Job 34:20
In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
Original Language Analysis
רֶ֤גַע׀
In a moment
H7281
רֶ֤גַע׀
In a moment
Strong's:
H7281
Word #:
1 of 11
a wink (of the eyes), i.e., a very short space of time
יָמֻתוּ֮
shall they die
H4191
יָמֻתוּ֮
shall they die
Strong's:
H4191
Word #:
2 of 11
to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
לָ֥יְלָה
H3915
לָ֥יְלָה
Strong's:
H3915
Word #:
4 of 11
properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity
עָ֣ם
and the people
H5971
עָ֣ם
and the people
Strong's:
H5971
Word #:
6 of 11
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ
and pass away
H5674
וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ
and pass away
Strong's:
H5674
Word #:
7 of 11
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
וְיָסִ֥ירוּ
shall be taken away
H5493
וְיָסִ֥ירוּ
shall be taken away
Strong's:
H5493
Word #:
8 of 11
to turn off (literally or figuratively)
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern culture revered the mighty—kings, warriors, nobles—as seemingly invulnerable. Their sudden deaths demonstrated divine sovereignty in ways that resonated powerfully. Israel's history provided examples: Pharaoh's firstborn, Sennacherib, Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:23). The phrase "without hand" anticipates Daniel 2:34's stone "cut out without hands" that destroys earthly kingdoms—God's kingdom comes through divine, not human, agency. Elihu's description would have evoked these precedents, reinforcing his argument for God's sovereign judgment.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the certainty of sudden death for the mighty challenge worldly values that prize power and security?
- What does God's ability to judge "without hand" teach about the futility of human attempts to protect ourselves from divine accountability?
- How should awareness that death can come "in a moment" affect your daily priorities and spiritual preparedness?
Analysis & Commentary
In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. Elihu describes sudden divine judgment without human agency. "In a moment" (rega, רֶגַע) means an instant, the blink of an eye—death comes without warning when God decrees it. "The people shall be troubled" (yegoa'u am, יְגֹעֲשׁוּ עָם) uses gua'ash (געש), meaning to shake, quake, or be in turmoil. "At midnight" (chatsoth laylah, חֲצוֹת לָיְלָה) emphasizes the unexpectedness—death strikes when people feel most secure.
The mighty shall be taken away without hand (yusaru abbirim velo ve-yad, יוּסָרוּ אַבִּירִים וְלֹא בְיָד) is theologically crucial. Abbirim (אַבִּירִים) are the powerful, strong, mighty ones who seem invincible. "Without hand" (lo ve-yad, לֹא בְיָד) means without human intervention—God needs no army, disease, or instrument to remove even the mightiest. This echoes Egypt's firstborn plague (Exodus 12:29, striking at midnight), Sennacherib's army destroyed by God's angel (2 Kings 19:35), and Belshazzar's death the night of Babylon's fall (Daniel 5:30). The verse emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty—human power, security measures, and status provide no protection against divine judgment. Yet Elihu again misapplies sound theology, implying Job's suffering evidences such judgment. The irony: God's "hand" has indeed struck Job (19:21), but for testing, not judgment. The verse ultimately points to final judgment when Christ returns "as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2)—sudden, unexpected, inescapable for the unprepared.