Job 27:7-23

The State of the Godless

7 "May my enemy be as the wicked And my opponent as the unjust.
8 "For what is 1the hope of the godless when he is cut off, When God requires 2his life?
9 "Will God 3hear his cry When 4distress comes upon him?
10 "Will he take 5delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?
11 "I will instruct you in the power of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 "Behold, all of you have seen it; Why then do you act foolishly?
13 "This is 6the portion of a wicked man from God, And the inheritance which 7tyrants receive from the Almighty.
14 "Though his sons are many, they are destined 8for the sword; And his 9descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15 "His survivors will be buried because of the plague, And their 10widows will not be able to weep.
16 "Though he piles up silver like dust And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, 11but the just will wear it And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 "He has built his 12house like the spider's web, Or as a hut which the watchman has made.
19 "He lies down rich, but never again; He opens his eyes, and 13it is no longer.
20 "14Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away 15in the night.
21 "The east 16wind carries him away, and he is gone, For it whirls him 17away from his place.
22 "For it will hurl at him 18without sparing; He will surely try to 19flee from its power.
23 "Men will clap their hands at him And will 20hiss him from his place.

Job 27:7-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 27

Though Job's friends were become silent, and dropped the controversy with him, he still continued his discourse in this and the four following chapters; in which he asserts his integrity; illustrates and confirms his former sentiments; gives further proof of his knowledge of things, natural and divine; takes notice of his former state of prosperity, and of his present distresses and afflictions, which came upon him, notwithstanding his piety, humanity, and beneficence, and his freedom from the grosser acts of sin, both with respect to God and men, all which he enlarges upon. In this chapter he gives his word and oath for it, that he would never belie himself, and own that he was an hypocrite, when he was not, but would continue to assert his integrity, and the righteousness of his cause, as long as he lived, Job 27:1-6; for to be an hypocrite, and to attempt to conceal his hypocrisy, would be of no advantage to him, either in life, or in death, Job 27:7-10; and was this his character and case, upon their principles, he could expect no other than to be a miserable man, as wicked men are, who have their blessings turned into curses, or taken away from them, and they removed out of the world in the most awful and terrible manner, and under manifest tokens of the wrath and displeasure of God, Job 27:11-23.

Cross References 20

  • 1. Job 8:13; Job 11:20
  • 2. Job 12:10
  • 3. Job 35:12, 13; Psalms 18:41; Proverbs 1:28; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 14:12; Micah 3:4
  • 4. Proverbs 1:27
  • 5. Job 22:26, 27; Psalms 37:4; Isaiah 58:14
  • 6. Job 20:29
  • 7. Job 15:20
  • 8. Job 15:22; Job 18:19
  • 9. Job 20:10
  • 10. Psalms 78:64
  • 11. Job 20:18-21
  • 12. Job 8:15; Job 18:14
  • 13. Job 7:8, 21; Job 20:7
  • 14. Job 15:21
  • 15. Job 20:8; Job 34:20
  • 16. Job 21:18
  • 17. Job 7:10
  • 18. Jeremiah 13:14; Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 24:14
  • 19. Job 11:20
  • 20. Job 18:18; Job 20:8

Footnotes 10

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