Job 20:21

21 But nothing will be left for them to eat; their riches will not continue.

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 they troubled the poor and left them with nothing. They have taken houses they did not build.
20 "Evil people never lack an appetite, and nothing escapes their selfishness.
21 But nothing will be left for them to eat; their riches will not continue.
22 When they still have plenty, trouble will catch up to them, and great misery will come down on them.
23 When the wicked fill their stomachs, God will send his burning anger against them, and blows of punishment will fall on them like rain.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.