Job 4:9

9 They perish at a [single] blast[a] from God and come to an end by the breath of His nostrils.[b]

Job 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Job 4:9

By the blast of God they perish
They and their works, the ploughers, sowers, and reapers of iniquity; the allusion is to the blasting of corn by the east wind, or by mildew having used the figures of ploughing and sowing before; and which is as soon and as easily done as corn, or anything else, is blasted in the above manner; and denotes the sudden and easy destruction of wicked men by the power of God, stirred up by his wrath and indignation, because of their sins; who when he blows a blast on their persons, substance, and families, they perish at once:

and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed;
meaning his wrath and anger, which is like a stream of brimstone, and kindles a fire on the wicked, which are as fuel to it, and are soon consumed by it; the allusion is to breath in a man's nostrils, and the heat of his wrath and fury discovered thereby: some think this refers to Job's children being destroyed by the wind, see ( Isaiah 11:4 ) .

Job 4:9 In-Context

7 Consider: who has perished when he was innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed?
8 In my experience, those who plow injustice and those who sow trouble reap the same.
9 They perish at a [single] blast from God and come to an end by the breath of His nostrils.
10 The lion may roar and the fierce lion growl, but the fangs of young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion dies if [it catches] no prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

Footnotes 2

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