Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
Parallel translations
- WEB though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
- BSB though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth,
- NKJV Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth,
- NASB Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth,
- NLT They savored it, holding it long in their mouths.
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
The wicked man savors his sin, refusing to let it go and keeping it in his mouth. He clings to evil because he loves it.
Overview
Zophar continues the image: the wicked man lingers over his sin, unwilling to release the pleasure he holds dear. The picture exposes the heart's attachment to evil, hoarding it like a treasured taste. It illustrates the deceitfulness of sin, which entices us to cling to what will ultimately destroy us, and the need for a Savior to break its grip.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Matt 5:29–30And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
- Num 11:18–20And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
- Rom 8:13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
- Mark 9:43–49And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:13 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.