Job 24:20

Job 24:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
• New International Version (NIV)The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; the wicked are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The womb forgets them; the worm finds them sweet; they are no longer remembered, so wickedness is broken like a tree.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree.

Context of Job 24:20

18“He is foam on the surface of water; their portion of the land is cursed; no one turns toward their vineyards. 19As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so Sheol, takes away those who have sinned. The womb forgets him, the worm feasts on him, no longer will he be remembered. But like a tree, wickedness is broken. 21He feeds on the barren and childless woman, and shows no kindness to the widow. 22But He drags off the mighty by His power; He raises up, yet no one has assurance of life.

Job 24:20 word by word

יִשְׁכָּ֘חֵ֤הוּ רֶ֨חֶם׀ מְתָ֘ק֤וֹ רִמָּ֗ה ע֥וֹד לֹֽא־יִזָּכֵ֑ר וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֖ר כָּעֵ֣ץ עַוְלָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The wombרֶ֫חֶםrechem · wombH7358
• shall forgetשָׁכַחshâkach shâkêach · to forgetH7911
• him; the wormרִמָּהrimmâh · wormH7415
• shall feed sweetlyמָתָקmâthâq · become sweetH4988
• on him; he shall be no more rememberedזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• and wickednessעַוְלָה‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
• shall be brokenשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
• as a treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Job 24:20

• Job 17:14if I say to the pit, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ or ‘My sister,’
• Job 19:26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
• Proverbs 10:7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
• Ecclesiastes 8:10Then I saw the wicked buried—they used to come and go from the holy place, but will soon be forgotten in the very city where they did this. This too is meaningless.
• Isaiah 26:14The dead do not live— dead souls do not rise. Thus You punished and destroyed them and wiped out all memory of them.
• Job 14:7“At least there is hope for a tree— if it is cut down it will sprout again, and its shoots will not cease.
• Job 18:16Below his roots dry up, and above his branches wither.
• Daniel 4:14This sentence is by the decree of the watchers, this verdict by the command of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man and bestows it to whomever He wishes, and may set over them even the lowliest of men.’
• Matthew 3:10Already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!

Commentaries on Job 24:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The womb shall forget him - The mother that bare him shall have no affection for him, nor be afflicted at his death. But the word רחם rechem signifies compassion, mercy. Mercy shall be unmindful of him. How dreadful such a state! When mercy itself forgets the sinner, his perdition slumbereth not. The worm shall feed sweetly on him - The Chaldee has, "The cruel, who have neglected to commiserate the poor, shall be sweet to the worms." He shall be brought…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The womb shall forget him - His mother who bare him shall forget him. The idea here seems to be, that he shall fade out of the memory, just as other persons do. He shall not be overtaken with any disgraceful punishment, thus giving occasion to remember him by a death of ignominy. At first view it would seem to be a calamity to be soon forgotten by a mother; but if the above interpretation be correct, then it means that the condition of his death would be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Sometimes how gradual is the decay, how quiet the departure of a wicked person, how is he honoured, and how soon are all his cruelties and oppressions forgotten! They are taken off with other men, as the harvestman gathers the ears of corn as they come to hand. There will often appear much to resemble the wrong view of Providence Job takes in this chapter. But we are taught by the word of inspiration, that these notions are formed in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-24These ideas seem to go against Job's observations. Some scholars think Bildad or Zophar might have said them. However, Job might have been speaking against evil people, making fun of his friends' opinions by quoting them. Or he might have meant that the fate of evil people also affects those in a right relationship with God. His friends described this earlier (5:2–7; 15:17–25; 8:8–19; 18:5–21; 20:4–29; 21:23–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-242-24. Instances of the wicked doing the worst deeds with seeming impunity (Job 24:2-24). Some--the wicked. landmarks--boundaries between different pastures (De 19:14; Pr 22:28).Read the comment

Topics related to Job 24:20

• Death
• Homicide
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Covering
• Light
• Pluck
• Tread
• Worm
• Forget; Forgetful
• Job, Book of

Commentaries on Job 24

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary