Job 15:32

32 Before their time is up they will wither, wither like a branch and never be green again.

Job 15:32 Meaning and Commentary

Job 15:32

It shall be accomplished before his time,
Either the recompence or reward of his trusting vanity, in vain persons or things, the punishment of such a trust, the sorrows and troubles following upon it; these shall come upon the wicked man "before his day" F6, as it may be rendered; before the day of his death, even before his old age; before the evil days come in a course of nature, and those years in which he has no pleasure: or his life, and the days of his life, "shall be filled up" F7; or be at an end before his time; not before the time fixed in the decree and purpose of God, ( Job 14:5 ) ; but before his own time, that he and his friends thought he might have lived, and as his healthful constitution promised; or before the then common term of human life; and so the phrase is expressive or an immature death:

and his branch shall not be green;
but dried up and wither away; his wealth and riches, his children and family, be utterly extinct; instead of being like a branch, green and flourishing, shall be like a dry stick, useless and unprofitable, only fit for burning; see ( Job 15:30 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (wmwy alb) "ante diem suam", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F7 (almt) "complebitur", Montanus; "implebitur", Schultens.

Job 15:32 In-Context

30 and they will not escape from darkness. They will be like trees whose branches are burned by fire, whose blossoms are blown away by the wind.
31 If they are foolish enough to trust in evil, then evil will be their reward.
32 Before their time is up they will wither, wither like a branch and never be green again.
33 They will be like vines that lose their unripe grapes; like olive trees that drop their blossoms.
34 There will be no descendants for godless people, and fire will destroy the homes built by bribery.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [Some ancient translations] wither; [Hebrew] be filled.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.