Job 33:20-22 Meaning: When Sickness Steals Our Cravings
20so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
21His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen. His bones that were not seen stick out.
22Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
20So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
20So that his life abhorreth bread, And his soul dainty food.
21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; And his bones that were not seen stick out.
22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
20And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!
22And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.
20And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
Meaning in one sentence
Elihu explains that losing appetite for food and flesh wasting away is part of God’s loving discipline, drawing us back from destruction.
Context
Elihu, a younger friend of Job, speaks in Job 33. He offers a different perspective from Job’s other comforters. Elihu believes that God speaks to people in many ways, sometimes through pain. In these verses, he describes a person who is severely ill. The sickness takes away the desire for even the most basic and cherished food. The body wastes away until bones stick out. Life itself seems to slip toward the grave and the forces of death. Elihu presents this not as a final judgment but as a warning from God. It is a severe mercy meant to stop the person from continuing in pride or self-destruction. The chapter goes on to show how an angel can then interpret the meaning of the suffering and lead the person to repentance and restoration.
Key Words
The verb behind “abhors” or “loathes” is the Hebrew zaham. It means to feel a deep revulsion, the kind of nausea that makes good food unappealing. In the Bible, bread often stands for everything that sustains life. When even that is turned away, something has gone terribly wrong. The Hebrew shachat, translated “pit,” is a common word for the grave or destruction. It is not just a hole in the ground; it carries the sense of ruin and decay. And “the destroyers” (memitim) are literally “those who cause death.” Some commentators see them as angels of death sent by God. Others read them as the death pangs themselves. Together, these three words paint a picture of a person completely emptied of strength and hope. The loss of appetite is more than a symptom. It is a signal that the soul itself is being stripped of false comforts.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage in different ways. Some, like the eighteenth-century Methodist commentator Adam Clarke, see it as a natural description of severe illness and its effects on the body. Matthew Henry, a Presbyterian pastor, viewed the loss of appetite as part of God’s discipline to humble pride and turn the heart from sinful desires. The Reformed scholar Albert Barnes noted that Elihu regards the physical wasting as a purposeful part of God’s training, not merely a random tragedy. Catholic traditions might emphasize how suffering can purify the soul and make it ready for grace. In every reading, these verses are part of a larger story: God does not leave a person in the pit but provides a way back through repentance and a mediator.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume that Elihu is describing Job’s own situation here. But Elihu is speaking in general terms about how God can use sickness to instruct anyone. Another mistake is to think that these verses teach that all illness is direct punishment for specific sins. In fact, the passage presents the suffering as a warning, not a final verdict. The purpose is to draw the person back from the pit, not to condemn them. The book of Job as a whole shows that suffering is not always tied to personal guilt.
Living This Out
If you have ever been so ill that even your favorite food turned your stomach, you know how disorienting that feels. Your body, which normally craves what it needs, suddenly rejects it. This passage invites you to ask: What else have I lost appetite for? Maybe not bread, but prayer, Scripture, or the company of God’s people. A season of weakness can be an unexpected gift. It can strip away the distractions that kept you from seeing your true need. This week, pay attention to what you no longer crave. It might be the very place where God is trying to get your attention. Let the emptiness be a question you bring to Him, not a sentence you endure alone.
Main takeaway: God can use the weakness of our bodies and the loss of our desires to call us back from destruction and into restoration.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Have you ever been so sick that you didn't even want to eat your favorite snack? That is what this verse talks about. When our bodies feel bad, it can remind us that we need God to make us well again.
For ages 9, 12
In Job 33, Elihu says that sometimes God lets us get really sick so we will stop and listen. When even good food tastes bad and our body starts to waste away, it is like an alarm clock. God wants us to know that we are heading toward a dangerous place, and He wants to pull us back. He does not leave us there. He sends someone to help us understand and to show us the way home. Sickness can be a warning sign, not the end of the story.
Questions People Ask
Who are “the destroyers” in Job 33:22?
The Hebrew word is memitim, which means “those who cause death.” Some ancient commentators understood this as angels sent by God to end a person’s life, similar to the destroyer in 2 Samuel 24. Others see it as a poetic way of describing the pangs of death or deadly diseases themselves. Either way, the verse pictures a person at the very edge of life.
Does Elihu believe that God causes all sickness as punishment?
Not exactly. Elihu presents severe illness as a warning from God, a way to stop a person from continuing in pride or sin. He says this happens so that God can “withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man” (Job 33:17). But the passage goes on to describe how God provides a way back: an angel who explains the meaning, a ransom, and full restoration.
What does “his soul abhors bread” mean?
Bread in the Bible often stands for food in general, for the basic thing that keeps us alive. The Hebrew word zaham means a deep loathing or revulsion. The verse describes a complete loss of appetite, even for the most essential nourishment. It is a vivid picture of how sickness can take away the very desire to live.
Is this passage describing Job himself?
Elihu is not speaking directly about Job here. He is describing a general pattern of how God deals with people. He says, “He is chastened also with pain on his bed” (Job 33:19) and then describes that person’s suffering. Some of the language echoes Job’s own complaints, but Elihu is telling a story about how God can use suffering to teach anyone.
What does the “pit” mean in this verse?
The Hebrew word is shachat, which is often used for the grave or the place of destruction. It is similar to Sheol, the realm of the dead. In this context, it describes the brink of death. But the chapter does not end there. Verses 23 and 24 show that God can “deliver him from going down to the pit” when a ransom is found.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study