Job 27:17

17 what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.

Job 27:17 in Other Translations

KJV
17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
ESV
17 he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it, and the innocent will divide the silver.
NLT
17 But the righteous will wear that clothing, and the innocent will divide that money.
MSG
17 It's the good who will end up wearing the clothes and the decent who will divide up the money.
CSB
17 he may heap [it] up, but the righteous will wear [it], and the innocent will divide up his silver.

Job 27:17 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:17

He may prepare [it]
Raiment; beginning with that first which was mentioned last, which is frequent in the Hebrew and eastern languages; such things may be done, and often are, by wicked men:

but the just shall put [it] on;
the wicked man will either have no heart, or have no time, to wear it, at least to wear it out, and so a just man shall have it, as the Israelites put on the raiment of the Egyptians, which they begged or borrowed, and spoiled them of, ( Exodus 12:35 ) ; and oftentimes so it is in Providence, that the wealth of wicked men is by one means or another transferred into the families of good men, who enjoy it, and make a better use of it, ( Proverbs 13:22 ) ;

and the innocent shall divide the silver;
have a part of it at least, or divide the whole between his children, or give a part of it to the poor; so money that is ill gotten, or ill used, is taken away, and put into the hands of one that will have mercy on the poor, and liberally distribute it to them, ( Proverbs 28:8 ) .

Job 27:17 In-Context

15 The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,
17 what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.
18 The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Psalms 39:6; Psalms 49:10; Ecclesiastes 2:26
  • 2. S Job 7:8; Proverbs 13:22; Proverbs 28:8; Ecclesiastes 2:26
  • 3. Exodus 3:22; S Job 3:15
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.