Job 27

1 Entonces Job continuó su discurso y dijo:

2 ¡Vive Dios, que ha quitado mi derecho, y el Todopoderoso, que ha amargado mi alma!

3 Porque mientras haya vida en mí, y el aliento de Dios esté en mis narices,

4 mis labios, ciertamente, no hablarán injusticia, ni mi lengua proferirá engaño.

5 Lejos esté de mí que os dé la razón; hasta que muera, no abandonaré mi integridad.

6 Me aferraré a mi justicia y no la soltaré. Mi corazón no reprocha ninguno de mis días.

7 Sea como el impío mi enemigo, y como el injusto mi adversario.

8 Porque, ¿cuál es la esperanza del impío cuando es cortado, cuando Dios reclama su alma?

9 ¿Oirá Dios su clamor, cuando venga sobre él la angustia?

10 ¿Se deleitará en el Todopoderoso? ¿Invocará a Dios en todo tiempo?

11 Os instruiré en el poder de Dios; no ocultaré lo que concierne al Todopoderoso.

12 He aquí, todos vosotros lo habéis visto; ¿por qué, entonces, obráis neciamente?

13 Esta es la porción de parte de Dios para el hombre impío, y la herencia que los tiranos reciben del Todopoderoso.

14 Aunque sean muchos sus hijos, están destinados a la espada, y sus vástagos no se saciarán de pan.

15 Sus sobrevivientes serán sepultados a causa de la plaga, y sus viudas no podrán llorar.

16 Aunque amontone plata como polvo, y prepare vestidos abundantes como el barro;

17 él los puede preparar, pero el justo los vestirá, y el inocente repartirá la plata.

18 Edifica su casa como tela de araña, o como choza que el guarda construye.

19 Rico se acuesta, pero no volverá a serlo; abre sus ojos, y ya no hay nada.

20 Le alcanzan los terrores como una inundación; de noche le arrebata un torbellino.

21 Se lo lleva el viento solano, y desaparece, pues como torbellino lo arranca de su lugar.

22 Sin compasión se arrojará contra él; ciertamente él tratará de huir de su poder.

23 Batirán palmas por su ruina, y desde su propio lugar le silbarán.

Job 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

Job protests his sincerity. (1-6) The hypocrite is without hope. (7-10) The miserable end of the wicked. (11-23)

Verses 1-6 Job's friends now suffered him to speak, and he proceeded in a grave and useful manner. Job had confidence in the goodness both of his cause and of his God; and cheerfully committed his cause to him. But Job had not due reverence when he spake of God as taking away his judgment, and vexing his soul. To resolve that our hearts shall not reproach us, while we hold fast our integrity, baffles the designs of the evil spirit.

Verses 7-10 Job looked upon the condition of a hypocrite and a wicked man, to be most miserable. If they gained through life by their profession, and kept up their presumptuous hope till death, what would that avail when God required their souls? The more comfort we find in our religion, the more closely we shall cleave to it. Those who have no delight in God, are easily drawn away by the pleasures, and easily overcome by the crosses of this life.

Verses 11-23 Job's friends, on the same subject, spoke of the misery of wicked men before death as proportioned to their crimes; Job considered that if it were not so, still the consequences of their death would be dreadful. Job undertook to set this matter in a true light. Death to a godly man, is like a fair gale of wind to convey him to the heavenly country; but, to a wicked man, it is like a storm, that hurries him away to destruction. While he lived, he had the benefit of sparing mercy; but now the day of God's patience is over, and he will pour out upon him his wrath. When God casts down a man, there is no flying from, nor bearing up under his anger. Those who will not now flee to the arms of Divine grace, which are stretched out to receive them, will not be able to flee from the arms of Divine wrath, which will shortly be stretched out to destroy them. And what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and thus lose his own soul?

Chapter Summary

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.