Job 21:19
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
Original Language Analysis
יִצְפֹּן
layeth up
H6845
יִצְפֹּן
layeth up
Strong's:
H6845
Word #:
2 of 7
to hide (by covering over); by implication, to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk
לְבָנָ֥יו
for his children
H1121
לְבָנָ֥יו
for his children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
3 of 7
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
אוֹנ֑וֹ
his iniquity
H205
אוֹנ֑וֹ
his iniquity
Strong's:
H205
Word #:
4 of 7
strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol
Cross References
Exodus 20:5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;Isaiah 14:21Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.Jeremiah 31:29In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.Ezekiel 18:2What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern legal codes (Hammurabi, Hittite laws) often included punishments extending to offenders' families. Exodus 20:5 speaks of God "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children," but Deuteronomy 24:16 prohibits punishing children for fathers' crimes in human courts. Job's question addresses this tension: if earthly justice should be individual, why would divine justice operate collectively? This anticipates Ezekiel's explicit teaching on individual responsibility.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Job's critique of vicarious punishment illuminate the unique nature of Christ's substitutionary atonement?
- What does this passage teach about the relationship between corporate and individual aspects of sin and judgment?
- How should we respond when we see innocent people suffer consequences of others' wickedness?
Analysis & Commentary
Job quotes his friends' theology: "God layeth up his [the wicked man's] iniquity for his children." The Hebrew tsaphan (צָפַן, "layeth up") means to treasure or store, suggesting God reserves punishment. The phrase "he rewardeth him, and he shall know it" uses shalam (שָׁלַם, "rewardeth")—to recompense or repay. Job is critiquing vicarious punishment theology: why should the wicked man's children suffer for his sins when the man himself prospers? This challenges collective guilt concepts while affirming individual accountability. Reformed theology, grounded in Ezekiel 18:20 ("The soul that sinneth, it shall die"), recognizes that God's justice is ultimately personal, not merely corporate. Yet Job's protest also anticipates the mystery of Christ bearing sins not His own—vicarious punishment that leads to redemption rather than mere retribution.