Job 20:21

21 He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

Job 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

Job 20:21

There shall none of his meat be left
Not in his belly, all shall be cast up; none of his substance left for himself or others; none of his riches for his children or heirs, all being consumed: or this may respect either the profuseness or niggardliness of his living, that he should live in great luxury himself, but take no care of the poor; or else keep so mean a table, that there would be nothing left for the poor, not so much as a few crumbs to fall from it; but the first sense seems best; though some render the words, "there shall be none left for his meat" F2, or his substance; he shall leave no children, have no heirs, all his family shall be cut off, see ( Job 18:19 ) ;

therefore shall no man look for his goods;
for there shall be none to look for them; or rather there shall be none to look for, all being gone: a man in good circumstances of life, his heirs expect to enjoy much at his death, but when he is stripped of all, as Job was, his relations and friends are in no expectation of having anything at his death; and therefore do not think it worth their while to look out, or make an inquiry whether there is anything for them or not, see ( Job 20:28 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 (wlkal dyrv Nya) "non erit superstes haeres qui ejus bonis fruetur"; so some in Mercer. Drusius.

Job 20:21 In-Context

19 Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;
20 There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.
21 He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.
22 Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.
23 God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.
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