New Living Translation
Job 21:15
15Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’
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, then go down to the grave in peace. 14And yet they say to God, ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways. Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’ 16(They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.) 17“Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished. Do they ever have trouble? Does God distribute sorrows to them in 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 5:2“Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.”
- Psalms 12:4They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”
- Proverbs 30:9For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
- Hosea 13:6But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me.
- Job 34:9He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’
- Job 35:3For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’
- Isaiah 30:11Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’”
- Malachi 1:13You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord.
- Isaiah 45:19I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek me if I could not be found. I, the Lord, speak only what is true and declare only what is right.
- Matthew 7:7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
- John 16:24You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
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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