Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Job » Chapter 21 » Verse 17-34

Job 21:17-34 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

17 How oft is the candle H5216 of the wicked H7563 put out! H1846 and how oft cometh H935 their destruction H343 upon them! God distributeth H2505 sorrows H2256 in his anger. H639

18 They are as stubble H8401 before H6440 the wind, H7307 and as chaff H4671 that the storm H5492 carrieth away. H1589

19 God H433 layeth up H6845 his iniquity H205 for his children: H1121 he rewardeth H7999 him, and he shall know H3045 it.

20 His eyes H5869 shall see H7200 his destruction, H3589 and he shall drink H8354 of the wrath H2534 of the Almighty. H7706

21 For what pleasure H2656 hath he in his house H1004 after H310 him, when the number H4557 of his months H2320 is cut off in the midst? H2686

22 Shall any teach H3925 God H410 knowledge? H1847 seeing he judgeth H8199 those that are high. H7311

23 One dieth H4191 in his full H8537 strength, H6106 being wholly at ease H7946 and quiet. H7961

24 His breasts H5845 are full H4390 of milk, H2461 and his bones H6106 are moistened H8248 with marrow. H4221

25 And another dieth H4191 in the bitterness H4751 of his soul, H5315 and never eateth H398 with pleasure. H2896

26 They shall lie down H7901 alike H3162 in the dust, H6083 and the worms H7415 shall cover H3680 them.

27 Behold, I know H3045 your thoughts, H4284 and the devices H4209 which ye wrongfully imagine H2554 against me.

28 For ye say, H559 Where is the house H1004 of the prince? H5081 and where are the dwelling H4908 places H168 of the wicked? H7563

29 Have ye not asked H7592 them that go H5674 by the way? H1870 and do ye not know H5234 their tokens, H226

30 That the wicked H7451 is reserved H2820 to the day H3117 of destruction? H343 they shall be brought forth H2986 to the day H3117 of wrath. H5678

31 Who shall declare H5046 his way H1870 to his face? H6440 and who shall repay H7999 him what he hath done? H6213

32 Yet shall he be brought H2986 to the grave, H6913 and shall remain H8245 in the tomb. H1430

33 The clods H7263 of the valley H5158 shall be sweet H4985 unto him, and every man H120 shall draw H4900 after H310 him, as there are innumerable H4557 before H6440 him.

34 How then comfort H5162 ye me in vain, H1892 seeing in your answers H8666 there remaineth H7604 falsehood? H4604

Commentary on Job 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 21

SECOND SERIES.

Job 21:1-34. Job's Answer.

2. consolations—If you will listen calmly to me, this will be regarded as "consolations"; alluding to Eliphaz' boasted "consolations" (Job 15:11), which Job felt more as aggravations ("mockings," Job 21:3) than consolations (Job 16:2).

3. literally, "Begin your mockings" (Job 17:2).

4. Job's difficulty was not as to man, but as to God, why He so afflicted him, as if he were the guilty hypocrite which the friends alleged him to be. Vulgate translates it, "my disputation."

if it were—rather, "since this is the case."

5. lay … hand upon … mouth—(Pr 30:32; Jud 18:19). So the heathen god of silence was pictured with his hand on his mouth. There was enough in Job's case to awe them into silence (Job 17:8).

6. remember—Think on it. Can you wonder that I broke out into complaints, when the struggle was not with men, but with the Almighty? Reconcile, if you can, the ceaseless woes of the innocent with the divine justice! Is it not enough to make one tremble? [Umbreit].

7. The answer is Ro 2:4; 1Ti 1:16; Ps 73:18; Ec 8:11-13; Lu 2:35-end; Pr 16:4; Ro 9:22.

old—in opposition to the friends who asserted that sinners are "cut off" early (Job 8:12, 14).

8. In opposition to Job 18:19; 5:4.

9. Literally, "peace from fear"; with poetic force. Their house is peace itself, far removed from fear. Opposed to the friends' assertion, as to the bad (Job 15:21-24; 20:26-28), and conversely, the good (Job 5:23, 24).

10. Rather, "their cattle conceive." The first clause of the verse describes an easy conception, the second, a happy birth [Umbreit].

11. send forth—namely, out of doors, to their happy sports under the skies, like a joyful flock sent to the pastures.

little ones—like lambkins.

children—somewhat older than the former.

dance—not formal dances; but skip, like lambs, in joyous and healthful play.

12. take—rather, "lift up the voice" (sing) to the note of [Umbreit].

timbrel—rather, "tambourine."

organ—not the modern "organ," but the "pipe" (Ge 4:21). The first clause refers to stringed, the latter, to wind instruments; thus, with "the voice" all kinds of music are enumerated.

13. wealth—Old English Version for "prosperity."

in a moment—not by a lingering disease. Great blessings! Lengthened life with prosperity, and a sudden painless death (Ps 73:4).

14. Therefore—rather, "And yet they are such as say," &c., that is, say, not in so many words, but virtually, by their conduct (so the Gergesenes, Mt 8:34). How differently the godly (Isa 2:3).

ways—The course of action, which God points out; as in Ps 50:23, Margin.

15. (Compare Jer 2:20; Pr 30:9, Margin, Ex 5:2).

what profit—(Job 35:3; Mal 3:14; Ps 73:13). Sinners ask, not what is right, but what is for the profit of self. They forget, "If religion cost self something, the want of it will cost self infinitely more."

16. not in their hand—but in the hand of God. This is Job's difficulty, that God who has sinners prosperity (good) in His hand should allow them to have it.

is—rather, "may the counsel of the wicked be far from me!" [Umbreit]. This naturally follows the sentiment of the first clause: Let me not hereby be thought to regard with aught but horror the ways of the wicked, however prosperous.

17. Job in this whole passage down to Job 21:21 quotes the assertion of the friends, as to the short continuance of the sinner's prosperity, not his own sentiments. In Job 21:22 he proceeds to refute them. "How oft is the candle" (lamp), &c., quoting Bildad's sentiment (Job 18:5, 6), in order to question its truth (compare Mt 25:8).

how oft—"God distributeth," &c. (alluding to Job 20:23, 29).

sorrows—Umbreit translates "snares," literally, "cords," which lightning in its twining motion resembles (Ps 11:6).

18. Job alludes to a like sentiment of Bildad (Job 18:18), using his own previous words (Job 13:25).

19. Equally questionable is the friends' assertion that if the godless himself is not punished, the children are (Job 18:19; 20:10); and that God rewardeth him here for his iniquity, and that he shall know it to his cost. So "know" (Ho 9:7).

20. Another questionable assertion of the friends, that the sinner sees his own and his children's destruction in his lifetime.

drink—(Ps 11:6; Isa 51:17; La 4:21).

21. The argument of the friends, in proof of Job 21:20, What pleasure can he have from his house (children) when he is dead—("after him," Ec 3:22).

when the number, &c.—Or, rather, "What hath he to do with his children?" &c. (so the Hebrew in Ec 3:1; 8:6). It is therefore necessary that "his eyes should see his and their destruction" (see Job 14:21).

cut off—rather, when the number of his allotted months is fulfilled (Job 14:5). From an Arabic word, "arrow," which was used to draw lots with. Hence "arrow"—inevitable destiny [Umbreit].

22. Reply of Job, "In all these assertions you try to teach God how He ought to deal with men, rather than prove that He does in fact so deal with them. Experience is against you. God gives prosperity and adversity as it pleases Him, not as man's wisdom would have it, on principles inscrutable to us" (Isa 40:13; Ro 11:34).

those … high—the high ones, not only angels, but men (Isa 2:12-17).

23. Literally, "in the bone of his perfection," that is, the full strength of unimpaired prosperity [Umbreit].

24. breasts—rather, "skins," or "vessels" for fluids [Lee]. But [Umbreit] "stations or resting-places of his herds near water"; in opposition to Zophar (Job 20:17); the first clause refers to his abundant substance, the second to his vigorous health.

moistened—comparing man's body to a well-watered field (Pr 3:8; Isa 58:11).

26. (Ec 9:2).

27. Their wrongful thoughts against Job are stated by him in Job 21:28. They do not honestly name Job, but insinuate his guilt.

28. ye say—referring to Zophar (Job 20:7).

the house—referring to the fall of the house of Job's oldest son (Job 1:19) and the destruction of his family.

prince—The parallel "wicked" in the second clause requires this to be taken in a bad sense, tyrant, oppressor (Isa 13:2), the same Hebrew, "nobles"—oppressors.

dwelling-places—rather, "pavilions," a tent containing many dwellings, such as a great emir, like Job, with many dependents, would have.

29. Job, seeing that the friends will not admit him as an impartial judge, as they consider his calamities prove his guilt, begs them to ask the opinion of travellers (La 1:12), who have the experience drawn from observation, and who are no way connected with him. Job opposes this to Bildad (Job 8:8) and Zophar (Job 20:4).

tokens—rather, "intimations" (for example, inscriptions, proverbs, signifying the results of their observation), testimony. Literally, "signs" or proofs in confirmation of the word spoken (Isa 7:11).

30. Their testimony (referring perhaps to those who had visited the region where Abraham who enjoyed a revelation then lived) is that "the wicked is (now) spared (reserved) against the day of destruction (hereafter)." The Hebrew does not so well agree with [Umbreit] "in the day of destruction." Job does not deny sinners' future punishment, but their punishment in this life. They have their "good things" now. Hereafter, their lot, and that of the godly, shall be reversed (Lu 16:25). Job, by the Spirit, often utters truths which solve the difficulty under which he labored. His afflictions mostly clouded his faith, else he would have seen the solution furnished by his own words. This answers the objection, that if he knew of the resurrection in Job 19:25, and future retribution (Job 21:30), why did he not draw his reasonings elsewhere from them, which he did not? God's righteous government, however, needs to be vindicated as to this life also, and therefore the Holy Ghost has caused the argument mainly to turn on it at the same time giving glimpses of a future fuller vindication of God's ways.

brought forth—not "carried away safe" or "escape" (referring to this life), as Umbreit has it.

wrath—literally, "wraths," that is, multiplied and fierce wrath.

31. That is, who dares to charge him openly with his bad ways? namely, in this present life. He shall, I grant (Job 21:30), be "repaid" hereafter.

32. Yet—rather, "and."

brought—with solemn pomp (Ps 45:15).

grave—literally, "graves"; that is, the place where the graves are.

remain in—rather, watch on the tomb, or sepulchral mound. Even after death he seems still to live and watch (that is, have his "remembrance" preserved) by means of the monument over the grave. In opposition to Bildad (Job 18:17).

33. As the classic saying has it, "The earth is light upon him." His repose shall be "sweet."

draw—follow. He shall share the common lot of mortals; no worse off than they (Heb 9:27). Umbreit not so well (for it is not true of "every man"). "Most men follow in his bad steps, as countless such preceded him."

34. falsehood—literally, "transgression." Your boasted "consolations" (Job 15:11) are contradicted by facts ("vain"); they therefore only betray your evil intent ("wickedness") against me.