for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just saying that lust is destructive; he's calling it a "fire that consumes as far as Abaddon," which is ancient Hebrew for destruction or the grave. This vividly paints lust not just as a momentary temptation, but as a consuming force that can drag everything—body, soul, reputation, and resources—all the way down to the ultimate abyss.
for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is meticulously detailing his integrity, listing specific sins he has avoided, particularly in relation to sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage. He's presenting himself as someone who has lived righteously before God, challenging his accusers. This verse explains why he has guarded his heart and actions, describing adultery and lust as a consuming fire that would utterly destroy his reputation, wealth, and well-being.
Imagine a wildfire that doesn't just scorch the surface but burns down to the very roots of everything you've built. Job uses this vivid image to describe the devastating nature of lust.
Job declares that giving in to lust would be like a consuming fire. This isn't just about a temporary feeling; it's about a force that utterly destroys.
The Reach of the Flame
Erasing All That Grows
Job isn't just describing sin's effects; he's revealing the profound self-awareness and ethical boundaries that protected his integrity.
Job's strong statement isn't just a prediction of doom; it's a declaration of his active defense against temptation. He understood the internal battle and the consequences of yielding.
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The Internal Firestorm
The Fear That Protects
Understand the original words
abaddon · Hebrew Noun
A place of destruction, death, or the realm of the dead (Sheol). It represents the absolute end of earthly existence and stands in contrast to the presence of God.
This passage vividly illustrates the destructive 'fire' of adultery, explaining how it consumes a man's resources and brings ruin, much like Job describes the 'increase' being rooted out.
1 Corinthians 6:18Paul directly calls sexual immorality a sin 'against your own body,' echoing Job's understanding that this sin is not just external but deeply destructive to oneself, like a consuming fire.
Deuteronomy 32:22This verse speaks of God's anger kindling a fire that burns to the 'lowest hell,' highlighting the ultimate, destructive consequence of sin that Job hints at with 'destruction' and 'Abaddon'.
Proverbs 5:11-14Here, the consequence of straying into immorality is described as 'groaning at your final end' and 'wasting away,' which powerfully connects to Job's fear of this sin rooting out all his increase and leading to utter ruin.
wesleyJob 31:12: "For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase."
31:12 Destruction - Lust is a fire in the soul; it consumes all that is good there, the convictions, the comforts; and lays the conscience waste. It consumes the body, consumes the substance, roots out all the increase. It kindles the fire of God's wrath, which if not quenched by the blood of Christ, will burn to the lowest hell.
barnesJob 31:12: "For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase."
For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction - This may mean that such an offence would be a crime that would provoke God to send destruction, like a consuming fire upon the offender (Rosenmuller and Noyes), or more likely it is designed to be descriptive of the nature of the sin itself. According to this, the meaning is, that indulgence in this sin tends wholly to ruin and destroy a man. It is…
Job isn't just saying that lust is destructive; he's calling it a "fire that consumes as far as Abaddon," which is ancient Hebrew for destruction or the grave. This vividly paints lust not just as a momentary temptation, but as a consuming force that can drag everything—body, soul, reputation, and resources—all the way down to the ultimate abyss.
Job is meticulously detailing his integrity, listing specific sins he has avoided, particularly in relation to sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage. He's presenting himself as someone who has lived righteously before God, challenging his accusers. This verse explains why he has guarded his heart and actions, describing adultery and lust as a consuming fire that would utterly destroy his reputation, wealth, and well-being.
Job is meticulously detailing his integrity, listing specific sins he has avoided, particularly in relation to sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage. He's presenting himself as someone who has lived righteously before God, challenging his accusers. This verse explains why he has guarded his heart and actions, describing adultery and lust as a consuming fire that would utterly destroy his reputation, wealth, and well-being.
"for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase." — Job isn't just saying that lust is destructive; he's calling it a "fire that consumes as far as Abaddon," which is ancient Hebrew for destruction or the grave. This vividly paints lust not just as a…
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Last reviewed October 2026