---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Job 21"
description: "CHAPTER 21   SECOND
SERIES.   :-. JOB"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/job/21"
---

CHAPTER 21

SECOND
SERIES.

. JOB'S ANSWER.

**2. consolations**—If you will
listen calmly to me, this will be regarded as "consolations";
alluding to Eliphaz' boasted "consolations" (), which Job felt more as aggravations ("mockings,"
[Job 21:3](../../../kjv/job/21/3)) than consolations
([Job 16:2](../../../kjv/job/16/2)).

**3.** literally, "*Begin*
your mockings" ([Job 17:2](../../../kjv/job/17/2)).

**4.** Job's difficulty was not as
to *man,* but as to *God,* why He so afflicted him, as if
he were the guilty hypocrite which the friends alleged him to be.
*Vulgate* translates it, "my disputation."
**if it were**—rather,
"since this is the case."

**5. lay . . . hand upon . . . mouth**—
([Proverbs 30:32](../../../kjv/proverbs/30/32); [Judges 18:19](../../../kjv/judges/18/19)).
So the heathen god of silence was pictured with his hand on his
mouth. There was enough in Job's case to awe them into silence ([Judges 18:19](../../../kjv/judges/18/19)).

**6. remember**—Think on it. Can
you wonder that I broke out into complaints, when the struggle was
not with men, but with the Almighty? Reconcile, if you can, the
ceaseless woes of the innocent with the divine justice! Is it not
enough to make one tremble? [UMBREIT].

**7.** The answer is [Romans 2:4](../../../kjv/romans/2/4);
[1 Timothy 1:16](../../../kjv/1-timothy/1/16); [Psalms 73:18](../../../kjv/psalms/73/18);
[Ecclesiastes 8:11-13](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/8/11-13); [Luke 2:35](../../../kjv/luke/2/35);
[Proverbs 16:4](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/4); [Romans 9:22](../../../kjv/romans/9/22).
**old**—in opposition to
the friends who asserted that sinners are "cut off" early
([Job 8:12](../../../kjv/job/8/12); [Job 8:14](../../../kjv/job/8/14)).

**8.** In opposition to [Job 18:19](../../../kjv/job/18/19);
[Job 5:4](../../../kjv/job/5/4).

**9.** Literally, "peace from
fear"; with poetic force. Their house is *peace itself,*
far removed from fear. Opposed to the friends' assertion, as to the
bad ([Job 15:21-24](../../../kjv/job/15/21-24); [Job 20:26-28](../../../kjv/job/20/26-28)),
and conversely, the good ([Job 5:23](../../../kjv/job/5/23);
[Job 5:24](../../../kjv/job/5/24)).

**10.** Rather, "their cattle
conceive." The first clause of the verse describes an *easy
conception,* the second, a happy *birth* [UMBREIT].

**11. send forth**—namely, out of
doors, to their happy sports under the skies, like a joyful flock
sent to the pastures.
**little ones**—like
lambkins.
**children**—somewhat older
than the former.
**dance**—not formal
dances; but skip, like lambs, in joyous and healthful play.

**12. take**—rather, "lift up
the voice" (sing) to the note of [UMBREIT].
**timbrel**—rather,
"tambourine."
**organ**—not the modern
"organ," but the "pipe" (). The first clause refers to stringed, the latter, to wind
instruments; thus, with "the voice" all kinds of music are
enumerated.

**13. wealth**—Old *English
Version* for "prosperity."
**in a moment**—not by a
lingering disease. Great blessings! Lengthened life with prosperity,
and a sudden painless death ().

**14. Therefore**—rather, "*And
yet* they are such as say," c., that is, say, not in so many
words, but virtually, by their conduct (so the Gergesenes, ). How differently the godly ().
**ways**—The course of
action, which God points out as in , *Margin.*

**15.** (Compare [Jeremiah 2:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/20);
[Proverbs 30:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/30/9), *Margin,* [Proverbs 30:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/30/9)).
**what profit**— ([Job 35:3](../../../kjv/job/35/3);
[Malachi 3:14](../../../kjv/malachi/3/14); [Psalms 73:13](../../../kjv/psalms/73/13)).
Sinners ask, not what is *right,* but what is for the *profit
of self.* They forget, "If religion cost self something, the
want of it will cost self infinitely more."

**16. not in their hand**—but in
the hand of God. This is Job's difficulty, that God who has sinners
prosperity (good) in His hand should allow them to have it.
**is**—rather, "may
the counsel of the wicked be far from me!" [UMBREIT].
This naturally follows the sentiment of the first clause: Let me not
hereby be thought to regard with aught but horror the ways of the
wicked, however prosperous.

**17.** Job in this whole passage
down to [Job 21:17-21](../../../kjv/job/21/17-21)
quotes the assertion of the friends, as to the short continuance of
the sinner's prosperity, not his own sentiments. In [Job 21:17-18](../../../kjv/job/21/17-18) he proceeds to refute them. "How oft is the candle"
(lamp), c., quoting Bildad's sentiment ([Job 18:5](../../../kjv/job/18/5)
[Job 18:6](../../../kjv/job/18/6)), in order to question
its truth (compare [Matthew 25:8](../../../kjv/matthew/25/8)).
**how oft**—"God
distributeth," c. (alluding to [Job 20:23](../../../kjv/job/20/23)
[Job 20:29](../../../kjv/job/20/29)).
**sorrows**—UMBREIT
translates "snares," literally, "cords," which
lightning in its twining motion resembles ([Job 20:29](../../../kjv/job/20/29)).

**18.** Job alludes to a like
sentiment of Bildad ([Job 18:18](../../../kjv/job/18/18)),
using his own previous words ([Job 18:18](../../../kjv/job/18/18)).

**19.** Equally questionable is the
friends' assertion that if the godless himself is not punished, the
children are ([Job 18:19](../../../kjv/job/18/19); [Job 20:10](../../../kjv/job/20/10));
and that *God rewardeth him* here for his iniquity, and that *he
shall know* it to his cost. So "know" ([Job 20:10](../../../kjv/job/20/10)).

**20.** Another questionable
assertion of the friends, that the sinner sees his own and his
children's destruction in his lifetime.
**drink**— ([Psalms 11:6](../../../kjv/psalms/11/6);
[Isaiah 51:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/17); [Lamentations 4:21](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/21)).

**21.** The argument of the friends,
in proof of [Job 21:20](../../../kjv/job/21/20), What
pleasure can he have from his house (children) when he is
dead—("after him," [Job 21:20](../../../kjv/job/21/20)).
**when the number,** c.—Or,
rather, "What hath he to do with his children?" &c. (so
the *Hebrew* in [Ecclesiastes 3:1](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/3/1)
[Ecclesiastes 8:6](../../../kjv/ecclesiastes/8/6)). It is therefore
necessary that "*his eyes* should *see* his and their
destruction" (see [Job 14:21](../../../kjv/job/14/21)).
**cut off**—rather, when
the number of his *allotted* months is *fulfilled* ([Job 14:21](../../../kjv/job/14/21)). From an *Arabic* word, "arrow," which was
used to draw lots with. Hence "arrow"—inevitable destiny
[UMBREIT].

**22.** Reply of Job, "In all
these assertions you try to teach God how He *ought* to deal
with men, rather than prove that He does *in fact* so deal with
them. Experience is against you. God gives prosperity and adversity
as it pleases Him, not as man's wisdom would have it, on principles
inscrutable to us" ([Isaiah 40:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/13);
[Romans 11:34](../../../kjv/romans/11/34)).
**those . . . high**—the
high ones, not only angels, but men ([Romans 11:34](../../../kjv/romans/11/34)).

**23.** Literally, "in the bone
of his perfection," that is, the full strength of unimpaired
prosperity [UMBREIT].

**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](../../../kjv/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 ([Proverbs 3:8](../../../kjv/proverbs/3/8);
[Isaiah 58:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/58/11)).

**26.** ().

**27.** Their wrongful thoughts
against Job are stated by him in . They do not honestly *name* Job, but *insinuate*
his *guilt.*

**28. ye say**—referring to Zophar
([Job 20:7](../../../kjv/job/20/7)).
**the house**—referring to
the fall of the *house* of Job's oldest son ([Job 20:7](../../../kjv/job/20/7)) and the destruction of his *family.*
**prince**—The parallel
"wicked" in the second clause requires this to be taken in
a bad sense, *tyrant, oppressor* ([Job 20:7](../../../kjv/job/20/7)), the same *Hebrew,* "nobles"—oppressors.
**dwelling-places**—rather,
"pavilions," a tent containing many dwellings, such as a
great emir, like Job, with many dependents, would have.

**29.** Job, seeing that the friends
will not admit him as an impartial judge, as they consider his
calamities prove his guilt, begs them to ask the opinion of
travellers ([Lamentations 1:12](../../../kjv/lamentations/1/12)), who have
the experience drawn from observation, and who are no way connected
with him. Job opposes this to Bildad ([Lamentations 1:12](../../../kjv/lamentations/1/12)) and Zophar ([Job 20:4](../../../kjv/job/20/4)).
**tokens**—rather,
"intimations" (for example, inscriptions, proverbs,
signifying the results of their observation), testimony. Literally,
"signs" or proofs in confirmation of the word spoken ([Job 20:4](../../../kjv/job/20/4)).

**30.** Their testimony (referring
perhaps to those who had visited the region where Abraham who enjoyed
a revelation then lived) is that "the wicked is (now) spared
(reserved) against the day of destruction (hereafter)." The
*Hebrew* does not so well agree with [UMBREIT]
"in the day of destruction." Job does not deny sinners'
*future* punishment, but their punishment *in this life.*
They have their "good things" *now.* Hereafter, their
lot, and that of the godly, shall be reversed (). Job, by the Spirit, often utters truths which solve the
difficulty under which he labored. His afflictions mostly clouded his
faith, else he would have seen the solution furnished by his own
words. This answers the objection, that if he knew of the
resurrection in [Job 19:25](../../../kjv/job/19/25), and
future retribution ([Job 21:30](../../../kjv/job/21/30)),
why did he not draw his reasonings elsewhere from them, which he did
not? God's righteous government, however, needs to be vindicated as
to *this* life also, and therefore the Holy Ghost has caused the
argument mainly to turn on it at the same time giving glimpses of a
future fuller vindication of God's ways.
**brought forth**—not
"carried away safe" or "escape" (referring to
*this life*), as UMBREIT
has it.
**wrath**—literally,
"wraths," that is, multiplied and fierce wrath.

**31.** That is, who dares to charge
him openly with his bad ways? namely, in this present life. He shall,
I grant ([Job 21:30](../../../kjv/job/21/30)), be
"repaid" hereafter.

**32. Yet**—rather, "and."
**brought**—with solemn
pomp ([Psalms 45:15](../../../kjv/psalms/45/15)).
**grave**—literally,
"graves"; that is, the place where the graves are.
**remain in**—rather, *watch
on* the tomb, or sepulchral mound. Even after death he seems still
to live and watch (that is, have his "remembrance"
preserved) by means of the monument over the grave. In opposition to
Bildad ([Job 18:17](../../../kjv/job/18/17)).

**33.** As the classic saying has
it, "The earth is light upon him." His repose shall be
"sweet."
**draw**—follow. He shall
share the common lot of mortals; no worse off than they (). UMBREIT not so
well (for it is not true of "*every* man"). "*Most*
men follow in his bad steps, as countless such preceded him."

**34. falsehood**—literally,
"transgression." Your boasted "consolations" () are contradicted by facts ("vain"); they
therefore only betray your *evil intent* ("wickedness")
against me.

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