Amplified Bible
Job 21:15
15Who [and what] is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what would we gain if we plead with Him?’
Job 21:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
- New International Version (NIV)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?’
- English Standard Version (ESV)What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
Context of Job 21:15
13They fully enjoy their days in prosperity, And so go down to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) in a [peaceful] moment. 14Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who [and what] is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what would we gain if we plead with Him?’ 16But notice, the prosperity of the wicked is not in their hand (in their power); The counsel of the wicked [and the mystery of God’s dealings with the ungodly] is far from my comprehension. 17“How often [then] is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, And that their disaster falls on them? Does God distribute pain and destruction and sorrow [to them] in His anger?
Read all of Job 21Job 21:15 word by word
מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 21:15
- Exodus 5:2But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”
- Psalms 12:4Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord and master over us?”
- Proverbs 30:9So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I will not be poor and steal, And so profane the name of my God.
- Hosea 13:6When they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud (self-centered); Therefore they forgot Me.
- Job 34:9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’
- Job 35:3For you say, ‘What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]? What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] than if I had sinned?’
- Isaiah 30:11Get out of the [true] way, turn aside from the path [of God], Stop bothering us with the Holy One of Israel.”
- Malachi 1:13You also say, ‘How tiresome this is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the Lord of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery, and the lame or the sick [animals]; this you bring as an offering! Should I receive it with pleasure from your hand?” says the Lord.
- Isaiah 45:19I have not spoken in secret, In a corner of a land of darkness; I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain [with no benefit for yourselves].’ I, the Lord, speak righteousness [the truth—trustworthy, a straightforward correlation between deeds and words], Declaring things that are upright.
- Matthew 7:7“ Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.
- John 16:24Until now you have not asked [the Father] for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete.
Commentaries on Job 21:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15What is the Almighty - What allegiance do we owe to him? We feel no obligation to obey him; and what profit can we derive from prayer? We are as happy as flesh and blood can make us: our kingdom is of this world; we wish for no other portion than that which we have. Those who have never prayed as they ought know nothing of the benefits of prayer.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? - compare for similar expressions, Exodus 5:2; Proverbs 30:9. The meaning here is, “What claim has the Almighty, or who is he, that we should be bound to obey and worship him? What authority has he over us? Why should we yield our will to his, and why submit to his claims?” This is the language of the human heart everywhere. Man seeks to deny the authority of God over him, and to feel that he has no claim to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-16Verses 7-16 Job says, Remarkable judgments are sometimes brought upon notorious sinners, but not always. Wherefore is it so? This is the day of God's patience; and, in some way or other, he makes use of the prosperity of the wicked to serve his own counsels, while it ripens them for ruin; but the chief reason is, because he will make it appear there is another world. These prospering sinners make light of God and religion, as if because they have so much…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. (Compare Jr 2:20; Pr 30:9, Margin, Ex 5:2). what profit--(Job 35:3; Mal 3:14; Psa 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."Read the comment
Topics related to Job 21:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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