He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying], Where [is it]? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
He wandereth abroad {H5074} for bread {H3899}, saying, Where is it? he knoweth {H3045} that the day {H3117} of darkness {H2822} is ready {H3559} at his hand {H3027}.
He wanders and looks for food, which isn't there. He knows the day of darkness is ready, at hand.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
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Psalms 109:10
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek [their bread] also out of their desolate places. -
Psalms 59:15
Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. -
Job 18:12
His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction [shall be] ready at his side. -
Amos 5:20
[Shall] not the day of the LORD [be] darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? -
Joel 2:2
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations. -
Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. -
Lamentations 5:6
We have given the hand [to] the Egyptians, [and to] the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
Job 15:23 captures Eliphaz the Temanite's harsh portrayal of the wicked, depicting them as desperate and facing inevitable doom. This verse is part of Eliphaz's second speech, where he continues to argue that suffering is a direct consequence of sin, implicitly accusing Job of unrighteousness.
Context
This verse is situated within Eliphaz's second discourse (Job 15:1-35), where he responds to Job's lamentations and renewed assertions of innocence. Eliphaz, one of Job's three friends, maintains the traditional view of divine justice: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. He elaborates on the miseries and terrors that befall the ungodly, using vivid, often exaggerated, imagery. Here, he paints a picture of someone who is utterly destitute and haunted by the prospect of impending calamity, a stark contrast to Job's own experience, which Eliphaz wrongly attributes to Job's hidden sins.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew word for "wandereth" is nadad (נודד), which implies restless wandering, fleeing, or being a fugitive. It conveys a sense of instability and homelessness, emphasizing the lack of security and peace. The "day of darkness" (yom choshek, יום חושך) is a powerful metaphor throughout Scripture, often used to denote a time of divine judgment, tribulation, or death, reinforcing the idea of an inescapable doom for those whom Eliphaz describes.
Practical Application
While Eliphaz's words were misapplied to Job, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of the potential consequences of a life lived apart from God's wisdom and guidance. However, it also strongly cautions against a judgmental attitude towards those who suffer. We must remember that not all hardship is a direct result of personal sin. Instead of condemning, the verse can inspire empathy for those experiencing destitution and despair, and prompt reflection on the true source of security and hope, which is found in God, not in worldly possessions or perfect circumstances.