Job 21:7-34

Cross-references For Better Understanding a Related Topics b Additional Materials c

Summary

• The wicked tend to have a wonderful life.

Details and/or Comments

• This is the view that Job's friends would not acknowledge. It's the "other half" of the issue. (They just wanted to focus on God rewarding or punishing people based on the individual's actions; and ignored those many instances in life in which things seem inconsistent and unjust.)

Scripture

Job 21:7-34

• The main focus: Injustice.

Scripture Passage	Comments and Links
Job 21:7 "Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?	Why are the wicked blessed?
Job 21:8 Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes. Job 21:9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Job 21:10 Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don't miscarry. Job 21:11 They send forth their little ones like a flock. Their children dance. Job 21:12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. Job 21:13 They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.	They enjoy life and have an easy death. Safety and Security - As we see later in the book of Job (such as in Job 34:10-30), this is only temporary for the wicked.
Job 21:14 They tell God, 'Depart from us, for we don't want to know about your ways. Job 21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?'	They even defy God, claiming that God has no beneficial value to them...
Job 21:16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.	(though in reality, their prosperity is not under their control). God's Rule Over All Things - implied here and in v. 17. See also: God's Kindness to the Wicked.
Job 21:17 "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger? Job 21:18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?	How often do they experience trouble and sorrow?
Job 21:19 You say, 'God lays up his iniquity for his children.' Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it. Job 21:20 Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Job 21:21 For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?	You may claim that the judgment is stored for his children... but let the man himself experience it! He couldn't care less if the judgment goes to someone else!
Job 21:22 "Shall any teach God knowledge, seeing he judges those who are high? Job 21:23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. Job 21:24 His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened. Job 21:25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good. Job 21:26 They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.	Once he's dead, he's no different than anyone else – dead and decomposing. Definition of "Death"
Job 21:27 "Behold, I know your thoughts, the devices with which you would wrong me. Job 21:28 For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?' Job 21:29 Haven't you asked wayfaring men? Don't you know their evidences, Job 21:30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led forth to the day of wrath? Job 21:31 Who shall declare his way to his face? Who shall repay him what he has done? Job 21:32 Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men shall keep watch over the tomb. Job 21:33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him. All men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.	You may accuse me of being wicked, but have you never looked around in the world? The wicked have a trouble-free life. Even in death he is honored!
Job 21:34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense, seeing that in your answers there remains only falsehood?"	So your accusations against me are lies!

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—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——

The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.

Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.