Job 34:20
New International Version
They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

New Living Translation
In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

English Standard Version
In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

Berean Standard Bible
They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand.

New American Standard Bible
“In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the powerful are taken away without a hand.

NASB 1995
“In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

NASB 1977
“In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

Legacy Standard Bible
In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

Amplified Bible
“In a moment they die, even at midnight The people are shaken and pass away, And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.

Christian Standard Bible
They die suddenly in the middle of the night; people shudder, then pass away. Even the mighty are removed without effort.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They die suddenly in the middle of the night; people shudder, then pass away. Even the mighty are removed without effort.

American Standard Version
In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.

Contemporary English Version
Even powerful rulers die in the darkness of night when they least expect it, just like the rest of us.

English Revised Version
In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They die suddenly in the middle of the night. People have seizures and pass away. Mighty people are taken away but not by human hands.

Good News Translation
We may suddenly die at night. God strikes us down and we perish; he kills the mighty with no effort at all.

International Standard Version
"They die suddenly, in the middle of the night; people suffer seizures and pass away; even valiant men can be taken away— and not by human hands.

Majority Standard Bible
They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

NET Bible
In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, people are shaken and they pass away. The mighty are removed effortlessly.

New Heart English Bible
In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.

Webster's Bible Translation
In a moment they shall die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

World English Bible
In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
[In] a moment they die, "" And at midnight people shake, "" And they pass away, "" And they remove the mighty without hand.

Young's Literal Translation
In a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.

Smith's Literal Translation
In a moment shall they die, and the middle of the night shall the people be moved and pass away: and the mighty shall be removed with not a hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall suddenly die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and they shall pass, and take away the violent without hand.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand.

New American Bible
in a moment they die, even at midnight. People are shaken, and pass away, the powerful are removed without lifting a hand;

New Revised Standard Version
In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
In a moment shall he die, and he shall be consumed at midnight, and pass away; he will be rendered powerless by the Almighty.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Suddenly they die, and in the middle of the night are consumed and are destroyed and they see The Almighty One, not in power
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But it shall turn out vanity to them, to cry and beseech a man; for they dealt unlawfully, the poor being turned aside from their right.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elihu Confirms God's Justice
19who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands. 20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. 21For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.…

Cross References
Psalm 104:29
When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.

Daniel 5:30
That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain,

1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Luke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Ecclesiastes 9:12
For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.

Isaiah 30:13
this iniquity of yours is like a breach about to fail, a bulge in a high wall, whose collapse will come suddenly—in an instant!

Matthew 24:44
For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.

1 Samuel 25:38
About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead.

Proverbs 29:1
A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Ezekiel 7:25
Anguish is coming! They will seek peace, but find none.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

Psalm 73:19
How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!

Isaiah 47:11
But disaster will come upon you; you will not know how to charm it away. A calamity will befall you that you will be unable to ward off. Devastation will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

a moment

Psalm 73:19
How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

Isaiah 30:13
Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

Isaiah 37:38
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

troubled

Exodus 12:29,30
And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle…

Isaiah 37:36
Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Matthew 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

the mighty shall be taken away.

1 Samuel 25:37-39
But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone…

1 Samuel 26:10
David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

Isaiah 10:16-19
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire…

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Job 34
1. Elihu accuses Job for charging God with injustice
10. God omnipotent cannot be unjust
31. Man must humble himself unto God
34. Elihu reproves Job














They die in an instant
This phrase underscores the suddenness and unpredictability of death. In the Hebrew text, the word for "instant" conveys a sense of immediacy and brevity. This reflects the biblical theme that life is fleeting and uncertain, as seen in James 4:14, which compares life to a mist. The suddenness of death serves as a reminder of human mortality and the need for spiritual readiness at all times.

in the middle of the night
Nighttime in biblical literature often symbolizes a time of vulnerability and danger. The Hebrew context here suggests a time when people are least prepared, emphasizing the unexpected nature of divine judgment. This imagery is consistent with other biblical passages where night represents a time of divine intervention or judgment, such as the Passover in Exodus 12.

the people are shaken
The Hebrew root for "shaken" implies a disturbance or upheaval. This can be understood as both a physical and spiritual shaking, where individuals and communities are confronted with the reality of divine power. This shaking serves as a metaphor for the transformative impact of God's actions, calling people to repentance and reflection.

and pass away
The phrase "pass away" is often used in Scripture to denote the transition from life to death. It highlights the transient nature of human existence. In the broader biblical narrative, this serves as a reminder of the eternal perspective, where earthly life is temporary, and the focus should be on eternal truths and the afterlife.

The mighty are removed
The term "mighty" refers to those in positions of power and influence. The Hebrew word used here can denote warriors, leaders, or those with significant social standing. The removal of the mighty without human intervention underscores God's sovereignty over all earthly powers, as seen in Daniel 2:21, where God is described as the one who deposes kings and raises others up.

without human hand
This phrase emphasizes the divine nature of the action. The absence of human involvement highlights that it is God who orchestrates these events. This reflects the biblical theme of God's ultimate authority and control over the affairs of the world, as seen in Isaiah 45:7, where God declares His role in creating both light and darkness, peace and calamity.

(20) In a moment shall they die--i.e., "they all alike die, rich and poor together; the hour of death is not hastened for the poor nor delayed for the rich. They all alike die."

Even at midnight the people are troubled. . . .--It is hard to think that the writer did not know of Exodus 12:29. It is better to read these statements as habitual presents and not as futures: "In a moment they die, even at midnight--the people are shaken and pass away," &c.

Verse 20. - In a moment shall they die. All lie under the same law of death -

"Pallida Mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas
Regumque turres."


(Horace,'Od.,' 1:4, 11. 13, 14.) In a moment, whenever God wills, they pass from life and disappear, the rich equally with the needy, the powerful prince as much as the outcast and the beggar. And the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away. (comp. Exodus 12:29; 2 Kings 19:35). Such sudden catastrophes are infrequent; but it is within the power of God to produce them at any time. When they occur, they strikingly exemplify the equality of his dealings with all classes of men, since none escape (Exodus 11:5; Exodus 12:29). And the mighty shall be taken away without hand; i.e. without human agency (comp. Daniel 2:34).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They die
יָמֻתוּ֮ (yā·mu·ṯū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

in a moment,
רֶ֤גַע ׀ (re·ḡa‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7281: A wink, a very short space of time

and at midnight;
וַחֲצ֪וֹת (wa·ḥă·ṣō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2676: Division, middle

the people
עָ֣ם (‘ām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

convulse
יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ (yə·ḡō·‘ă·šū)
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1607: To agitate violently

and pass away;
וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ (wə·ya·‘ă·ḇō·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

the mighty
אַ֝בִּ֗יר (’ab·bîr)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 47: Mighty, valiant

are removed
וְיָסִ֥ירוּ (wə·yā·sî·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

without
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

human hand.
בְיָֽד׃ (ḇə·yāḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Poetry: Job 34:20 In a moment they die even at (Jb)
Job 34:19
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