Job 4:8

8 It's my observation that those who plow evil and sow trouble reap evil and trouble.

Job 4:8 Meaning and Commentary

Job 4:8

Even as I have seen
Here he goes about to prove, by his own experience, the destruction of wicked men; and would intimate, that Job was such an one, because of the ruin he was fallen into:

they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same;
figurative expressions, denoting that such who devise iniquity in their hearts, form and plan schemes of it in their minds, signified by "plowing iniquity", and who were studious and diligent to put into practice what they devised; who took a great deal of pains to commit sin, and were constant at it, expressed by "sowing wickedness": these sooner or later eat the fruit of their doings, are punished in proportion to their crimes, even in this life, as well as hereafter, see ( Hosea 8:7 ) ( 10:13 ) ( Galatians 6:7 Galatians 6:8 ) ; though a Jewish commentator F2 observes, that the thought of sin is designed by the first phrase; the endeavour to bring it into action by the second; and the finishing of the work, or the actual commission of the evil, by the third; the punishment thereof being what is expressed in ( Job 4:9 ) ; the Targum applies this to the generation of the flood.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 R. Simeon Bar Tzemach.

Job 4:8 In-Context

6 But shouldn't your devout life give you confidence now? Shouldn't your exemplary life give you hope?
7 "Think! Has a truly innocent person ever ended up on the scrap heap? Do genuinely upright people ever lose out in the end?
8 It's my observation that those who plow evil and sow trouble reap evil and trouble.
9 One breath from God and they fall apart, one blast of his anger and there's nothing left of them.
10 The mighty lion, king of the beasts, roars mightily, but when he's toothless he's useless -
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.