Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Job 21:34

Job feels he has refuted the theories of his friends in regard to the pretended calamities and misery of the wicked man, whether in life or death. Hence their attempts to comfort him by this line of thinking are vain.

there remaineth falsehood i. e. there is left(only) falsehood. When Job's proofs to the contrary are subtracted from the answers of his friends, there is left in them only the wrongful, false disposition they shew towards him.

Continues after advertising

See also Job 21:34 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 21:34. _HOW THEN COMFORT YE ME IN VAIN_] Mr. _Good_ translates: "How vainly then would ye make me retract!" See the note on Job 21:2. I cannot _retract_ any thing I have said, as I have pro...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    HOW THEN COMFORT YE ME IN VAIN ... - That is, how can you be qualified to give me consolation in my trials, who have such erroneous views of the government and dealings of God? True consolation could...

  • 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

    FALSEHOOD. perverseness. Hebrew. _ma'al._ App-44....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BEHOLD, I KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS— By the _day of destruction,_ and _the day of wrath,_ mentioned in the 30th verse, I believe it will appear, from the context, can be meant no other than the future day of...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    5. So, your argument that I am wicked because I suffer is false. (Job 21:27-34) TEXT 21:27-34 27 BEHOLD, I KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS, And the devices wherewith ye would wrong me. 28 For ye say, Where is...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _HOW THEN COMFORT YE ME IN VAIN, SEEING IN YOUR ANSWERS THERE REMAINETH FALSEHOOD?_ Falsehood - literally, wickedness. Your boasted "consolations" (Job 15:11) are contradicted by facts ("vain"); they...

  • 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

    Job concludes that the arguments of the friends are worthless, since he has shown that the wicked do not get their deserts. So ends the second cycle of debate, the main theme of which is the assertion...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Zophar supposed that a wicked person would soon suffer terrible troubles. But Job proved that many wicked people have successful lives. Neither Job nor Zophar thought about such people’s spirits, whic...

  • 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

    There remaineth falsehood. — Or, _all that is left of them is transgression,_ that is to say, it is not only worthless, but yet more, it is even harmful and wrong....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ֭ אֵיךְ תְּנַחֲמ֣וּנִי הָ֑בֶל וּ֝ תְשֽׁוּבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם...

  • 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

    How then comfort (u) ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? (u) Saying that the just in this world have prosperity and the wicked adversity....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Vain. These arguments shew that your assertions are destitute of proof, and afford me no comfort. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (27) В¶ Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. (28) For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? (29) H...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    REFLECTIONS READER! let us pause over the perusal of this chapter, and, for the moment, drop the recollection of both Job and his friends, to bring the subject itself a little nearer home, as it conc...

  • 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 THEN COMFORT YE ME IN VAIN,.... This is the conclusion Job draws from the above observations: his friends came to comfort him, and they took methods for it, as they thought, but miserable comforte...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? Ver. 34. _How then comfort ye me in vain_] Since ye apply nothing rightly to me, nor affirm nothing rightly of me, bu...

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

    _How then comfort ye me in vain?_ See then how ill you discharge the office of comforters, whose arguments have so little truth in them. Or, Why do you seek to comfort me with vain hopes of recovering...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    How, then, comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood, and nothing else! Since they cast unfounded suspicions upon the character of Job, they were guilty of a perfidious t...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Job Rebukes his Friends for their One-Sidedness....

  • 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)

    FALSEHOOD: _ Heb._ transgression...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    Job could not be convicted nor comforted by their arguments, because their arguments were so untrue and flimsy....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    27-34 Job opposes the opinion of his friends, That the wicked are sure to fall into visible and remarkable ruin, and none but the wicked; upon which principle they condemned Job as wicked. Turn to wh...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Why then do you seek to comfort me with vain hopes of recovering my prosperity if I repent, seeing your grounds are manifestly false, and common experience showeth that good men are very oft in great...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 21:34 comfort H5162 (H8762) words H1892 falsehood H4604 remains H7604 (H8738) answers H8666 comfort -...

  • 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

    _How then comfort ye me in vain?_ FALSE COMFORT Some years ago, I met a woman in Philadelphia, who was anxious about her soul, and had been a long time in that state. I conversed with her, and endeav...

  • 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 13:4; Job 16:2; Job 32:3; Job 42:7...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    How — Why then do you seek to comfort me with vain hopes of recovering my prosperity, seeing your grounds are false, and experience shews, that good men are often in great tribulation, while the viles...

Continues after advertising