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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Job 21:17

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! that is, How rarely is their lamp, the light of their prosperity, extinguished! And how oft cometh their destruction upon them? The answer implied is: Seldom enough. God distributed sorrows in His anger, rather, "How often does He distribute sorrows in His anger?" The answer is again implied: It happens only rarely that they suffer calamities; usually they are perfectly happy all their lives.

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See also Job 21:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:17. _HOW 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...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HOW 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, tha...

  • 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...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HOW OFT. ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. These words must be repeated to supply the _Ellipsis_ at the beginning of Job 21:18 and Job 21:19, as in middle of Job 21:17. CANDLE. lamp. WICKED. lawl...

  • 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 negative side of his theme is now illustrated by Job. In Job 21:7 he shewed that the wicked enjoy great, life-long prosperity; now he shews that they are free from calamity; such sudden and disast...

  • 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

    3. Sometimes they suffer, but not regularly. (Job 21:17-22) TEXT 21:17-22 17 HOW OFT IS IT THAT THE LAMP OF THE WICKED IS PUT OUT? That their calamity cometh upon them? That _God_distributeth sorro...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HOW OFT IS THE CANDLE OF THE WICKED PUT OUT! AND HOW OFT COMETH THEIR DESTRUCTION UPON THEM! GOD DISTRIBUTETH SORROWS IN HIS ANGER._ Job in this whole passage, down to verse 21, quotes the assertion...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    21:17 he (b-18) i.e. God. sorrows (c-20) Some read '[their] lot.'...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God mattered more to Job than anything else. But Job would still complain about his situation. He agreed that God should punish evil people. But Job did not realise when God will punish them. Job alre...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    HOW OFT IS THE CANDLE OF THE WICKED PUT OUT? — This and the following verse are either a concession on the part of Job, as much as to say, “I admit that it is as you say with the wicked;” or else they...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כַּ מָּ֤ה ׀ נֵר ־רְשָׁ֘עִ֤ים יִדְעָ֗ךְ וְ יָב

  • 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    How often. When do we witness the downfall of the wicked? (Mercer.) --- Or, in a contrary sense, how often are they miserable as well as the just? Such things are, therefore, a very equivocal argument...

  • 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

    HOW OFT IS THE CANDLE OF THE WICKED PUT OUT?.... Job here returns, as Jarchi observes, to his former account of the constant and continued prosperity of wicked men; and puts questions tending to prove...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and [how oft] cometh their destruction upon them! [God] distributeth sorrows in his anger. Ver. 17. _How oft is the candle of the wicked put out!_] _q.d._...

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

    _How oft is the candle of the wicked put out!_ Or, _lamp_, that is, their glory or outward happiness. I grant that this happens often, though not constantly, as you affirm. This certainly best agrees,...

  • 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...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    CANDLE: Or, lamp...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    To Bildad's claim that the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out (Job 18:5), and that death and disaster are ready to over take them (Job 18:12), Job asked, "How often does this really happen?" "Sinners a...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 a...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HOW OFT! this phrase notes either, 1. The rarity and seldomness of it. This. I confess, sometimes happens, but not oft. Or rather, 2. The frequency of it. I grant that this happens oft, though not co...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:17 lamp H5216 wicked H7563 out H1846 (H8799) destruction H343 come H935 (H8799) sorrows H2256 distributes...

  • 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 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

    Job 18:18; Job 18:5; Job 18:6; Luke 12:46; Matthew 25:8;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Often — I grant that this happens often though not constantly, as you affirm. Lamp — Their glory and outward happiness....

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