What does Job 27:13-18 mean?
"Shall be the reward of his wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God." - Job 27:13-18
Job 27:13-18 (KJV)
"This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep. Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh."
In this passage, Job is speaking about the fate of the wicked and the consequences of their actions in the sight of God. The overarching theme of these verses is the idea of divine justice and the ultimate judgement that will be faced by the unrighteous. Job is addressing the reality that despite any material wealth, power, or influence that the wicked may appear to have in this life, they will ultimately face the repercussions of their actions in the afterlife.
The context of these verses is within the larger narrative of the book of Job. Job, a man who was described as blameless and upright, has been afflicted with unimaginable suffering and is enduring relentless torment. Throughout the book, Job's friends have been offering various explanations for his suffering, suggesting that it is a result of his own wrongdoing. However, Job maintains his innocence and refuses to accept the idea that he has brought these trials upon himself through sin. Instead, Job is grappling with the larger theological question of why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper.
In these specific verses, Job is expressing his understanding of the fate that awaits the wicked. He asserts that their portion with God is one of punishment and despair. He describes their heritage as one of oppression and suffering, emphasizing that even if the wicked amasses material wealth and success in this life, it is ultimately meaningless in the eyes of God. Job describes the fate of the wicked's descendants, stating that they will face violence and hunger, and ultimately be buried in death without the lamentation of widows.
Job employs rich symbolism to convey the fleeting nature of the wicked's prosperity and the emptiness of their accomplishments. He compares their wealth to silver and raiment, referencing their abundance and opulence, but emphasizes that ultimately it will be inherited by the just and the innocent. Job also employs imagery of transience and decay, likening the wicked's house to a moth and a booth made by a keeper. This imagery serves to underscore the impermanence and insignificance of the wicked's worldly success in comparison to the eternal justice and judgement of God.
Overall, Job 27:13-18 conveys the fundamental biblical principle of divine justice and the ultimate reckoning that the wicked will face. It speaks to the broader themes of the book of Job, addressing the complexities of suffering, righteousness, and the sovereignty of God. The passage serves as a poignant reminder of the transitory nature of worldly success and wealth, and the enduring significance of righteousness and justice in the eyes of God. It is a powerful expression of faith in the ultimate justice and righteousness of God, even in the midst of profound suffering and uncertainty.
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Job 27:13-18 Artwork
Job 27:13-18 - "This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them."
"This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them." - Job 27:13-18
Job 27:18 - "He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh."
Job 27:13 - "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty."
Job 18:13 - "It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength."
"He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh." - Job 27:18
Job 13:18 - "Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified."
Job 13:27 - "Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet."
"This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty." - Job 27:13
Job 27:1 - "Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,"
Job 27:6
"It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death shall devour his strength." - Job 18:13
"Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified." - Job 13:18
"Moreover Job continued his parable, and said," - Job 27:1
Job 18:18 - "He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world."
Job 41:27 - "He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood."
Job 18-19
Genesis 18-27
Job 30:27 - "My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me."
Job 6:27 - "Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend."
Job 27:11 - "I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal."
Job 27:3 - "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;"
Genesis 27:18-19
Joshua 18:27 - "And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,"
Job 27:7 - "Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous."
Job 27:20 - "Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night."
Job 27:17 - "He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver."
Job 27:10 - "Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?"
Job 27:9 - "Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?"
Job 27:14 - "If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread."