Job 27:16-23

16 Sinners might store up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay.
17 But people who do what is right will wear those clothes. People who haven't done anything wrong will divide up that silver.
18 The house an evil person builds is like a moth's cocoon. It's like a hut that's made by someone on guard duty.
19 Sinful people lie down wealthy, but their wealth is taken away. When they open their eyes, everything is gone.
20 Terrors sweep over them like a flood. A storm takes them away during the night.
21 The east wind carries them off, and they are gone. It sweeps them out of their houses.
22 It blows against them without mercy. They try to escape from its power.
23 It claps its hands and makes fun of them. It hisses them out of their houses.

Job 27:16-23 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.

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