Job 15:23

23 They wander around. They are like food for vultures. They know that the day they will die is near.

Job 15:23 Meaning and Commentary

Job 15:23

He wandereth abroad for bread
Either as a plunderer and robber, he roves about to increase his worldly power and substance; or rather, being reduced to poverty, wanders about from place to place, from door to door, to beg his bread; which is a curse imprecated on the posterity of wicked men, ( Psalms 109:10 ) ;

[saying], where [is it]?
where is bread to be had? where shall I go for it? where lives a liberal man that will give it freely and generously? by this question it seems as if it was difficult for such a man to get his bread by begging; he having been cruel and oppressive to others, unkind and ungenerous in his time of prosperity, now finds but few that care to relieve him; and indeed a man that has not shown mercy to the indigent, when in his power to have relieved them, cannot expect mercy will be shown to him; this he does, wanders about, seeking food, "wheresoever he is" F23:

he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand;
either that a day of affliction and adversity is coming upon him, perceiving his affairs to grow worse and worse, or to be immediately and already on him, which obliges him to wander about for bread; or that the day of death is at hand, which he is made sensible of by one symptom or another; or rather it may be the day of everlasting darkness in hell, the wrath of God to the uttermost he has deserved; he finds the day of judgment is at hand, and the Judge at the door, and in a short time he must receive the reward of eternal vengeance for the wicked deeds he has done; for so the words may be rendered, "that the day of darkness is prepared by his hand" F24; by the evil works his hand has wrought, and so has treasured up to himself wrath against the day of wrath, and righteous judgment of God.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 So Noldius in Ebr. Concord. Part. p. 87.
F24 (wdyb) "suis factis", Tigurine version; "per manum suam", Schmidt.

Job 15:23 In-Context

21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears. When everything seems to be going well, robbers attack them.
22 They lose all hope of escaping the darkness of death. They will certainly be killed with swords.
23 They wander around. They are like food for vultures. They know that the day they will die is near.
24 Suffering and pain terrify them. Their troubles overpower them, like a king ready to attack his enemies.
25 They shake their fists at God. They brag about themselves and oppose the Mighty One.
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