He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights how the very "pleasures" wicked people greedily consume will turn deadly, like ingesting serpent venom. It's a vivid image of how sin, initially seeming sweet or harmless, ultimately brings fatal destruction from within.
He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zophar continues his harsh judgment, vividly describing the wicked person's inevitable downfall. He argues that the very pleasures and ill-gotten gains the wicked person pursued will turn to poison, leading to a swift and inescapable destruction. This dire prediction follows Zophar's assertion that wickedness ultimately leaves the perpetrator empty and broken, regardless of outward appearances.
Imagine tasting something incredibly sweet, only for it to turn into a deadly poison. That's the stark imagery Zophar uses to describe the wicked man's fate.
Zophar powerfully illustrates how the very things the wicked man pursues and delights in will ultimately destroy him.
The Deceptive Allure of Sin
The verse speaks of 'sucking the poison of cobras.' This isn't about an external attack, but an internal corruption. The 'poison' represents the sinful gains, the ill-gotten wealth, or the secret sins the wicked man has eagerly pursued and enjoyed. He has 'sucked' them in, like taking a delicious morsel or a nourishing drink. The Hebrew word used suggests a greedy, insatiable consumption.
The Inevitable Collapse
But this perceived sweetness is a dangerous deception. What he has embraced with delight will turn into something lethal, like the venom of a cobra or a viper. His ill-gotten gains will bring no lasting satisfaction or security. Instead, they will become the source of his destruction, leading to ruin and death. It's a reminder that what seems attractive and beneficial in the moment can carry devastating consequences.
Zophar uses potent natural imagery – cobras and vipers – to paint a picture of unavoidable destruction. But is he just a naturalist, or is he speaking of divine justice?
The vivid imagery of serpents in Job 20:16 serves as a powerful metaphor for the finality and deadliness of God's judgment against the wicked.
Fierce and Fatal Enemies
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Zophar declares, 'the tongue of a viper will kill him.' While ancient understanding of snake venom was sometimes mixed (confusing the tongue with the fang or the poison source), the intent is clear: the viper represents a swift, deadly, and incurable threat. The viper's bite was feared for its quick and certain death.
God's Retribution
In the context of Job's struggle, Zophar is not simply describing natural dangers. He's applying these terrifying images to the wicked man's destiny. This isn't just bad luck; it's the consequence of his actions, ordained by God. The viper's bite signifies an inescapable judgment, a final end that comes from the very source of his iniquity. It underscores that the wicked will not escape divine retribution.
Understand the original words
ro’sh · Hebrew Noun
A highly toxic substance, often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent the destructive, deceitful, and deadly nature of sin, wickedness, or the words of the ungodly.
pethen · Hebrew Noun
A general term for dangerous, venomous snakes; often used symbolically to denote the malicious, treacherous, and lethal behavior of the wicked.
lashon · Hebrew Noun
The primary instrument of human speech; in Scripture, it is frequently associated with the moral state of the heart, capable of both blessing and profound destruction through lies and malice.
’eph’eh · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical term for a deceitful or dangerous person; biblically associated with the destructive and deadly nature of those who oppose God’s ways.
This Psalm speaks of 'sharpening their tongues like a serpent's,' directly echoing the imagery of deadly, venomous speech that can bring destruction, much like the viper's tongue in Job.
Romans 3:13Paul quotes Old Testament passages describing the speech of the ungodly, including 'the poison of asps is under their lips,' highlighting how sin corrupts even the most fundamental expressions of human interaction.
Hebrews 12:15This passage warns against a 'root of bitterness springing up' which defiles many, connecting the internal poison of sin and malice to the destructive, pervasive effects described by the viper's poison.
James 3:8James states that 'the tongue can no man tame. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison,' underscoring the inherent destructive power of uncontrolled speech, which Job's accuser Zophar is using.
clarkeJob 20:16: "He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him."
He shall suck the poison of asps - That delicious morsel, that secret, easily-besetting sin, so palatable, and so pleasurable, shall act on the life of his soul, as the poison of asps would do on the life of his body. The poison is called the gall of asps, it being anciently supposed that the poison of serpents consists in their gall, which is thought to be copiously exuded when those animals are enraged; as it ha…
jfbJob 20:16: "He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him."
- shall suck—It shall turn out that he has sucked the poison, &c.
This verse highlights how the very "pleasures" wicked people greedily consume will turn deadly, like ingesting serpent venom. It's a vivid image of how sin, initially seeming sweet or harmless, ultimately brings fatal destruction from within.
Zophar continues his harsh judgment, vividly describing the wicked person's inevitable downfall. He argues that the very pleasures and ill-gotten gains the wicked person pursued will turn to poison, leading to a swift and inescapable destruction. This dire prediction follows Zophar's assertion that wickedness ultimately leaves the perpetrator empty and broken, regardless of outward appearances.
Zophar continues his harsh judgment, vividly describing the wicked person's inevitable downfall. He argues that the very pleasures and ill-gotten gains the wicked person pursued will turn to poison, leading to a swift and inescapable destruction. This dire prediction follows Zophar's assertion that wickedness ultimately leaves the perpetrator empty and broken, regardless of outward appearances.
"He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him." — This verse highlights how the very "pleasures" wicked people greedily consume will turn deadly, like ingesting serpent venom. It's a vivid image of how sin, initially seeming sweet or harmless, ultim…
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Last reviewed October 2026