BibleWord.ai›Bible›Job›Chapter 21

Job Chapter 21

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 34 Verses

What is Job 21 about?

The suffering of a righteous man and the profound questions it raises about God's justice, sovereignty, and human understanding. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Then Job answered and said,
2Hear diligently my speech; And let this be your consolations.
3Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.
4As for me, is my complaint to man? And why should I not be impatient?
5Mark me, and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth.
6Even when I remember I am troubled, And horror taketh hold on my flesh.
7Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
8Their seed is established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.
9Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.
10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
12They sing to the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13They spend their days in prosperity, And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
14And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
16Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger?
18That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away?
19[Ye say], God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
20Let his own eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21For what careth he for his house after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
22Shall any teach God knowledge, Seeing he judgeth those that are high?
23One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet:
24His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moistened.
25And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.
26They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.
27Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me.
28For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?
29Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,
30That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity? That they are led forth to the day of wrath?
31Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
32Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And men shall keep watch over the tomb.
33The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.
34How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth [only] falsehood?
← Job 20Job 22 →

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“But Job answered and said.] In reply to what Zophar had asserted, concerning the prosperity of the wicked being only for a short time, (<182005>Job 20:5); the contrary to which he most clearly proves, and that in many instances their prosperity continues as long as they live; that they die in it, and it is enjoyed by their posterity after them.”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“JOB'S ANSWER. (Job 21:1-34) consolations--If you will listen calmly to me, this will be regarded as "consolations"; alluding to Eliphaz' boasted "consolations" (Job 15:11), which Job felt more as aggravations ("mockings," Job 21:3) than consolations (Job 16:2).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 2
“Hear diligently - Hebrew “Hearing hear” - that is, hear attentively. What he was about to say was worthy of their solemn consideration. And let this be your consolations - That is, “You came to me for the professed purpose of giving “me” consolation. In that you have wholly failed. You have done nothing to sustain or comfort me; but all that you have said has only tended to exasperate me, and to increase my sorrow. If you will now hear me attentively, I will take that as a consolation, and it shall be in the place of what I had a right to expect from you. It will be “some” comfort if I am permitted to express my…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“Hear, &c. - If you have no other comfort to administer, at least afford me this. And it will be a comfort to yourselves in the reflection, to have dealt tenderly with your afflicted friend. Job 21:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 2
“21:2 Job’s friends insisted that they were delivering God’s own message of comfort (15:11), but Job found no comfort in their words (16:2), so he asked for the consolation of their attentive silence (see 13:5).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 2
“Hear: Job 13:3, Job 13:4, Job 18:2, Job 33:1, Job 33:31-33, Job 34:2; Jdg 9:7; Isa 55:2; Heb 2:1 let this be: Job 15:11, Job 16:2 Job 21:3”
Read attributed excerpt →
Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“1 Then began Job, and said: 2 Hear, oh hear, my speech, And let this be instead of your consolations. 3 Suffer me, and I will speak, And after I have spoken thou mayest mock. 4 As for me, then, doth my complaint concern man, Or wherefore should I not become impatient? 5 Turn ye to me and be astonished, And lay your hand upon your mouth. 6 Even if I think of it I am bewildered, And my flesh taketh hold on trembling - : The friends, far from being able to solve the enigma of Job's affliction, do not once recognise the mystery as such. They cut the knot by wounding Job most deeply by ever more and more frivolous…”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Job overviewCompare translationsOpen this chapter in the study reader

Sources and verification