Job 19:20
My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "escaped by the skin of my teeth" isn't about teeth at all, but a vivid, ancient way to describe a shockingly narrow survival, as if the only part left intact was the thin covering around the gums. Job is saying he's utterly emaciated, skin and bones, and his survival itself is almost unbelievable, like a miracle on the smallest possible scale.
Job is describing the horrific physical state of his diseased body, so emaciated that his bones are becoming visible beneath his withered skin. He feels utterly broken and barely clinging to life, using a vivid idiom to express his incredibly narrow escape from complete destruction.
Job describes a physical state so extreme, it’s hard to imagine. What does this imagery tell us about his suffering?
Job uses vivid language to paint a picture of his utter physical devastation.
Skin and Bone
When Job says, "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh," he's not just saying he's thin. He's describing a body so emaciated that the flesh has dried up and shrunk away, leaving the bone seemingly attached directly to the skin. It’s a visceral image of extreme wasting, where the body’s protective layers are all but gone.
The Weight of Affliction
This isn't just about appearance; it's about the deep, painful reality of his disease. This level of physical decay speaks to the overwhelming power of his suffering, impacting every aspect of his being. It's a stark reminder of how profoundly physical hardship can affect us.
What does this strange, almost comical idiom reveal about Job's perilous situation?
The phrase "escaped with the skin of my teeth" is a powerful idiom that Job uses to convey the sheer precariousness of his survival.
A Narrow Escape
Scholars debate the exact origin of this phrase, but its meaning is clear: Job has had an incredibly narrow escape from death. It suggests that he is left with barely anything – just the most minimal part of himself, like the thin layer of skin that covers even the gums of his teeth.
Survival Against All Odds
This idiom highlights that his continued existence feels almost accidental, a thread of life hanging by the slightest of margins. It underscores the intensity of his affliction and the feeling that he was on the very brink of annihilation, yet somehow, miraculously, still alive.
This passage echoes Job's profound physical suffering, stating 'I am like a pelican in the wilderness; I am like an owl that is in the desert. I lay awake; I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.' This imagery powerfully conveys a sense of isolation and emaciation, mirroring Job's description of his bones adhering to his skin.
Lamentations 4:8Here, the prophet laments the suffering of Jerusalem, describing the afflicted as having 'their appearance is blackened against their bones; they are withered away on their bones.' This parallel vividly illustrates the extreme emaciation Job describes, where the physical frame is so reduced that the bones become prominent through the skin.
Job 33:21Elihu describes a similar state of suffering, saying, 'His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, come forth.' This provides another perspective on the same phenomenon of extreme wasting, underscoring the severity of the affliction that makes the bones visible through the thinning flesh.
Luke 16:19-31The parable of the rich man and Lazarus, though not a direct parallel, speaks to extreme suffering and the desperate need for relief. The rich man in Hades, begging for a drop of water, is a picture of profound torment and physical distress that resonates with the desperate state Job finds himself in, emphasizing the sheer misery of his condition.
barnesJob 19:20: "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth."
My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh - The meaning of this probably is, "my skin and flesh are dried up so that the bone seems adhere to the skin, and so tht the form of the bone becomes visible." It is designed to denote a state of great emaciation, and describes an effect which we often see. And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth - A very difficult expression, and which has greatly…
clarkeJob 19:20: "My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth."
My bone cleaveth to my skin - My flesh is entirely wasted away, and nothing but skin and bone left. I am escaped with the skin of my teeth - I have had the most narrow escape. If I still live, it is a thing to be wondered at, my sufferings and privations have been so great. To escape with the skin of the teeth seems to have been a proverbial expression, signifying great difficulty. I had as nar…
The phrase "escaped by the skin of my teeth" isn't about teeth at all, but a vivid, ancient way to describe a shockingly narrow survival, as if the only part left intact was the thin covering around the gums. Job is saying he's utterly emaciated, skin and bones, and his survival itself is almost unbelievable, like a miracle on the smallest possible scale.
Job is describing the horrific physical state of his diseased body, so emaciated that his bones are becoming visible beneath his withered skin. He feels utterly broken and barely clinging to life, using a vivid idiom to express his incredibly narrow escape from complete destruction.
Job is describing the horrific physical state of his diseased body, so emaciated that his bones are becoming visible beneath his withered skin. He feels utterly broken and barely clinging to life, using a vivid idiom to express his incredibly narrow escape from complete destruction.
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"My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth." — The phrase "escaped by the skin of my teeth" isn't about teeth at all, but a vivid, ancient way to describe a shockingly narrow survival, as if the only part left intact was the thin covering around…
