The Meaning of Job 21:33 Explained

Job 21:33

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

YLT: Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.

Darby: The clods of the valley are sweet unto him; and every man followeth suit after him, as there were innumerable before him.

ASV: The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Job 21:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 21:1-34 - "shall Any Teach God?"
After a brief introduction, in which he claims the right to reply, Job 21:1-6, Job brings forward a new argument. He affirms that his friends are wrong in assuming that the connection between sin and suffering is invariable. On the contrary, he urges that wicked men often spend their lives in prosperity, on the farm, in the fold, and in the home, Job 21:10-11. Sounds of joy issue from their dwellings, Job 21:12. They die without prolonged torture, Job 21:13. From the contention of his friends, Job turns to the passer-by for confirmation of his words. Surely, he says, it is a matter of common observation that some wicked men do prosper and die in peace, Job 21:29.
With Job's answer the second colloquy ends. His friends have gained nothing by their arguments, but Job has learned much by his afflictions. On the dark background of his night the Morning Star has actually begun to shine. He appeals to God with greater confidence and even finds refuge in Him; but so far, though arguing his case, he has preserved a humble and reverent attitude. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 21

1  Job shows that even in the judgment of man he has reason to be grieved
7  Sometimes the wicked prosper, though they despise God
16  Sometimes their destruction is manifest
21  The happy and unhappy are alike in death
27  The judgment of the wicked is in another world

What do the individual words in Job 21:33 mean?

Shall be sweet to him the clods of the valley and him every Everyone shall follow and as before him as innumerable countless [have gone]
מָֽתְקוּ־ ל֗וֹ רִגְבֵ֫י נָ֥חַל וְ֭אַחֲרָיו כָּל־ אָדָ֣ם יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר

מָֽתְקוּ־  Shall  be  sweet 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָתַק  
Sense: to be or become sweet or pleasing.
ל֗וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
רִגְבֵ֫י  the  clods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֶגֶב  
Sense: clod (of earth).
נָ֥חַל  of  the  valley 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
וְ֭אַחֲרָיו  and  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אָדָ֣ם  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
יִמְשׁ֑וֹךְ  shall  follow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁךְ  
Sense: to draw, drag, seize.
וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו  and  as  before  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֵ֣ין  as  innumerable 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מִסְפָּֽר  countless  [have  gone] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִסְפָּר  
Sense: number, tale.