Matthew Henry on 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 continuing to the last?" Perhaps there are as many instances of notorious sinners ending their days in pomp as ending them in misery, which observation is sufficient to invalidate their arguments against J…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Job 21:24
breasts--rather, "skins," or "vessels" for fluids [LEE]. But [UMBREIT] "stations or resting-places of his herds near water"; in opposition to Zophar (Job 20:17); the first clause refers to his abundant substance, the second to his vigorous health.
moistened--comparing man's body to a well-watered field (Pro 3:8; Isa 58:11).
John Gill on Job 21:25
And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul,.... Either another wicked man; for there is a difference among wicked men; some are outwardly happy in life, and in the circumstances of their death, as before described; and others are very unhappy in both; their life is a scene of afflictions which embitter life, and make death eligible; and in the midst of which they die, as well as oftentimes in bitter pains, and terrible agonies of body, as well as in great distress and horror of mind, and black despair, as Judas and others:
and never eateth with pleasure, or "of any good", or "any good thing" (y); either he has it not to eat, or what he has is not good, but like husks which swine eat, o…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Job 21:22-26
22 Shall one teach God knowledge,
Who judgeth those who are in heaven?
23 One dieth in his full strength,
Being still cheerful and free from care.
24 His troughs are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is well watered.
25 And another dieth with a sorrowing spirit,
And hath not enjoyed wealth.
26 They lie beside one another in the dust,
And worms cover them both.
The question, Job 21:22, concerns the friends. Since they maintain that necessarily and constantly virtue is rewarded by prosperity, and sin by misfortune, but without this law of the divine order of the world which is maintained by them being supported by experience: if they set themselves up as teachers of God, they will teac…
