Job 27:9-19

9 "Will God ¹hear his cry When ²distress comes upon him?

10 "Will he take ³delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?

11 "I will instruct you in the power of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

12 "Behold, all of you have seen it; Why then do you act foolishly?

13 "This is ⁴the portion of a wicked man from God, And the inheritance which ⁵tyrants receive from the Almighty.

14 "Though his sons are many, they are destined ⁶for the sword; And his ⁷descendants will not be satisfied with bread.

15 "His survivors will be buried because of the plague, And their ⁸widows will not be able to weep.

16 "Though he piles up silver like dust And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,

17 He may prepare it, ⁹but the just will wear it And the innocent will divide the silver.

18 "He has built his ¹⁰house like the spider's web, Or as a hut which the watchman has made.

19 "He lies down rich, but never again; He opens his eyes, and ¹¹it is no longer.

Job 27:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 27

Though Job's friends were become silent, and dropped the controversy with him, he still continued his discourse in this and the four following chapters; in which he asserts his integrity; illustrates and confirms his former sentiments; gives further proof of his knowledge of things, natural and divine; takes notice of his former state of prosperity, and of his present distresses and afflictions, which came upon him, notwithstanding his piety, humanity, and beneficence, and his freedom from the grosser acts of sin, both with respect to God and men, all which he enlarges upon. In this chapter he gives his word and oath for it, that he would never belie himself, and own that he was an hypocrite, when he was not, but would continue to assert his integrity, and the righteousness of his cause, as long as he lived, Job 27:1-6; for to be an hypocrite, and to attempt to conceal his hypocrisy, would be of no advantage to him, either in life, or in death, Job 27:7-10; and was this his character and case, upon their principles, he could expect no other than to be a miserable man, as wicked men are, who have their blessings turned into curses, or taken away from them, and they removed out of the world in the most awful and terrible manner, and under manifest tokens of the wrath and displeasure of God, Job 27:11-23.

Cross References

• 1. Job 35:12, 13; Psalms 18:41; Proverbs 1:28; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 14:12; Micah 3:4
• 2. Proverbs 1:27
• 3. Job 22:26, 27; Psalms 37:4; Isaiah 58:14
• 4. Job 20:29
• 5. Job 15:20
• 6. Job 15:22; Job 18:19
• 7. Job 20:10
• 8. Psalms 78:64
• 9. Job 20:18-21
• 10. Job 8:15; Job 18:14
• 11. Job 7:8, 21; Job 20:7

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "hand"
• [b] Or "speak vanity"
• [c] Lit "the sword is for them"
• [d] So ancient versions; Heb "his"
• [e] So ancient versions; Heb "moth"
• [f] So ancient versions; Heb "will be gathered"