Job 27:17-23

17 But the righteous will wear that clothing, and the innocent will divide that money.
18 The wicked build houses as fragile as a spider’s web, as flimsy as a shelter made of branches.
19 The wicked go to bed rich but wake to find that all their wealth is gone.
20 Terror overwhelms them like a flood, and they are blown away in the storms of the night.
21 The east wind carries them away, and they are gone. It sweeps them away.
22 It whirls down on them without mercy. They struggle to flee from its power.
23 But everyone jeers at them and mocks them.

Job 27:17-23 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.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. As in Greek and Syriac versions (see also 8:14 ); Hebrew reads a moth.
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