Job 27:16

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

Job 27:16 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:16

Though he heap up silver as the dust
Which, as it denotes the great abundance of it collected together, so it expresses the bias and disposition of such a man's mind, that he cannot be content without amassing great quantities of it, and also his diligence and success therein, see ( 1 Kings 10:27 ) ( Psalms 39:6 ) ( Habakkuk 2:6 ) ;

and prepare raiment as the clay;
not merely, for use, but pomp and show, to fill his wardrobes with; and formerly, raiment was part of the treasure of great men: the phrase signifies that he might have such a variety of raiment, and such large quantities of it, that he would value it no more than so much clay; or else that his riches, consist of what it would, would be both polluting and troublesome to him; the Septuagint version reads "gold" instead of "raiment", as in ( Zechariah 9:3 ) , where like expressions are used of Tyre.

Job 27:16 In-Context

14 Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

15 His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

17 what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

18 The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.