Job 21:17

Job 21:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
• New International Version (NIV)“Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger?
• English Standard Version (ESV)"How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?
• New King James Version (NKJV)“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

Context of Job 21:17

15We do not need to serve the Almighty God. If we pray to him, there is nothing he can do to help us.” 16They think that they have made themselves rich. But it is not true. So I do not listen to the things that wicked people say. It seems that wicked people enjoy a long life. They do not often have many troubles. When God is angry with them, he does not cause them to suffer. 18He does not blow them away, like the wind blows dry grass. They do not disappear like chaff that a storm blows away. 19You may say, “God will punish a wicked person's children with the punishment that he deserves.” But I say that God should punish the wicked person himself. Then he will realize that he is wicked.

Job 21:17 word by word

כַּמָּ֤ה׀ נֵר־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְיָבֹ֣א עָלֵ֣ימוֹ אֵידָ֑ם חֲ֝בָלִ֗ים יְחַלֵּ֥ק בְּאַפּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• How oft is the candleנֵרnîyr nir nêyr nêr nêrâh · lampH5216
• of the wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• put outדָּעַךְdâ‛ak · to put outH1846
• comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• their destructionאֵיד'êyd · calamityH343
• distributethחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
• sorrowsחֵ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · painH2256
• in his angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639

Cross-references for Job 21:17

• Job 18:5The light of a wicked person's life will stop shining. His fire will no longer burn brightly.
• Proverbs 13:9Righteous people have joy that shines like a bright light. But wicked people have a light that will quickly go out.
• Proverbs 20:20If you insult your parents, your life will quickly finish, like a lamp that suddenly goes out and leaves you in complete darkness.
• Proverbs 24:20A wicked person has nothing to hope for in the future. His life will end suddenly.
• Matthew 25:8The five silly young women said to the other five young women, “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are not giving much light.”
• Psalms 32:10Wicked people will receive a lot of trouble and pain. But if anyone trusts in the Lord, they will know that God always loves them.
• Psalms 90:7Your anger destroys us, and we become very afraid.
• Luke 12:46Then the master of that servant will come home and he will surprise the servant. He did not think that his master would come home on that day or at that time. Then the master will punish that servant a lot. He will put the servant with those people that do not obey him.
• Romans 2:8But other people think only about themselves. They refuse to obey God's true message. Instead, they continue to do things that are wrong. God will be very angry with people like that and he will punish them.

Commentaries on Job 21:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? - The candle or lamp is often used, both as the emblem of prosperity and of posterity. Oftentimes the rejoicing of the wicked is short; and, not unfrequently, his seed is cut off from the earth. The root is dried up, and the branch is withered. God distributeth sorrows in his anger - He must be incensed against those who refuse to know, serve, and pray unto him. In his anger, therefore, he portions out to each…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? - Margin, “lamp.” A light, or a lamp, was an image of prosperity. There is, probably, an allusion here to what had been maintained by Bildad, Job 18:5-6, that the light of the wicked would be extinguished, and their dwellings made dark; see the notes at those verses. Job replies to this by asking how often it occurred. He inquires whether it was a frequent thing. By this, he implies that it was not universal…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-26Verses 17-26 Job had described the prosperity of wicked people; in these verses he opposes this to what his friends had maintained about their certain ruin in this life. He reconciles this to the holiness and justice of God. Even while they prosper thus, they are light and worthless, of no account with God, or with wise men. In the height of their pomp and power, there is but a step between them and ruin. Job refers the difference Providence makes between…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17the lamp of the wicked put out: Job disagreed with Bildad and the standard perspective of wisdom (18:5–6, 18; Proverbs 13:9; 20:20; 24:20; see God’s comments at Job 38:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Job in this whole passage down to Job 21:21 quotes the assertion of the friends, as to the short continuance of the sinner's prosperity, not his own sentiments. In Job 21:22 he proceeds to refute them. "How oft is the candle" (lamp), &c., quoting Bildad's sentiment (Job 18:5, 6), in order to question its truth (compare Mt 25:8). how oft--"God distributeth," &c. (alluding to Job 20:23, 29). sorrows--Umbreit translates "snares," literally, "cords,"…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 21:17

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Death
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Candle
• Inspiration
• Lamp; Lampstand

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