Job 21:10 (KJV)

What does Job 21:10 mean?

Job 21:10 describes how the wicked seem to prosper: their bulls breed successfully and their cows give birth without miscarrying. The verse highlights that, in Job’s observation, even the livestock of the wicked flourish without trouble or loss.

Job is speaking to his friends, challenging their belief that suffering always comes as a punishment for wickedness. In this part of his speech, Job points out that those who do wrong often enjoy prosperity and security, even in the most basic and visible ways, like the health and productivity of their animals.

The Hebrew behind Job 21:10

• "gendereth" (עָבַר, ʿāvar): This word often means "to pass over" or "to cross," but here it carries the sense of a bull successfully impregnating a cow. The emphasis is on the unbroken success of the process.
• "faileth" (גָּעַע, gāʿaʿ): This word means "to fail" or "to miscarry." The verse stresses that the bull does not fail in breeding, highlighting uninterrupted prosperity.
• "calveth" (פָּלַט, pālaṭ): This word means "to give birth" or "to deliver." The cow gives birth without difficulty, again showing a lack of hardship.
• "casteth" (שָׁכַל, shākal): This word means "to miscarry" or "to lose offspring." The cow does not lose her calf, reinforcing the idea of continual blessing and no loss.

Why Job 21:10 matters

• Job 21:10 challenges the idea that prosperity is always a sign of righteousness and that suffering is always a sign of wickedness, which is a central theme in Job’s debate with his friends.
• The verse uses the prosperity of livestock—a key measure of wealth and stability in the ancient world—to make Job’s point concrete and relatable for his audience.
• By focusing on the everyday success of the wicked, Job underlines the complexity of life and the limits of simple moral formulas, encouraging deeper reflection on how and why people experience good or bad fortune.