His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
Parallel translations
- WEB His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.
- BSB The youthful vigor that fills his bones will lie down with him in the dust.
- NKJV His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it will lie down with him in the dust.
- NASB “His bones are full of his youthful strength, But it lies down with him in the dust.
- NLT Though they are young, their bones will lie in the dust.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Zophar says the wicked man's bones, full of youthful vigor, will lie down with him in the dust. His strength cannot save him from death.
Overview
Even the vitality of the wicked man's youth offers no escape; his strength is buried with him in the grave. The verse stresses that bodily vigor is no defense against the judgment that overtakes the godless. It sounds the universal note that strength and life itself are fleeting, urging all to seek a hope that outlasts the dust (Psalm 90:10).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Job 13:26For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.
- Ps 25:7Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
- Job 21:26They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
- Ezek 24:13In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.
- John 8:24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
- Ezek 32:27And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
- Prov 5:11–13And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
- Prov 5:22–23His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
- Acts 1:25That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
- Job 19:20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
- Prov 14:32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
- John 8:21Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 20:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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