Job 21:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 21:17-26

Job had largely described the prosperity of wicked people; now, in these verses, I. He opposes this to what his friends had maintained concerning their certain ruin in this life. ?Tell me how often do you see the candle of the wicked put out? Do you not as often see it burnt down to the socket, until it goes out of itself? Job 21:17. How often do you see their destruction come upon them, or God distributing sorrows in his anger among them? Do you not as often see their mirth and prosperity... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 21:18

They are as stubble before the wind ,.... Or how oft "are they as stubble?" &c.; or how oft does God do the above things, "so that they are", or "become, as stubble before the wind" F21 יהיו כתבן "ut sint velut palea", Tigurine version; so Broughton, "quoties sunt", Junius & Tremellius; "quoties fiunt", Piscator, Michaelis. , and as chaff that the storm carrieth , or "steals away" F24 גנבתו "furatus est eam", Montanus; "suffuratur", Vatablus; "furatur", Drusius,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 21:18

They are as stubble before the wind - " His fan is in his hand; he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, but shall be like the chaff which the wind driveth away." Were not this a common thought, I should have supposed that the author of this book borrowed it from Psalm 1:4 . The original signifies that they shall be carried away by a furious storm; and borne off as booty is by the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 21:1-34

Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (verses 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar had thrown out, respecting the certain punishment, in this life, of the wicked ( Job 20:4-29 ), and maintains, "in language of unparalleled boldness'' (Cook), the converse of the proposition. The wicked, he says, live, grow old, attain to great power, have a numerous and flourishing offspring, prosper, grow... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 21:1-34

Job to Zophar: Audi alteram partem. I. THE SPIRIT OF JOB 'S REPLY . 1 . Intense earnestness. Indicated by the respectful invitation addressed to his friends to attend to his discourse, the nervous reduplication of the verb "hear," and the assurance that such behaviour on their part would more effectually console him than all their eloquent and laboured harangues. Job's character of eminent sanctity, Job's condition of extreme wretchedness, and Job's condemnation by the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 21:1-34

Diverse interpretations of life. The friends of Job remain entrenched in the one firm position, as they think it, which they have from the first taken up. No appeals on his part have availed to soften their hearts, or induce a reconsideration of the rigid theory of suffering which they have adopted. But he now, no longer confining himself to the assertion of his personal innocence, makes an attack upon their position. He dwells upon the great enigma of life—the prosperity of the wicked... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 21:7-21

The prosperity of the wicked. Job here gives his version of the old familiar theme. It is not as the three friends supposed. These neat maxims do not fit in with the facts of life as Job has seen them. The prosperity of the wicked is a real though a mysterious fact, one that cannot be gainsaid. I. THE FACTS AS WITNESSED IN LIFE . 1 . An established family. Job's home is desolate. The seed of the wicked is established in their sight. They have their children about... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 21:18

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away ; rather, How oft is it that they are as stubble before the wind , and as chaff , etc.? The construction begun in the first clause of Job 21:17 is carried on to the end of Job 21:18 . "Stubble" and "chaff" are ordinary figures for foolish and ungodly men, whom the blast of God's anger swoops away to destruction (comp. Exodus 15:7 ; Psalms 1:4 ; Psalms 35:5 ; Psalms 83:13 ; Isaiah 27:13 ; ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 21:18

They are as stubble before the wind - According to the interpretation proposed of the previous verse, this may be read as a question, “How often is it that the wicked are made like stubble? You say that God deals with people exactly according to their characters, and that the wicked are certainly subjected to calamities; but how often does this, in fact, occur? Is it a uniform law? Do they not, in fact, live in prosperity, and arrive at a good old age?” It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 21:18

Job 21:18. They are as stubble before the wind, &c. That is, their destruction shall be speedy, certain, and irrecoverable. Thus he goes on to concede to his adversaries, “that wicked men are sometimes thus severely punished, as they in their speeches had been fond of representing; but then he had before shown, that they were sometimes as remarkably prosperous; and this made way for a third particular, which is indeed his general assertion all along, and the medium by which he... read more

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