never ripens or blossoms that never bear fruit. This leads to the theme of **Lack of Lasting Fruitfulness or Legacy**, where the imagery highlights a life that fails to produce enduring good or mature results, cut short or rendered unproductive before its full potential is realized. Finally, from Eliphaz's viewpoint, the verse underscores **Divine Judgment**, portraying the premature destruction of the wicked as a direct manifestation of God's justice against those who defy Him, even though the [Book of Job](/job "The Book of Job - Divine Sovereignty and Human Suffering") ultimately critiques this simplistic cause-and-effect theology, demonstrating that suffering is not always a direct result of personal sin.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Unripe grape (Hebrew, _beçer'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to be sour," this term (H1154) refers to an immature, undeveloped grape that is unfit for consumption or wine production. In the context of the verse, it powerfully symbolizes a life or endeavor that is cut short before reaching maturity, failing to produce anything of lasting value or fulfill its intended purpose. It highlights futility and wasted potential, emphasizing that the wicked's efforts will yield nothing substantial or beneficial.
* **Flower (Hebrew, _nitstsâh'_):** This word (H5328) denotes a blossom, specifically the flower of the olive tree. While olive trees produce numerous blossoms, only a small fraction mature into fruit. Here, "flower" represents initial promise, outward appearance, or potential that ultimately fails to materialize into enduring fruit, signifying a superficial abundance that yields no lasting harvest and points to a barren outcome. It speaks to a life that may seem prolific in its early stages but proves ultimately unproductive.
* **Cast off (Hebrew, _shâlak'_):** A primitive root (H7993) meaning "to throw out, down, or away," literally or figuratively. This verb emphasizes a decisive, forceful rejection or expulsion. In the context of the verse, it underscores the violent and inevitable nature of the wicked's downfall, depicting them as being forcefully discarded, much like unwanted, unproductive elements of a plant. This action is not gentle but a definitive removal, signifying divine judgment.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine":** The subject "He" implicitly refers to the wicked or unrighteous individual. This clause vividly portrays such a person as a vine that prematurely sheds its undeveloped, useless fruit. This signifies a life that fails to mature, to produce anything of lasting value, or is abruptly terminated before completion. It's not merely a loss, but a loss of something that never even reached ripeness, emphasizing futility, unfulfilled potential, and a wasted existence.
* **"and shall cast off his flower as the olive":** This second clause parallels the first, likening the wicked person to an olive tree that sheds its blossoms before they can develop into the valuable olive fruit. This reinforces the theme of a lack of enduring outcome, suggesting a superficial abundance or initial promise that ultimately yields no substantial or beneficial harvest. It speaks to a life that may appear promising or even prolific in its early stages but ultimately produces nothing truly meaningful or enduring, culminating in barrenness.

#### Literary Devices
[Job 15:33](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - Agricultural Similes") is rich in literary technique, primarily employing **Simile** to draw direct comparisons between the fate of the wicked and natural agricultural processes. The explicit phrases "as the vine" and "as the olive" directly link human experience to the natural world, making the abstract concept of futility tangible and relatable. This pervasive use of **Agricultural Imagery** and **Metaphor** is central, transforming the familiar processes of grape and olive cultivation into powerful symbols of human destiny and divine judgment. The imagery of premature shedding of unripe fruit and blossoms vividly conveys a profound sense of waste, unfulfilled potential, and ultimate barrenness. Furthermore, the verse exhibits **Parallelism**, specifically **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the two clauses express similar ideas (premature loss, unfruitfulness, and divine rejection) using different but related images. This repetition reinforces the central message of the wicked's inevitable and unproductive end. From the broader narrative perspective of the [Book of Job](/job "The Book of Job - Challenging Retribution Theology"), there is an element of **Irony**, as Eliphaz intends this imagery to condemn Job, yet the book ultimately reveals that Job, a righteous man, suffers unjustly, challenging the very simplistic retribution theology Eliphaz espouses.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Eliphaz's statement, while part of a flawed theological argument concerning Job's suffering, taps into a broader biblical truth about the ultimate futility and instability of a life lived apart from God. The imagery of unfruitfulness and premature decay resonates with the biblical emphasis on genuine fruitfulness as a mark of righteousness and God's blessing, contrasting sharply with the barrenness associated with wickedness. It highlights the principle that true and lasting prosperity is not merely material but spiritual, rooted in a life that yields enduring good. While God's justice is not always immediate or simplistic as Eliphaz suggests, the ultimate end of those who persist in unrighteousness is indeed one of emptiness and a lack of lasting legacy, a theme consistently echoed throughout Scripture.

* [Psalm 1:3](/psalms/1-3 "Psalm 1:3 - The Blessed Man's Fruitfulness")
* [Psalm 37:2](/psalms/37-2 "Psalm 37:2 - The Swift Fading of the Wicked")
* [Matthew 7:19](/matthew/7-19 "Matthew 7:19 - Trees Known by Their Fruit")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Though Eliphaz misapplies this principle to Job, the vivid imagery of Job 15:33 offers profound insights for personal reflection. It serves as a stark reminder that a life built on unrighteousness, or even one that merely pursues fleeting, superficial gains, will ultimately prove unstable and unfruitful. The "unripe grape" and "fallen flower" challenge us to examine the true nature of our pursuits: are we cultivating a life that produces genuine, enduring spiritual fruit, or are we content with outward appearances and temporary successes that ultimately lead to barrenness? This verse calls us to consider the foundations upon which we build our lives, urging us to prioritize character, integrity, and a deep relationship with God over any ephemeral achievements. True prosperity and a lasting legacy are found not in material accumulation or worldly acclaim, but in a life that yields the precious fruit of righteousness, reflecting God's character and contributing to His eternal purposes, demonstrating a life lived in accordance with divine wisdom.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "unripe grapes" or "fallen flowers" might signify a lack of lasting fruitfulness or unfulfilled potential in your own life or pursuits?**
* **How does this imagery challenge the pursuit of fleeting success or superficial appearances over genuine spiritual growth and character?**
* **In what ways do you see the principle of "what you sow, you reap" playing out, both in your life and in the world around you, even if God's timing differs from human expectation?**

### FAQ
**Is Eliphaz's statement in Job 15:33 truly biblical wisdom, or is it flawed?**

Answer: Eliphaz's statement reflects a common *ancient wisdom tradition* that believed in direct, immediate retribution for sin—that suffering is always a punishment for wickedness. While the imagery of unfruitfulness for the wicked is indeed found elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., [Psalm 1](/psalms/1 "Psalm 1 - The Two Ways of Life")), the [Book of Job](/job "The Book of Job - Understanding Suffering") as a whole fundamentally challenges Eliphaz's simplistic application of this principle. Job's suffering is explicitly stated not to be due to his sin ([Job 1:8](/job/1-8 "Job 1:8 - God's Testimony of Job")), demonstrating that God's ways are more complex and mysterious than human wisdom often allows. Therefore, the *principle* that a life of unrighteousness ultimately leads to futility has biblical resonance, but Eliphaz's *application* of it to Job's specific situation is flawed and ultimately proven wrong by the narrative.

**How does the imagery of "unripe grape" and "flower" specifically convey the idea of futility?**

Answer: Both images speak to a profound sense of loss *before maturity or completion*, signifying a lack of lasting outcome. An [unripe grape](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - Unripe Grape") is sour, useless, and never becomes the valuable wine it was intended to be; it is discarded before it can fulfill its purpose. Similarly, an olive [flower](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - Olive Flower") is abundant but many fall off, never developing into the valuable olive fruit. This signifies a life that may have outward promise, activity, or even an initial appearance of success, but ultimately fails to produce anything of lasting value or substance, being cut short or rendered barren before achieving its intended purpose or full potential. It highlights a tragic unfulfillment and ultimate emptiness, underscoring the ephemeral nature of worldly pursuits without divine foundation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Eliphaz's imagery in [Job 15:33](/job/15-33 "Job 15:33 - The Fruitless Life") powerfully depicts the barrenness and premature end of a life separated from God, a consequence of sin. In stark contrast to this picture of futility, Jesus Christ is presented as the ultimate source of true fruitfulness and enduring life. While Eliphaz's theology implies that the wicked are cut off *because* of their sin, Christ, the perfectly righteous one, was "cut off from the land of the living" ([Isaiah 53:8](/isaiah/53-8 "Isaiah 53:8 - The Suffering Servant Cut Off")) not for His own sin, but to bear the barrenness and judgment due to us. He declares Himself to be the "true vine" ([John 15:1](/john/15-1 "John 15:1 - Jesus, the True Vine")), and those who abide in Him "will bear much fruit" ([John 15:5](/john/15-5 "John 15:5 - Abiding in the Vine")). Where sin produces "unripe grapes" and "fallen flowers"—lives of unfulfilled potential and ultimate decay—Christ, through His atoning sacrifice and the indwelling Spirit, transforms barrenness into abundant, lasting fruitfulness ([Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22 "Galatians 5:22-23 - The Fruit of the Spirit")). He is the one who provides the lasting legacy and eternal life that the wicked, described by Eliphaz, inherently lack, offering a new covenant of life and purpose that endures forever ([John 10:10](/john/10-10 "John 10:10 - Abundant Life in Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Revelation 6:13

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Deuteronomy 28:39

Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress [them], but shalt neither drink [of] the wine, nor gather [the grapes]; for the worms shall eat them.

Deuteronomy 28:40

Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint [thyself] with the oil; for thine olive shall cast [his fruit].

Isaiah 33:9

The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].