Job 27:16

16 Though he collects silver like dust and piles up clothing like dirt,

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 If he has many children, swords will kill them, and his descendants won't have enough food.

15 Those who survive him will be buried by a plague, and their widows won't cry [for them].

16 Though he collects silver like dust and piles up clothing like dirt,

17 righteous people will wear what he piles up, and the innocent will divide the silver [among themselves].

18 He builds his house like a moth, like a shack that a watchman makes.