Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's so easily missed is Job's shift to the third person, speaking of "he" as if observing himself from afar. This isn't just a change in grammar; it's his stunned realization that he's become so frail and consumed by suffering that he barely recognizes himself, seeing his own body decaying like rotten material or a moth-eaten garment.
Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is deep in his anguish, feeling relentlessly pursued and examined by God. He’s been comparing himself to fragile things like driven leaves and dry stubble, and here he continues to describe his own decaying state and the frailty of human existence, leading into the broader reflection on humanity in the next chapter.
Job starts talking about 'he,' but who is 'he'? Is it God, or Job himself?
Job shifts to speaking about himself in the third person here. It's a common literary device in ancient texts, and Job uses it to create a bit of distance, allowing him to describe his own dire condition with a certain objectivity. He's not just complaining; he's observing the stark reality of his decay.
Why the Change?
Job compares himself to rotten things and moth-eaten clothes. What does this extreme imagery reveal about his state and his view of God?
Job's vivid comparisons aren't just about physical decay; they're deeply theological. He sees his suffering as a sign of being consumed, almost as if God is actively bringing him to ruin.
The Ultimate Consumption
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Understand the original words
raqab · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the physical state of deterioration, decay, or corruption. Biblically, it emphasizes the frailty and temporary nature of human life when afflicted by suffering or aging.
This Psalm speaks of humans fading away like a mere breath or a moth-eaten garment, echoing Job's deep sense of decay and transience.
Isaiah 50:9This passage describes God's people being consumed like a garment by moths, highlighting the destructive power that can afflict those who face God's judgment or displeasure.
Hosea 5:12This verse directly compares Ephraim to a moth and Judah to rottenness, illustrating how sin and rebellion lead to a slow, inevitable decay and destruction.
Job 14:2Immediately following this verse, Job asks if God can set His gaze upon such a fragile, decaying creature, emphasizing the theme of human frailty that is central to Job 13:28.
clarkeJob 13:28: "And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten."
And he, as a rotten thing - I am like a vessel made of skin; rotten, because of old age, or like a garment corroded by the moth. So the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic understood it. The word he may refer to himself.
pooleJob 13:28: "And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten."
He; either, 1. Man, or Job, supposed to be God’s adversary in this contest. So he speaks of himself in the third person, as is usual in this and other sacred books. So the sense is, he , i.e. this poor frail creature, this carcass or body of mine, which possibly he pointed at with his finger, consumeth or pineth away, &c. So he mentions here the effect of God’s severe proceedings against him, to wit, his consump…
What's so easily missed is Job's shift to the third person, speaking of "he" as if observing himself from afar. This isn't just a change in grammar; it's his stunned realization that he's become so frail and consumed by suffering that he barely recognizes himself, seeing his own body decaying like rotten material or a moth-eaten garment.
Job is deep in his anguish, feeling relentlessly pursued and examined by God. He’s been comparing himself to fragile things like driven leaves and dry stubble, and here he continues to describe his own decaying state and the frailty of human existence, leading into the broader reflection on humanity in the next chapter.
Job is deep in his anguish, feeling relentlessly pursued and examined by God. He’s been comparing himself to fragile things like driven leaves and dry stubble, and here he continues to describe his own decaying state and the frailty of human existence, leading into the broader reflection on humanity in the next chapter.
"Man wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten." — What's so easily missed is Job's shift to the third person, speaking of "he" as if observing himself from afar. This isn't just a change in grammar; it's his stunned realization that he's become so f…
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Last reviewed October 2026