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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Job 21:16

Lo, their god is not in their hand! Their prosperity, as Job contends, surely cannot be a matter of their own power; God must in some way be connected with it, a fact which makes the solution of the problem so difficult. The counsel of the wicked is far from me. Job refuses in any manner to take the part of the ungodly or to renounce God, even if he cannot understand this part of the Lord's government.

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See also Job 21:16 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:16. _THEIR GOOD_ IS _NOT IN THEIR HAND_] With all their boasting and self-dependence, God only _lends_ them his bounty; and though it appears to be their own, yet it is at his disposal....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    LO, THEIR GOOD IS NOT IN THEIR HAND - Schultens, Rosenmuller, and Noyes, suppose, I think, correctly, that this is to be understood ironically, or as referring to what “they” had maintained. “Lo! you...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 21 JOB'S REPLY _ 1. Hear my solemn words--then mock on (Job 21:1)_ 2. His testimony concerning the experiences of the wicked (Job 21:7) 3. Your answers are nothing but falsehoods (Job 21:27...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 21. JOB'S REPLY. Zophar was graphic and vigorous, but had nothing to say. Nevertheless his speech suggests to Job his next argument. The facts are quite the opposite of what Zophar has said: the w...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Finally Job adverts to the mystery: this prosperity of theirs does not depend upon themselves, it is not of their own making; it comes from another, from God. God prospers the wicked, and Job had else...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    This great mystery of the prosperity of the wicked in God's providence Job now unfolds on both its sides: first, they and all belonging to them prosper, and they die in peace, although in conscious go...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The mystery is, Why do the wicked prosper? They live long, they see their children grow up, and their homes are peaceful (Job 21:7). Their cattle thrives (Job 21:10). Their children and they pass a mi...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LO, THEIR GOOD IS NOT IN THEIR HAND— After the foregoing elegant description of the prosperity of some wicked men, Job proceeds, on the other hand, to confess what was likewise apparent in the ways of...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. The wicked enjoy great peace and plenty. (Job 21:7-16) TEXT 21:7-16 7 WHEREFORE DO THE WICKED LIVE, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? 8 Then- seed is established with them in their sight,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _LO, THEIR GOOD IS NOT IN THEIR HAND: THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED IS FAR FROM ME._ Not in their hand - but in the hand of God. This is Job's difficulty, that God, who has sinners' prosperity (good) in...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    21:16 prosperity (a-3) Or 'happiness,' lit. 'good,' as ver. 25....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB'S SIXTH SPEECH Zophar, like the other friends, had insisted on the certain retribution for sin which befalls the wicked in this life. Now at length these views draw from Job a direct contradictio...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LO, THEIR GOOD, etc.] It may mean, They cannot control their fortunes: it must be God who has prospered them. IS FAR] rather, 'be far.' Job repudiates the devices of sinners. Possibly the whole v. is...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 21 JOB REPLIES TO ZOPHAR’S...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    LO, THEIR GOOD (_i.e.,_ their prosperity) IS NOT IN THEIR OWN HAND. — And that constitutes the mystery of it, for it is God who gives it to them; or the words may be a hypothetical answer to his state...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֵ֤ן לֹ֣א בְ יָדָ֣ם טוּבָ֑ם עֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗י

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVIII. ARE THE WAYS OF THE LORD EQUAL? Job 21:1 Job SPEAKS WITH less of personal distress and a more collected mind than before Job begins a reply to Zophar. His brave hope of vindication has forti...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “SHALL ANY TEACH GOD?” Job 21:1 After a brief introduction, in which he claims the right to reply, Job 21:1, Job brings forward a new argument. He affirms that his friends are wrong in assuming that...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here, as in the first cycle, Job answered not merely Zophar, but the whole argument. First of all, he set over against their statement and illustrations the fact patent to all that often the wicked ar...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Lo, their good [is] not in their (h) hand: the counsel of the wicked (i) is far from me. (h) It is not their own, but God only lends it to them. (i) God keep me from their prosperity....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Because, is not in Hebrew. "Lo, their good is not." They are not possessed of true riches, or of good sense. Alexandrian Septuagint, "For good things were in their hands: but the works of the impious...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (14) Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. (15) What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    LO, THEIR GOOD [IS] NOT IN THEIR HAND,.... Though it is in their possession for the present, it is not in the power of their hands to keep, nor to carry it with them when they die; God, that gave it,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me._ Ver. 16. _Lo, their good is not in their hand_] That is, they are not enriched by their own industry, prudence, piet...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Lo, their good is not in their hand_ These words, says Chappelow, will be more consistent with what goes before, if read with an interrogation; namely, Lo, is not their good in their hand? that is, I...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB SILENCES ZOPHAR (vv.1-34). The callous cruelty of Zophar's speech would surely cause some men to be bitterly angry, but while Job was incensed by such treatment, he did not lose his temper. He...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "BEHOLD, THEIR PROSPERITY IS NOT IN THEIR HAND": Job does not go off the deep end, he does not envy the wicked, he realizes that God has allowed them to prosper and they are well off in spite of their...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THEIR GOOD IS NOT IN THEIR HAND: this seems to be an answer to the foregoing question, and a confutation of that ungodly opinion and practice, JOB 21:14,15. Wicked men (saith he) have no reason to neg...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:16 prosperity H2898 hand H3027 counsel H6098 wicked H7563 far H7368 (H8804) Lo - Job 1:21,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Job's answer to Zophar in which he denies any secret sin. CHARACTERS: God, Job, three friends. CONCLUSION: The providences of God in the government of this world are sometimes hard to be u...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 21:2. _Consolations._ נחם _nicham,_ though mostly translated consolation, comfort &c., as in Isaiah 40:1; is in several places understood of a change of mind, or of repentance. So in Judges 21., w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But Job answered and said._ JOB’S THIRD ANSWER There is more logic and less passion in this address than in any of Job’s preceding speeches. He felt the dogma of the friends to be opposed-- I. To...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:1 Job’s response closes the second cycle of the dialogue with his friends. ⇐ ⇔...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 21:7 Job argues that, contrary to what his friends have been saying (e.g., Job 18:5), the WICKED often prosper and their OFFSPRING

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _JOB’S REPLY TO ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ The ungodly, instead of experiencing the miseries indicated by Zophar, often, perhaps generally, enjoy continued ease and prosperity in this life. I. INTRODUC...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 21:1 Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (verses 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    By Chuck Smith This time shall we turn to the book of Job, chapter 21. Zophar has just concluded in chapter 20 his second speech in which, again, he sort of just gives some of the traditions and quote...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Ecclesiastes 8:8; Genesis 49:6; Job 1:21; Job 12:10; Job 12:9;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Lo — But wicked men have no reason to reject God, because of their prosperity, for their wealth, is not in their hand; neither obtained, nor kept by their own might, but only by God's power and favour...

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