Bible Strands
Job 20:28
The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Zophar speaks to Job during their debate over the fate of the wicked. He delivers this warning as Job’s suffering persists and his friends press him to acknowledge hidden sin.
The words — יִגֶל (yigel, “it will depart”) and נִגָּרוֹת (niggārot, “torrents”) frame the loss as sudden and uncontrollable. The imagery presents wealth vanishing like floodwaters rather than being gradually spent or earned.
The thread — The text’s judgment motif appears in Job 27:14, where the wicked’s offspring face violence and starvation, and in Zephaniah 1:18, where silver and gold cannot rescue anyone on the day of the Lord’s wrath. James 5:1 echoes this pattern by warning the rich of imminent misery.
Why it lands — The verse states that earthly possessions will not shield anyone from divine judgment. It requires readers to acknowledge that wealth is temporary and offers no final security against accountability.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
Cross-references
- Job 27:14 Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.
- Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.
- James 5:1 Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
- Revelation 18:17 For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance
- Deuteronomy 28:31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will save you.
- 2 Kings 20:17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
- Job 5:5 The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
- Job 20:10 His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
- Job 20:18 He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
- Job 21:30 Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.