This verse highlights the destructive power of sin by comparing it to deadly poison that leads to unavoidable ruin.
“He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will kill him.” (v.16) In this passage, Zophar, one of Job’s friends, uses vivid imagery to describe dire consequences for a life of wickedness. The venom of cobras and the deadly bite of a viper illustrate how sin can bring about swift devastation. In context, Zophar believes that anyone who prospers through unjust means will inevitably face a bitter end, as though he were ingesting poison that will certainly destroy him. Although his perspective oversimplifies human suffering by attributing all hardship to personal wrongdoing, Zophar’s central warning rings with the caution that wicked pursuits often yield destructive consequences.
The cobra’s poison and the viper’s bite serve as a stark reminder that evil choices carry ruinous outcomes. To “suck the poison of cobras” points to willingly ingesting folly and harm; it pictures a self-inflicted fate, where the wicked person’s actions become their undoing. The “viper’s tongue” further underscores the sudden and lethal impact of sin, suggesting that once the poison has entered the soul, it ultimately leads to spiritual and moral collapse. Zophar’s speech underscores his belief that such a collapse is inevitable, though Scripture as a whole invites us to also consider God’s mercy and redemption for anyone who turns from wrongdoing.
In the broader narrative of Job, Zophar’s dramatic pronouncement is another example of how Job’s friends mistakenly see direct, immediate punishment as the only explanation for calamities. Still, this verse reminds the reader that departing from righteous living can be toxic to one’s heart and future. While Zophar’s words lack compassion toward Job’s suffering, they offer a cautionary principle: persistent wrongdoing can be self-destructive, much like taking in venom that first poisons and ultimately brings death.
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Job 20:16 meaning
“He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will kill him.” (v.16) In this passage, Zophar, one of Job’s friends, uses vivid imagery to describe dire consequences for a life of wickedness. The venom of cobras and the deadly bite of a viper illustrate how sin can bring about swift devastation. In context, Zophar believes that anyone who prospers through unjust means will inevitably face a bitter end, as though he were ingesting poison that will certainly destroy him. Although his perspective oversimplifies human suffering by attributing all hardship to personal wrongdoing, Zophar’s central warning rings with the caution that wicked pursuits often yield destructive consequences.
The cobra’s poison and the viper’s bite serve as a stark reminder that evil choices carry ruinous outcomes. To “suck the poison of cobras” points to willingly ingesting folly and harm; it pictures a self-inflicted fate, where the wicked person’s actions become their undoing. The “viper’s tongue” further underscores the sudden and lethal impact of sin, suggesting that once the poison has entered the soul, it ultimately leads to spiritual and moral collapse. Zophar’s speech underscores his belief that such a collapse is inevitable, though Scripture as a whole invites us to also consider God’s mercy and redemption for anyone who turns from wrongdoing.
In the broader narrative of Job, Zophar’s dramatic pronouncement is another example of how Job’s friends mistakenly see direct, immediate punishment as the only explanation for calamities. Still, this verse reminds the reader that departing from righteous living can be toxic to one’s heart and future. While Zophar’s words lack compassion toward Job’s suffering, they offer a cautionary principle: persistent wrongdoing can be self-destructive, much like taking in venom that first poisons and ultimately brings death.