Job 21:15

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 suddenly they go down to Sheol. 14They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’ 16Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?

Job 21:15 word by word

מַה־שַׁדַּ֥י כִּֽי־נַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ וּמַה־נּ֝וֹעִ֗יל כִּ֣י נִפְגַּע־בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

• Whoמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• that we should serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• would we gainיָעַלya‛al · to gainH3276
• ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• we entreatפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293

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, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
• Psalms 12:4Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
• Proverbs 30:9That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
• Hosea 13:6As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me.
• Job 34:9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.’
• Job 35:3For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
• Isaiah 30:11Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”
• Malachi 1:13You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the Lord of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the Lord.
• Isaiah 45:19I have not spoken in secret, In some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a waste place’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, Declaring things that are upright.
• Matthew 7:7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it 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 made full.

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

• Amusements and Worldly Pleasures
• Character
• Infidelity
• Prayer
• Prayerlessness
• Rich, the
• Scoffing
• Skepticism
• Vanity
• Wicked (People)
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Intercession

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