Job 27:16-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 27:11-23

Job's friends had seen a great deal of the misery and destruction that attend wicked people, especially oppressors; and Job, while the heat of disputation lasted, had said as much, and with as much assurance, of their prosperity; but now that the heat of the battle was nearly over he was willing to own how far he agreed with them, and where the difference between his opinion and theirs lay. 1. He agreed with them that wicked people are miserable people, that God will surely reckon with cruel... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 27:16

Though he heap up silver as the dust ,.... Which, as it denotes the great abundance of it collected together, so it expresses the bias and disposition of such a man's mind, that he cannot be content without amassing great quantities of it, and also his diligence and success therein, see 1 Kings 10:27 ; and prepare raiment as the clay ; not merely, for use, but pomp and show, to fill his wardrobes with; and formerly, raiment was part of the treasure of great men: the phrase signifies... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 27:17

He may prepare it ,.... Raiment; beginning with that first which was mentioned last, which is frequent in the Hebrew and eastern languages; such things may be done, and often are, by wicked men: but the just shall put it on ; the wicked man will either have no heart, or have no time, to wear it, at least to wear it out, and so a just man shall have it, as the Israelites put on the raiment of the Egyptians, which they begged or borrowed, and spoiled them of, Exodus 12:35 ; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 27:18

He buildeth his house as a moth ,.... Which builds its house in a garment by eating into it, and so destroying it, and in time eats itself out of house and home, and however does not continue long in it, but is soon and easily shook out, or brushed off; so a wicked man builds himself an house, a stately palace, like Arcturus F12 כעש "quasi Arcturi", Junius & Tremellius; so Aben Ezra. ; so some render the words from Job 9:9 , a palace among the stars, an heavenly palace and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 27:19

The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered ,.... That is, the wicked rich man; and the sense is, either he shall lie down upon his bed, but shall not be gathered to rest, shall get no sleep, the abundance of his riches, and the fear of losing them, or his life for them, will not suffer him to compose himself to sleep; or else it expresses his sudden loss of them, he "lies down" at night to take his rest, "and it is not gathered", his riches are not gathered or taken away from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 27:16

Though he heap up silver - Though he amass riches in the greatest abundance, he shall not enjoy them. Unsanctified wealth is a curse to its possessor. Money, of all earthly possessions, is the most dangerous, as it is the readiest agent to do good or evil. He that perverts it is doubly cursed, because it affords him the most immediate means of sinful gratification; and he can sin more in an hour through this, than he can in a day or week by any other kind of property. On the other hand, they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 27:17

The just shall put it on - Money is God's property. "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord;" and though it may be abused for a time by unrighteous hands, God, in the course of his providence, brings it back to its proper use; and often the righteous possess the inheritance of the wicked. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 27:18

He buildeth his house as a moth - With great skill, great pains, and great industry; but the structure, however skillful, shall be dissolved; and the materials, however costly, shall be brought to corruption. To its owner it shall be only a temporary habitation, like that which the moth makes in its larve or caterpillar state, during its change from a chrysalis to a winged insect. As a booth that the keeper maketh - A shed which the watchman or keeper of a vineyard erects to cover him... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 27:19

The rich man shall lie down - In the grave. But he shall not be gathered - Neither have a respectable burial among men, nor be gathered with the righteous in the kingdom of God. It may be that Job alludes here to an opinion relative to the state of certain persons after death, prevalent in all nations in ancient times, viz., that those whose funeral rites had not been duly performed, wander about as ghosts, and find no rest. He openeth his eyes - In the morning of the resurrection. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 27:1-23

This chapter divides itself into three distinct portions. In the first, which extends to the end of Job 27:6 , Job is engaged in maintaining, with the utmost possible solemnity (verse 2), both his actual integrity (verse 6) and his determination to hold fast his integrity as long as he lives (verses 4-6). In the second (verses 7-10) he implicates a curse upon his enemies. In the third (verses 11-23) he returns to the consideration of God's treatment of the wicked, and retracts the view... read more

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