Job Twenty Seven

by Dr. Henry M. Morris

(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)

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Job 27:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Job 27:2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

Job 27:4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

Job 27:5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

Job 27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

My righteousness. Regardless of the sarcastic criticisms of his erstwhile friends and even of the apparent silence of God, Job was determined both to maintain his practice of righteousness and of trusting God, and also insisting openly that he had lived righteously even if others kept insisting this was hypocrisy.

Job 27:7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Job 27:9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

Job 27:10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

Job 27:11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Job 27:12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

Job 27:13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

Job 27:14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

Job 27:15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

Job 27:16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

Job 27:17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

Job 27:18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.

Job 27:19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

Job 27:20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.

Job 27:21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.

Job 27:22 For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

Job 27:23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

clap their hands. This is the first of nine references to hand-clapping; with four different Hebrew words being so translated. However, all of these refer to “smiting” or “striking,” either in derision or in exultation over the defeat and humiliation of an enemy, and are commonly so translated. The modern practices of clapping to show approval of a performance or in rhythmic accompaniment to music and dancing has no Biblical warrant.