Job 33:20
“So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.”
In this verse, Elihu, one of Job’s friends, is speaking to Job as he tries to make sense of Job’s suffering and offers his perspective on the matter. Elihu is attempting to explain that God sometimes uses affliction as a means of discipline and correction for His people.
Let’s examine the verse in its context by looking at the preceding and following verses:
Verse 19 (Job 33:19, KJV): “He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain.”
This verse refers to the affliction or suffering that the person being discussed experiences. It suggests that the person is plagued with severe physical pain, possibly on their bed of illness.
Verse 21 (Job 33:21, KJV): “His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.”
This verse continues the description of the physical suffering endured by the individual. It describes how the person’s flesh wastes away, becoming emaciated, and their bones become visible due to their extreme condition.
Now, let’s focus on Job 33:20 itself:
“So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.”
This verse portrays the extent of the person’s suffering by indicating their loss of appetite and aversion to even the most desirable food. The phrase “his life abhorreth bread” suggests that the individual has lost interest in eating and finds no pleasure or sustenance in basic sustenance like bread. The mention of the soul rejecting “dainty meat” indicates that even luxurious or highly desirable food fails to entice them. The verse depicts a condition of deep physical and emotional distress.
Overall, this verse, along with the surrounding verses, illustrates the intense suffering experienced by the person being discussed. It highlights the severity of their affliction, both physically and emotionally, as they face a loss of appetite and aversion to even the most appealing food. Elihu uses this description to emphasize the depth of the person’s suffering and to emphasize his point about the disciplinary nature of affliction in the broader context of his speech to Job.
