Job 4:9

9 At a breath from God, they perish; at a blast from his anger, they are consumed.

Job 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 4:9

By the blast of God they perish
They and their works, the ploughers, sowers, and reapers of iniquity; the allusion is to the blasting of corn by the east wind, or by mildew having used the figures of ploughing and sowing before; and which is as soon and as easily done as corn, or anything else, is blasted in the above manner; and denotes the sudden and easy destruction of wicked men by the power of God, stirred up by his wrath and indignation, because of their sins; who when he blows a blast on their persons, substance, and families, they perish at once:

and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed;
meaning his wrath and anger, which is like a stream of brimstone, and kindles a fire on the wicked, which are as fuel to it, and are soon consumed by it; the allusion is to breath in a man's nostrils, and the heat of his wrath and fury discovered thereby: some think this refers to Job's children being destroyed by the wind, see ( Isaiah 11:4 ) .

Job 4:9 In-Context

7 "Think back: what innocent person has perished? Since when are the upright destroyed?
8 What I see is that those who plow sin and sow trouble reap just that.
9 At a breath from God, they perish; at a blast from his anger, they are consumed.
10 The lion may growl, the king lion may roar, but that old lion's teeth are broken;
11 so the lion succumbs from lack of prey, and the lion's cubs are scattered.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.