Job 15:25-35

25 Want hij strekt tegen God zijn hand uit, en tegen den Almachtige stelt hij zich geweldiglijk aan.

26 Hij loopt tegen Hem aan met den hals, met zijn dikke, hoog verhevene schilden.

27 Omdat hij zijn aangezicht met zijn vet bedekt heeft, en rimpelen gemaakt om de weekdarmen;

28 En heeft bewoond verdelgde steden, en huizen, die men niet bewoonde, die gereed waren tot steen hopen te worden.

29 Hij zal niet rijk worden, en zijn vermogen zal niet bestaan; en hun volmaaktheid zal zich niet uitbreiden op de aarde.

30 Hij zal van de duisternis niet ontwijken, de vlam zal zijn scheut verdrogen; hij zal wijken door het geblaas zijns monds.

31 Hij betrouwe niet op ijdelheid, waardoor hij verleid wordt; want ijdelheid zal zijn vergelding wezen.

32 Als zijn dag nog niet is, zal hij vervuld worden; want zijn tak zal niet groenen.

33 Men zal zijn onrijpe druiven afrukken, als van een wijnstok, en zijn bloeisel afwerpen, als van een olijfboom.

34 Want de vergadering der huichelaren wordt eenzaam, en het vuur verteert de tenten der geschenken.

35 Zijn ontvangen moeite, en baren ijdelheid, en hun buik richt bedrog aan.

Job 15:25-35 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.