Job 27:12

12 Lo! all ye know (them), and what then speak ye vain things without cause? (Lo! ye all know them, so why then do ye speak vain, or empty, things without any reason?)

Job 27:12 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:12

Behold, all ye yourselves have seen [it]
As they were men of observation, at least made great pretensions to it, as well as of age and experience, they must have seen and observed somewhat at least of the above things; they must have seen the wicked, as David afterwards did, spreading himself like a green bay tree, and the hypocrites in easy and flourishing circumstances, and good men labouring under great afflictions and pressures, and Job himself was now an instance of that before their eyes:

why then are ye thus altogether vain?
or "become vain in vanity" F11; so exceeding vain, so excessively trifling, as to speak and act against the dictates of their own conscience, against their own sense, and what they saw with their own eyes, and advance notions so contrary thereunto; as to affirm that evil men are always punished of God in this life, and good men are succeeded and prospered by him; and so from Job's afflictions drew so vain and empty a conclusion, that he must be a wicked man and an hypocrite.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (wlbht lbh) "vanitate vanescitis", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Michaelis, Schultens; "[vel] evanescitis", Montanus, Bolducius, Beza, Mercerus, Drusius, Piscator, Cocceius.

Job 27:12 In-Context

10 either whether he may delight in Almighty God, and inwardly call God in all time? (shall he delight himself in Almighty God, and call on God at all times?)
11 I shall teach you by the hand of God, what things Almighty God hath; and I shall not hide them.
12 Lo! all ye know (them), and what then speak ye vain things without cause? (Lo! ye all know them, so why then do ye speak vain, or empty, things without any reason?)
13 This is the part of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of violent men, or raveners, which they shall take of Almighty God. (This is the portion from God for the wicked, and the inheritance for the violent, or the raveners, which they shall receive from Almighty God.)
14 If his children be multiplied, they shall be killed with (the) sword; and his sons shall not be [ful]filled with bread.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.