Job 20:12

Job 20:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
• New International Version (NIV)“Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue,

Context of Job 20:12

10Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches. 11Though they are young, their bones will lie in the dust. “They enjoyed the sweet taste of wickedness, letting it melt under their tongue. 13They savored it, holding it long in their mouths. 14But suddenly the food in their bellies turns sour, a poisonous venom in their stomach.

Job 20:12 word by word

אִם־תַּמְתִּ֣יק בְּפִ֣יו רָעָ֑ה יַ֝כְחִידֶ֗נָּה תַּ֣חַת לְשׁוֹנֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Though wickednessרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• be sweetמָתֹקmâthaq · be sweetH4985
• in his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• he hideכָּחַדkâchad · to hideH3582
• it under his tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956

Cross-references for Job 20:12

• Job 15:16How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!
• Genesis 3:6The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
• Proverbs 9:17“Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!”
• Proverbs 20:17Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.
• Psalms 10:7Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats. Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
• Psalms 109:17He loved to curse others; now you curse him. He never blessed others; now don’t you bless him.

Commentaries on Job 20:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth - This seems to refer to the secret sins mentioned above. Hide it under his tongue - This and the four following verses contain an allegory; and the reference is to a man who, instead of taking wholesome food, takes what is poisonous, and is so delighted with it because it is sweet, that he rolls it under his tongue, and will scarcely let it down into his stomach, he is so delighted with the taste; "he spares it…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth - Though he has pleasure in committing it, as he has in pleasant food. The sense of this and the following verses is, that though a man may have pleasure in indulgence in sin, and may find happiness of a certain kind in it, yet that the consequences will be bitter - as if the food which he ate should become like gall, and he should cast it up with loathing. There are many sins which, from the laws of our nature, are…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 The miserable condition of the wicked man in this world is fully set forth. The lusts of the flesh are here called the sins of his youth. His hiding it and keeping it under his tongue, denotes concealment of his beloved lust, and delight therein. But He who knows what is in the heart, knows what is under the tongue, and will discover it. The love of the world, and of the wealth of it, also is wickedness, and man sets his heart upon these…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. be--"taste sweet." Sin's fascination is like poison sweet to the taste, but at last deadly to the vital organs (Pr 20:17; Job 9:17, 18). hide ... tongue--seek to prolong the enjoyment by keeping the sweet morsel long in the mouth (so Job 20:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Job 20:12

• Hypocrisy
• Pleasure
• Sin
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Rain
• Short
• Tongue
• Zophar

Commentaries on Job 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings