Job 21 · Verse 33

Job 21:33

The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
Job 21:33, King James Version

Job 21:33 in other translations

BSBThe clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.
WEBThe clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
ASVThe clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
YLTSweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
DARBYThe clods of the valley are sweet unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.
BBEThe earth of the valley covering his bones is sweet to him, and all men come after him, as there were unnumbered before him.
WebsterThe clods of the valley will be sweet to him, and every man will draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

What does Job 21:33 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
33. As the classic saying has it, "The earth is light upon him." His repose shall be "sweet." draw--follow. He shall share the common lot of mortals; no worse off than they (He 9:27). Umbreit not so well (for it is not true of "every man"). "Most men follow in his bad steps, as countless such preceded him."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him - Perhaps there is an allusion here to the Asiatic mode of interment for princes, saints, and nobles: a well-watered valley was chosen for the tomb, where a perpetual spring might be secured. This was intended to be the emblem of a resurrection, or of a future life; and to conceal as much as possible the disgrace of the rotting carcass. Every man shall draw after him - There seem to be two allusions intended here: 1. To death, the common lot of all. Millions have gone before him to the tomb; and כל אדם col adam, all men, shall follow him: all past generations have died, all succeeding generations shall die also. 2. To pompous funeral processions; multitudes preceding, and multitudes following, the corpse.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 21:27-34

Job opposes the opinion of his friends, That the wicked are sure to fall into visible and remarkable ruin, and none but the wicked; upon which principle they condemned Job as wicked. Turn to whom you will, you will find that the punishment of sinners is designed more for the other world than for this, Jude 1:14, 15. The sinner is here supposed to live in a great deal of power. The sinner shall have a splendid…

Read the full comment on Job 21:27-34 →

Job 21:33 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מָֽתְקוּ\־ma.te.ku-they will be sweetH4985
ל֗וֹloto <the> him
רִגְבֵ֫יrig.Vei[the] clods ofH7263
נָ֥חַלNa.chal[the] wadiH5158
וְ֭אַחֲרָיוVe.'a.cha.ravand after himH310
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
אָדָ֣ם'a.DampersonH120
יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְyim.Shokhhe will followH4900
וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יוu.le.fa.Navand <to> before himH6440
אֵ֣ין'einthere notH369
מִסְפָּֽר\׃mis.Par[is] numberH4557

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 21:33

  • Hebrews 9:27

    And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

  • Job 30:23

    For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

  • Job 24:24

    They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

  • Ecclesiastes 12:7

    Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

  • Job 17:16

    They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

  • Job 3:22

    Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

  • Ecclesiastes 1:4

    One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:8

    There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

  • Genesis 3:19

    In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

  • Job 3:17-19

    There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sweet.
3:17,18
every man.
30:23; Ge 3:19; Ec 1:4; 8:8; 12:7; Heb 9:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 21:32

    Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

  • Job 21:33

    The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

  • Job 21:34

    How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

Read all of Job 21

Job 21:33 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los terrones del valle le serán dulces; y tras de él será llevado todo hombre, y antes de él han ido innumerables.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les mottes de la vallée lui sont douces; et après lui tout homme suit à la file, et ceux qui l’ont précédé sont sans nombre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Süß sind ihm die Schollen des Tales. Und hinter ihm her ziehen alle Menschen, und vor ihm her gingen sie ohne Zahl. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dulcis fuit glareis Cocyti, et post se omnem hominem trahet, et ante se innumerabiles.