The Hebrew word kîyd, represented by H3589, denotes destruction or calamity. Derived from a primitive root meaning to strike, its definition carries the sense of a crushing blow. It appears 1 time across 1 unique verse in the Bible, making its single usage particularly significant.
The sole appearance of H3589 is in the book of Job, where it describes the fate of a wicked person. The text states, "His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty" Job 21:20. In this context, the destruction is not a distant or abstract event but a personal and immediate reality that the individual is forced to witness firsthand. It is explicitly linked to divine judgment, portrayed as an experience of consuming God's wrath.
The words used alongside H3589 in its only biblical context enrich its meaning:
- H5869 ʻayin (an eye): This word emphasizes direct, personal observation. While man looks on the outward appearance 1 Samuel 16:7, here the individual's own eyes are forced to see the calamity, making the judgment inescapable and experiential Job 21:20.
- H7200 râʼâh (to see): As the verb connected to the eye, it signifies perception and understanding. The person will not just be affected by destruction but will actively perceive and behold it, a theme of seeing God's works that appears throughout Scripture Psalms 34:8.
- H8354 shâthâh (to imbibe): Used figuratively here, it means to drink. This action transforms the destruction from an external event into an internal one, as the person must "drink" the wrath of God, much like the wicked drink from the cup of the LORD's judgment Psalms 75:8.
- H2534 chêmâh (wrath): This term defines the nature of the destruction. It is described elsewhere as a fury that burns like fire Jeremiah 4:4 and originates from God against his adversaries Nahum 1:2.
- H7706 Shadday (the Almighty): This name for God identifies the source of the wrath and destruction. It establishes the event not as a random misfortune but as an act of the one who holds ultimate power and authority Genesis 17:1.
The theological weight of H3589 is centered on the nature of divine retribution.
- Personal Accountability: The use of "his eyes shall see his destruction" underscores that judgment is not an impersonal force. The individual is made to witness the consequences of their actions directly Job 21:20.
- Judgment as an Experience: The metaphor of drinking H8354 God's wrath H2534 illustrates that divine judgment is something to be fully and personally consumed, an unavoidable and intimate consequence.
- Sovereign Justice: The calamity is explicitly identified as coming from the Almighty H7706. This reinforces that destruction, in this context, is an instrument of God's sovereign justice and a consequence of His chastening or fury Job 5:17.
In summary, H3589 kîyd is a powerful and specific term for destruction. Though used only once, its placement in Job 21:20, surrounded by words of sight, experience, and divine power, defines it as a profound and personal calamity. It vividly portrays divine judgment not as a random strike, but as a devastating consequence that the individual is forced to witness and internalize, delivered by the hand of the Almighty himself.
TRV