Christian Standard Bible
Job 21:15
15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading 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 spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace. 14Yet they say to God, “Leave us alone! We don’t want to know your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him, and what will we gain by pleading with him?” 16But their prosperity is not of their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me! 17How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does he apportion destruction 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 responded, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him by letting Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
- Psalms 12:4They say, “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own — who can be our master?”
- Proverbs 30:9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.
- Hosea 13:6When they had pasture, they became satisfied; they were satisfied, and their hearts became proud. Therefore they forgot me.
- Job 34:9For he has said, “A man gains nothing when he becomes God’s friend.”
- Job 35:3For you ask, “What does it profit you, and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?”
- Isaiah 30:11Get out of the way! Leave the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel.”
- Malachi 1:13You also say, ‘Look, what a nuisance! ’ And you scorn it,” says the Lord of Armies. “You bring stolen, lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.
- Isaiah 45:19I have not spoken in secret, somewhere in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob: Seek me in a wasteland. I am the Lord, who speaks righteously, who declares what is right.
- Matthew 7:7“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- John 16:24Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be 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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