Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
- BSB You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes.
- NKJV You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
- NASB “You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.
- NLT You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes.
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
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue and need not fear destruction. It promises shelter from slander and ruin.
Overview
Eliphaz assures protection from the lash of slander and from devastating destruction. God's care to shield his people from malicious tongues and disaster is a real comfort. Believers find their ultimate hiding place in Christ, in whom they are kept secure, so that no accusation finally stands against those whom God has justified.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ps 31:20Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
- Ps 91:5–7Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
- Prov 12:18There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
- Ps 55:21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
- Jer 18:18Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
- Jas 3:5–8Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
- Ps 57:4My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
- Isa 54:17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
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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 5:21 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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