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Texts -- Job 21:20-34 (NET)

Context
21:20 Let his own eyes see his destruction ; let him drink of the anger of the Almighty . 21:21 For what is his interest in his home after his death, when the number of his months has been broken off ? 21:22 Can anyone teach God knowledge , since he judges those that are on high ?
Death Levels Everything
21:23 “One man dies in his full vigor , completely secure and prosperous , 21:24 his body well nourished , and the marrow of his bones moist . 21:25 And another man dies in bitterness of soul , never having tasted anything good . 21:26 Together they lie down in the dust , and worms cover over them both.
Futile Words, Deceptive Answers
21:27 “Yes , I know what you are thinking , the schemes by which you would wrong me. 21:28 For you say , ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house , and where are the tents in which the wicked lived ?’ 21:29 Have you never questioned those who travel the roads ? Do you not recognize their accounts – 21:30 that the evil man is spared from the day of his misfortune , that he is delivered from the day of God’s wrath ? 21:31 No one denounces his conduct to his face ; no one repays him for what he has done . 21:32 And when he is carried to the tombs , and watch is kept over the funeral mound , 21:33 The clods of the torrent valley are sweet to him; behind him everybody follows in procession, and before him goes a countless throng. 21:34 So how can you console me with your futile words? Nothing is left of your answers but deception !”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Job

    [nave] JOB 1. A man who dwelt in Uz, Job 1:1. Righteousness of, Job 1:1, 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14, 20. Riches of, Job 1:3. Trial of, by affliction of Satan, Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10. Fortitude of, Job 1:20-22; 2:10; Jas. 5:11. Visite...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • Death

    [nave] DEATH. Called in some versions &ld;Giving Up the Ghost,&rd; Gen. 25:8; 35:29; Lam. 1:19; Acts 5:10. King of Terrors Job 18:14. A Change Job 14:14. Going to your Fathers Gen. 15:15; 25:8; 35:29. Putting Off This Tabe...

  • Self-righteousness

    [nave] SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. Num. 16:3; Deut. 9:4-6; 1 Sam. 2:9; Job 6:13; Job 11:4-6; Job 12:2; Job 13:3, 13, 15, 19; Job 16:17, 18; Job 18:2-4; Job 21:27-29; Job 22:2, 3; Job 32:1, 2; Job 33:8, 9; Job 35:2, 7, 8; Psa. 10:5, 6; Pro...

  • WORM

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. sas (Isa. 51:8), denotes the caterpillar of the clothes-moth. (2.) The manna bred worms (tola'im), but on the Sabbath there was not any worm (rimmah) therein (Ex. 16:20, 24). Here these words refer to caterpillars ...
    [smith] the representative in the Authorized Version of several Hebrew words. Sas , which occurs in (Isaiah 51:18) probably denotes some particular species of moth, whose larva is injurious to wool. Rimmah , (Exodus 16:20) points evi...

  • Pride

    [nave] PRIDE. Ex. 18:10, 11; Lev. 26:19; Deut. 8:11-14, 17-20; Judg. 9:14, 15; 1 Sam. 2:3-5; 1 Kin. 20:11; 2 Kin. 14:9, 10 2 Chr. 25:18, 19. Job 11:12; Job 12:2, 3; Job 13:2, 5; Job 15:1-13; Job 18:3, 4; Job 21:31, 32; Job 32:9-13...

  • Destruction

    [nave] DESTRUCTION Physical Decomposition Lev. 22:25. After death, Gen. 3:19; Job 17:14; 21:26; 34:15; Psa. 16:10; 49:9; 104:29; Eccl. 3:20; 12:7; Jonah 2:6; Acts 2:27, 31; 13:34-37; 1 Cor. 15:42, 50. Figurative Of sin, Isa. 38...

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Judgment

    [nave] JUDGMENT. The General 1 Chr. 16:33; Job 14:17; Job 21:30; Job 31:13-15; Psa. 9:7; Psa. 50:3-6; Psa. 96:13 Psa. 98:9. Eccl. 3:17; Eccl. 11:9; Eccl. 12:14; Ezek. 18:20-28; Dan. 7:9, 10; Amos 4:12; Matt. 3:12 Luke 3:17. Matt....

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • PRINCE

    [isbe] PRINCE - prins: This word occurs quite frequently in our English Bible, mostly in the Old Testament. While it is never used to denote royal parentage (compare 1 Ch 29:24), it often indicates actual royal or ruling power, tog...

  • BODY OF HEAVEN

    [isbe] BODY OF HEAVEN - The King James Version translates the Hebrew idiom, etsem ha-shamayim, by "the body of heaven" (Ex 24:10). A more correct rendering is given in the Revised Version (British and American), "the very heaven," ...

  • ARGOB (2)

    [isbe] ARGOB (2) - ar'-gob (ha-'argobh; ha-argobh or Argob): A region East of the Jordan which in Dt 3:4,5 is equivalent to the kingdom of Og in Bashan, and in 3:13 is referred to as "all the region of Argob, even all Bashan." Dt 3...

  • ANSWER

    [isbe] ANSWER - an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question. 1. In the Old Testament: Six different words are translated by answer. (1) It is frequently used where no question h...

  • CLOD

    [isbe] CLOD - In Job 7:5 (gish, gush, "a mass of earth"), "clods of dust," the crust of his sores, formed by the dry, swollen skin--a symptom of leprosy, though not peculiar to it. In Job 21:33; 38:38 (reghebh, "a soft clod," "lump...

  • CRIME; CRIMES

    [isbe] CRIME; CRIMES - krim, krimz: This. term is used in English as the equivalent of the Hebrew mishpaT, "judgment," "verdict" (Ezek 7:23); zimmah, "a heinous crime" (Job 31:11); 'asham = "a fault," "sin" (Gen 26:10, English Vers...

  • PLEASURE

    [isbe] PLEASURE - plezh'-ur (chephets, ratson; eudokia, hedone: "Pleasure" is the translation of various Hebrew words, chiefly of chephets, "inclination," hence, "pleasure," "delight" (Job 21:21, "What pleasure hath he in his house...

  • MILK

    [isbe] MILK - milk (chalabh; gala; Latin lac (2 Esdras 2:19; 8:10)): The fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the nourishment of their young. The word is used in the Bible of that of human beings (Isa 28:9) as...

  • MARROW

    [isbe] MARROW - mar'-o (moach, chelebh, shiqquy, machah, "to make fat," "to grease"; muelos): Marrow is the nourisher and strengthener of the bones; it is said to moisten the bones: "The marrow (moach) of his bones is moistened" (J...

  • TOKEN

    [isbe] TOKEN - to'-k'-n ('oth, usually rendered "sign" (on Dt 22:14 ff see the comms.)): "Sign" and "token" are virtually synonymous words and in the King James Version are used with little or no distinction (in Ex 13, compare 13:9...

Arts

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • What this book is all about has been the subject of considerable debate. Many people think God gave it to us to provide His answer to the age-old problem of suffering. In particular, many believe it is in the Bible to help us...
  • I. Prologue chs. 1-2A. Job's character 1:1-5B. Job's calamities 1:6-2:101. The first test 1:6-222. The second test 2:1-10C. Job's comforters 2:11-13II. The dialogue concerning the basis of the divine-human relationship 3:1-42...
  • The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and ...
  • The two soliloquies of Job (chs. 3 and 29-31) enclose three cycles of dialogue between Job and his three friends. Each cycle consists of speeches by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar in that order interspersed with Job's reply to e...
  • "But it is just here, when everything is blackest, that his faith . . . like the rainbow in the cloud . . . shines with a marvelous splendor."89This short section contains probably the best known verses in the book (vv. 23-27...
  • Job claimed that the wicked die for the same reason the righteous die. They are sinners. They do not inevitably die early because they are wicked sinners. Furthermore God does not punish the children of the wicked who die lat...
  • By urging them to ask travelers (v. 29) Job was accusing his friends of holding a provincial viewpoint, one formed out of limited exposure to life. Though some writers have taken verse 31 as a quotation of the view of Job's f...
  • Eliphaz proceeded next to judge Job's motives. He assumed Job had concluded that because God was far away in heaven he would get away with sin on earth. However, Job had affirmed God's omniscience (21:22). Perhaps Eliphaz had...
  • Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job's three friends (vv. 6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason he said he had refrained from speaking until now. However he had become convinced that advancing age does not...
  • 11:2 A proud person refuses to accept instruction from God, which, if he or she would follow it, would result in his or her receiving honor. The humble take God's advice, and that is their wisdom.10211:4 Riches do not profit ...
  • That another oracle is in view is clear from the question and answer format that begins this pericope, as it does the others. Verse 17 contains the question and answer, and the discussion follows in 3:1-6. The Israelites' cha...
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