Job 15:21-31

21 A fearful voice [is] in his ears, In peace doth a destroyer come to him.
22 He believeth not to return from darkness, And watched [is] he for the sword.
23 He is wandering for bread -- `Where [is] it?' He hath known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.
24 Terrify him do adversity and distress, They prevail over him As a king ready for a boaster.
25 For he stretched out against God his hand, And against the Mighty he maketh himself mighty.
26 He runneth unto Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields.
27 For he hath covered his face with his fat, And maketh vigour over [his] confidence.
28 And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.
29 He is not rich, nor doth his wealth rise, Nor doth he stretch out on earth their continuance.
30 He turneth not aside from darkness, His tender branch doth a flame dry up, And he turneth aside at the breath of His mouth!
31 Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

Job 15:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 15

Job's three friends having in their turns attacked him, and he having given answer respectively to them, Eliphaz, who began the attack, first enters the debate with him again, and proceeds upon the same plan as before, and endeavours to defend his former sentiments, falling upon Job with greater vehemence and severity; he charges him with vanity, imprudence, and unprofitableness in his talk, and acting a part unbecoming his character as a wise man; yea, with impiety and a neglect of religion, or at least as a discourager of it by his words and doctrines, of which his mouth and lips were witnesses against him, Job 15:1-6; he charges him with arrogance and a high conceit of himself, as if he was the first man that was made, nay, as if he was the eternal wisdom of God, and had been in his council; and, to check his vanity, retorts his own words upon him, or however the sense of them, Job 15:7-10; and also with slighting the consolations of God; upon which he warmly expostulates with him, Job 15:11-13; and in order to convince him of his self-righteousness, which he thought he was full of, he argues from the angels, the heavens, and the general case of man, Job 15:14-16; and then he declares from his own knowledge, and from the relation of wise and ancient men in former times, who made it their observation, that wicked men are afflicted all their days, attended with terror and despair, and liable to various calamities, Job 15:17-24; the reasons of which are their insolence to God, and hostilities committed against him, which they are encouraged in by their prosperous circumstances, Job 15:25-27; notwithstanding all, their estates, riches, and wealth, will come to nothing, Job 15:28-30; and the chapter is closed with an exhortation to such, not to feed themselves up with vain hopes, or trust in uncertain riches, since their destruction would be sure, sudden, and terrible, Job 15:31-35.

Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.