Job 21:20

KJV

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

KJV (with Strong's)

His eyes {H5869} shall see {H7200} his destruction {H3589}, and he shall drink {H8354} of the wrath {H2534} of the Almighty {H7706}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Let their own eyes see their own destruction and themselves drink the wrath of Shaddai.

Berean Standard Bible

Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.

American Standard Version

Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 21:20 presents a solemn declaration from Job concerning the inevitable and personal judgment awaiting the wicked, directly challenging the simplistic retribution theology espoused by his friends. Despite any temporary prosperity or apparent impunity enjoyed by the ungodly in this life, Job asserts that they will ultimately and undeniably witness their own ruin and fully experience the intense, righteous indignation of God. This verse underscores the certainty of divine justice, affirming God's sovereignty over all human affairs and His absolute power to execute judgment, even if its timing differs from human expectation.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 21:20 is situated within Job's third and most forceful rebuttal to his friends, specifically countering Zophar's arguments from [Job 20](/job/20 "Job 20 - Zophar's Final Speech"). Throughout [Job 21](/job/21 "Job 21 - Job's Rebuttal: The Prosperity of the Wicked"), Job directly confronts the core tenet of his friends' theology: that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin, and prosperity a clear sign of righteousness. Job observes that, in reality, the wicked often flourish, live long lives, and die peacefully, seemingly escaping immediate divine punishment (e.g., [Job 21:7-13](/job/21-7 "Job 21:7-13 - The Prosperity of the Wicked")). However, even as he articulates this uncomfortable truth, Job does not abandon his belief in God's ultimate justice. Instead, [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") serves as a powerful counterpoint to his own observations, reaffirming that despite appearances, the wicked's judgment is certain, severe, and personal, albeit often delayed. This verse marks a pivot, where Job, having highlighted the apparent injustice, reasserts a foundational truth about God's character.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a region likely east of Edom, and reflects an ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition. While the exact historical period is debated, the patriarchal customs, the absence of Mosaic Law references, and the use of "El Shaddai" (Almighty God) suggest a very early period. The prevailing cultural belief among Job's friends, common in the ancient world, was the principle of immediate retribution: good deeds were instantly rewarded, and evil deeds swiftly punished. This "Deuteronomic theology" (though predating Deuteronomy) was a framework for understanding divine justice. Job's radical challenge in [Job 21](/job/21 "Job 21 - Job's Challenge to Retribution Theology") directly confronts this simplistic worldview, acknowledging the complex reality where the wicked often prosper. Yet, even within this challenge, [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Certainty of Divine Wrath") grounds itself in the broader ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine judgment, where gods were ultimately expected to uphold cosmic order and punish those who disrupted it, even if their timing was mysterious.

* **Key Themes:** [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") contributes significantly to several key themes within the book of Job. Firstly, it grapples with the **problem of suffering and divine justice**, specifically the prosperity of the wicked, a central tension in the book. Job's friends argue for a rigid cause-and-effect, while Job presents a more nuanced reality. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **God's sovereignty and inscrutable timing**. While Job challenges the *immediate* application of justice, he never denies God's ultimate power to judge, emphasizing that God's ways are beyond human comprehension or control (cf. [Job 9:10](/job/9-10 "Job 9:10 - God's Unsearchable Deeds")). Thirdly, the verse reinforces the **inevitability of divine judgment**, asserting that regardless of earthly appearances, God's wrath is a certain and personal experience for the unrepentant. This theme serves as a corrective to the superficial observations of the wicked's temporary success, pointing to a higher, eternal reckoning (cf. [Psalm 73:18-19](/psalms/73-18 "Psalm 73:18-19 - The Slippery Slope of the Wicked")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Destruction (Hebrew, _'eyd'_):** This term (אֵיד) signifies calamity, disaster, or ruin, often with a sense of suddenness or overwhelming force. It describes a complete and devastating end, not merely a setback. In the context of divine judgment, it implies an inescapable and comprehensive undoing of the wicked's perceived security and prosperity. It speaks to a final, irreversible state of ruin that they cannot escape.
* **Wrath (Hebrew, _chemah'_):** The Hebrew word (חֵמָה) denotes intense heat, burning anger, or fury. It is a strong term for passionate indignation, often used to describe God's righteous anger against sin and rebellion. When one "drinks" this wrath, it implies a full, personal, and internal experience of its consuming power, leaving no part untouched. It is not a mild displeasure but a consuming, active judgment.
* **Almighty (Hebrew, _Shaddai'_):** This profound name for God (שַׁדַּי) is one of the oldest and most frequently used divine titles in the book of Job. It emphasizes God's omnipotence, self-sufficiency, and His absolute power to both sustain and destroy. Its inclusion here underscores that the judgment described is not a random event or a mere consequence of natural law, but the direct, sovereign act of the all-powerful God, whose justice is inescapable and whose decrees are unchallengeable.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"His eyes shall see his destruction":** This clause emphasizes the personal and unavoidable nature of the wicked's downfall. It's not a distant or abstract judgment, but one they will witness with their own eyes. The phrase suggests a profound and terrifying realization of their ruin, a direct confrontation with the consequences of their actions. It implies a lack of escape or mitigation; they will be forced to acknowledge their own undoing.
* **"and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty":** This powerful metaphor depicts the full, unmitigated experience of God's judgment. "Drinking a cup" of something is a common biblical idiom for experiencing a full measure of it (e.g., suffering, joy, or wrath). Here, it signifies a complete and internalizing of God's intense, righteous anger. The "wrath of the Almighty" highlights the source and magnitude of this judgment – it comes from the all-powerful, sovereign God, ensuring its certainty and severity. The imagery suggests a forced consumption, an inescapable destiny.

#### Literary Devices
Job 21:20 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark message. **Imagery** is central, particularly the visual "His eyes shall see his destruction" and the visceral "he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty." These images are not merely descriptive but evoke a sense of personal, unavoidable, and complete experience of judgment. The act of "seeing" one's own destruction intensifies the terror and finality, while "drinking" the wrath conveys a full, internal, and inescapable consumption of divine fury. The phrase "drink of the wrath" is a powerful **metaphor**, transforming an abstract concept (wrath) into a tangible, consumable substance, emphasizing its overwhelming and personal impact. Furthermore, the verse uses **parallelism** in its two clauses, where the second clause ("he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty") amplifies and deepens the meaning of the first ("His eyes shall see his destruction"), moving from external observation to internal, consuming experience. The use of "Almighty" (Shaddai) serves as a form of **epithet**, underscoring the divine power and authority behind this inevitable judgment.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 21:20 stands as a crucial theological statement within the broader biblical narrative concerning divine justice. While Job challenges the simplistic, immediate retribution theology of his friends, this verse firmly reasserts the ultimate certainty of God's judgment against the wicked. It highlights that God's justice is not always immediate or visible to human eyes, but it is absolutely inevitable and personal. This concept resonates throughout Scripture, affirming God's moral governance of the universe and His commitment to upholding righteousness. The "cup of wrath" metaphor is particularly significant, symbolizing a full measure of divine judgment that the unrepentant must drink, emphasizing that no one can ultimately escape accountability before a holy God. This truth provides comfort to the righteous who may feel disheartened by the prosperity of the wicked, while simultaneously serving as a sober warning to those who persist in rebellion.

* [Isaiah 51:17](/isaiah/51-17 "Isaiah 51:17 - Jerusalem Drinks the Cup of Fury")
* [Jeremiah 25:15](/jeremiah/25-15 "Jeremiah 25:15 - The Wine Cup of God's Fury")
* [Revelation 14:10](/revelation/14-10 "Revelation 14:10 - Drinking the Wine of God's Wrath")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 21:20, though a stark declaration, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. In a world where injustice often seems to prevail and the wicked appear to prosper without consequence, this verse serves as a powerful anchor for faith, reminding us that God's justice is not contingent on our immediate perception or timeline. It encourages patience and trust in God's ultimate sovereignty, reassuring us that every act of wickedness will ultimately face divine reckoning. For those who might be tempted by the allure of worldly success gained through unrighteous means, it acts as a sober warning: temporary gain is no substitute for eternal ruin. The personal nature of the judgment – "his eyes shall see," "he shall drink" – calls for a deep introspection into one's own standing before God. It compels us to live lives aligned with God's righteousness, not out of fear alone, but out of a profound respect for His character and an understanding of the gravity of His justice. This verse ultimately calls for a reorientation of our perspective from fleeting earthly circumstances to the eternal, unshakeable reality of God's righteous judgment and His call to repentance.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job 21:20 challenge or affirm your understanding of God's justice in a world where the wicked often seem to prosper?**
* **What does the imagery of "seeing his destruction" and "drinking of the wrath" communicate about the personal and inescapable nature of divine judgment?**
* **In what ways might this verse encourage patience and trust in God's timing, rather than demanding immediate retribution for perceived wrongs?**

### FAQ
**Does Job 21:20 contradict Job's earlier arguments about the prosperity of the wicked?**

Answer: No, [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") does not contradict Job's earlier arguments; rather, it provides a crucial nuance and affirmation of his underlying belief in God's ultimate justice. Throughout [Job 21](/job/21 "Job 21 - Job's Rebuttal: The Prosperity of the Wicked"), Job challenges his friends' simplistic theology by pointing out the observable reality that the wicked often prosper and live long, peaceful lives (e.g., [Job 21:7-13](/job/21-7 "Job 21:7-13 - The Prosperity of the Wicked")). This was a direct refutation of their "retribution theology" which insisted on immediate punishment for sin. However, Job is not arguing that the wicked *never* face judgment or that God is unjust. Instead, [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") serves as his reaffirmation that despite appearances and delayed timing, divine judgment is absolutely certain and unavoidable for the unrepentant. He acknowledges the complexity of God's timing but never denies the certainty of God's wrath.

**What is the significance of the phrase "drink of the wrath"?**

Answer: The phrase "drink of the wrath" is a powerful and recurring biblical metaphor that signifies experiencing the full, unmitigated measure of divine judgment. It implies a personal, internal, and inescapable consumption of God's intense, righteous indignation against sin. This imagery is found throughout the Old Testament (e.g., [Isaiah 51:17](/isaiah/51-17 "Isaiah 51:17 - Jerusalem Drinks the Cup of Fury"), [Jeremiah 25:15](/jeremiah/25-15 "Jeremiah 25:15 - The Wine Cup of God's Fury")) and extends into the New Testament (e.g., [Revelation 14:10](/revelation/14-10 "Revelation 14:10 - Drinking the Wine of God's Wrath")). It communicates that God's wrath is not a light displeasure but a consuming, active force that will be fully poured out upon the wicked, leaving no part of their being untouched by its consequences. The act of "drinking" emphasizes the forced and unavoidable nature of this experience, highlighting that there is no escape from God's ultimate reckoning.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") speaks of the wicked seeing their destruction and drinking God's wrath, the New Testament reveals the ultimate fulfillment of divine judgment and, remarkably, God's provision for escape through Christ. The "cup of wrath" imagery finds its most profound expression in the person of Jesus. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane")). This "cup" was the full measure of God's righteous wrath against the sin of humanity, a wrath that [Job 21:20](/job/21-20 "Job 21:20 - The Wicked's Inevitable Judgment") declares the wicked will drink. Yet, Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, willingly drank that cup to its dregs on the cross, bearing the judgment that was due to us ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). His sacrifice means that for all who believe, the destruction and wrath described in Job 21:20 are averted. Instead of seeing their own destruction, believers are given new life in Him ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God So Loved the World")), and instead of drinking wrath, they drink from the cup of blessing, participating in His covenant of grace ([1 Corinthians 10:16](/1_corinthians/10-16 "1 Corinthians 10:16 - The Cup of Blessing")). Thus, Job's solemn warning of inescapable judgment for the wicked ultimately points to the glorious truth that in Christ, God's justice is satisfied, and His mercy triumphs for those who trust in Him, offering redemption from the very destruction and wrath described.

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

Isaiah 51:17

¶ Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, [and] wrung [them] out.

Revelation 14:10

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Psalms 75:8

For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [them].

Jeremiah 51:7

Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Revelation 19:15

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Psalms 60:3

Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.

Jeremiah 25:15

¶ For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.