Job 27:16

16 Though he piles up silver like dust and heaps up a wardrobe like clay^[a]-

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 Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword; his descendants will never have enough food.

15 Those who survive him will be buried by the plague, yet their widows will not weep [for them].

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

17 he may heap [it] up, but the righteous will wear [it], and the innocent will divide up his silver.

18 The house he built is like a moth's [cocoon] or a booth set up by a watchman.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Kg 10:27; Hab 2:6; Zch 9:3