Job 36:12

12 But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.

Job 36:12 Meaning and Commentary

Job 36:12

But if they obey not
Who seem to be righteous and are not; and when afflicted are not submissive to the will of God; attend not to the voice of his providence; receive no instruction thereby; but kick against the pricks, and rebel, against God; complain of him, and murmur at his dealings with them:

they shall perish by the sword;
or they shall pass away out of the world by it, or by some missive weapon: they shall die a violent death, by the sword of justice, of the civil magistrate, or by the sword of men; or, as a Jewish commentator ^F18 paraphrases it, by the dart of death, by the sword of Satan, they shall pass out of this world;

and they shall die without knowledge;
without knowledge of their death being near, it coming upon them suddenly and at unawares; or without knowledge of themselves and of their miserable and lost estate; and without knowledge of Christ, and of God in Christ, and of the way of salvation by him. Or they shall perish for lack of knowledge; because they have none; through ignorance and that affected; they know not nor will they understand, but despise the means of knowledge, and hate instruction.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 R. Simeon, Bar Tzemach.

Job 36:12 In-Context

10 Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.

11 If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure.

12 But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.

13 Those who have no fear of God keep wrath stored up in their hearts; they give no cry for help when they are made prisoners.

14 They come to their end while they are still young, their life is short like that of those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of their gods.