Bible Strands
Job 21:24
His body is well nourished, and his bones are rich with marrow.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Job addresses his three companions during a debate over the fate of the wicked, describing a man who reaches death in peak physical condition while Job himself endures unexplained suffering.
The words — חָלָ֑ב (cha.Lav) = milk and עַצְמוֹתָ֣י/ו (atz.mo.Ta/v) = his bones. The Hebrew depicts the body as saturated with milk and watered marrow, emphasizing total physical nourishment.
The thread — This motif of bodily abundance appears in Job 15:27 and contrasts with the healing nourishment of Proverbs 3:8, while standing opposite the callous hearts described in Psalms 17:10.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that outward physical prosperity is neither a marker of divine favor nor a shield against mortality, as the surrounding verses show both the well-fed and the bitter meet death.
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
His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 3:8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
- Job 15:27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
- Psalms 17:10 They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.