Job 33:20

20 Bread is made abominable to him in his life, and the meat, that before was to him desirable, loathed to his soul after. (And so for him, bread is made abominable, and the food, which he desired before, is now loathed by his soul.)

Job 33:20 Meaning and Commentary

Job 33:20

So that his life abhorreth bread
Through the force of pain he loses his appetite for food, and even a nausea of it takes place; he loathes it as the most abominable and filthy thing that can be thought of; even bread, so necessary to the support of human life, so strengthening to the heart of man, and what he every day stands in need of, and should pray for, and in health is never weary of; it may be put for all common and useful food:

and his soul dainty meat;
the most rich and delicious; such as the tables of the great and rich are furnished with: "food of desire" F16; or desirable food, as it may be rendered; see ( Daniel 10:3 ) ; such as in the time of health the appetite craves and desires, and is fed on with delight and pleasure, but now had in the utmost aversion. Pains and diseases of body often produce such a nausea in men, ( Psalms 107:17 Psalms 107:18 ) , and was Job's case, ( Job 3:24 ) ( 6:7 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F16 (hwat lkam) "cibum desiderii", Vatablus, Drusius, Michaelis; "cibum appetentiae", Mercerus.

Job 33:20 In-Context

18 and that he deliver his soul from corruption, and his life, that it go not into sword. (and so that he deliver his soul from corruption, and that he die not by the sword.)
19 Also God blameth a man by sorrow in his bed, and he maketh all the bones of him for to wax rotten. (And God correcteth a person by sending sickness to him in his bed, and he maketh all his bones to grow rotten.)
20 Bread is made abominable to him in his life, and the meat, that before was to him desirable, loathed to his soul after. (And so for him, bread is made abominable, and the food, which he desired before, is now loathed by his soul.)
21 His flesh shall fail for rot, and his bones, that were covered, shall be made naked.
22 His soul shall nigh to corruption, and his life to things bringing death.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.