Job 4:9

9 "By 1the breath of God they perish, And 2by the blast of His anger they come to an end.

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 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?
8 "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it.
9 "By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.
10 "The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 "The lion perishes for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Job 15:30; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 30:33; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
  • 2. Job 40:11-13

Footnotes 1

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.