Job 36:12

But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Elihu addresses Job and his companions, positioning the verse as the direct counterpoint to the prosperity promised in the preceding line. The words — The text states that those who do not hear will pass away and expire by a missile, literally rendered by כִּ֝בְלִי־ דָֽעַת (ki v.li Da.at) as "like not knowledge" or "without knowledge." The thread — The passage aligns with Job 4:21’s death without wisdom, Isaiah 3:11’s disaster for the wicked, and Romans 2:8’s wrath for those who follow wickedness. Why it lands — The verse plainly asserts that unrepentant disobedience results in violent death and spiritual blindness, demanding readers acknowledge the finality of rejecting divine instruction.

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

וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if לֹ֣אlo'not יִ֭שְׁמְעוּYish.me.'uthey will hear בְּשֶׁ֣לַחbe./She.lachby/ a missile יַעֲבֹ֑רוּya.'a.Vo.ruthey will pass away וְ֝יִגְוְע֗וּve./yig.ve.'Uand/ they may expire כִּבְלִי־ki/v.li-like/ not דָֽעַת׃Da.'atknowledge

King James Version

But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

Cross-references

Job 4:21 Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
Deuteronomy 29:15 but also with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God, as well as with those who are not here today.
Isaiah 1:20 But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
John 8:21 Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Job 15:22 He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.