TRV
Translation
King James Version
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
Complete Jewish Bible
God lays up for their children [the punishment for their] iniquity. He should lay it on [the wicked] themselves, so that they can feel it!
Berean Standard Bible
It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.
American Standard Version
Ye say, God layeth up his iniquity for his children. Let him recompense it unto himself, that he may know it:
World English Bible Messianic
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
God wil lay vp the sorowe of the father for his children: when he rewardeth him, hee shall knowe it.
Young's Literal Translation
God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him--and he knoweth.
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In the KJVVerse 13,375 of 31,102
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Commentary on Job 21 verses 17–26
17 ¶ How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Job had largely described the prosperity of wicked people; now, in these verses,
I. He opposes this to what his friends had maintained concerning their certain ruin in this life. "Tell me how often do you see the candle of the wicked put out? Do you not as often see it burnt down to the socket, until it goes out of itself? Job 21:17. How often do you see their destruction come upon them, or God distributing sorrows in his anger among them? Do you not as often see their mirth and prosperity continuing to the last?" Perhaps there are as many instances of notorious sinners ending their days in pomp as ending them in misery, which observation is sufficient to invalidate their arguments against Job and to show that no certain judgment can be made of men's character by their outward condition.
II. He reconciles this to the holiness and justice of God. Though wicked people prosper thus all their days, yet we are not therefore to think that God will let their wickedness always go unpunished. No, 1. Even while they prosper thus they are as stubble and chaff before the stormy wind, Job 21:18. They are light and worthless, and of no account either with God or with wise and good men. They are fitted to destruction, and continually lie exposed to it, and in the height of their pomp and power there is but a step between them and ruin. 2. Though they spend all their days in wealth God is laying up their iniquity for their children (Job 21:19), and he will visit it upon their posterity when they are gone. The oppressor lays up his goods for his children, to make them gentlemen, but God lays up his iniquity for them, to make them beggars. He keeps an exact account of the fathers' sins, seals them up among his treasures (Deu 32:34), and will justly punish the children, while the riches, to which the curse cleaves, are found as assets in their hands. 3. Though they prosper in this world, yet they shall be reckoned with in another world. God rewards him according to his deeds at last (Job 21:19), though the sentence passed against his evil works be not executed speedily. Perhaps he may not now be made to fear the wrath to come, but he may flatter himself with hopes that he shall have peace though he go on; but he shall be made to feel it in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. He shall know it (Job 21:20): His eyes shall see his destruction which he would not be persuaded to believe. They will not see, but they shall see, Isa 26:11. The eyes that have been wilfully shut against the grace of God shall be opened to see his destruction. He shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty; that shall be the portion of his cup. Compare Psa 11:6 with Rev 14:10. The misery of damned sinners is here set forth in a few words, but very terrible ones. They lie under the wrath of an Almighty God, who, in their destruction, both shows his wrath and makes known his power; and, if this will be his condition in the other world, what good will his prosperity in this world do him? What pleasure has he in his house after him? Job 21:21. Our Saviour has let us know how little pleasure the rich man in hell had in his house after him, when the remembrance of the good things he had received in his life-time would not cool his tongue, but added much to his misery, as did also the sorrow he was in lest his five brethren, whom he left in his house after him, should follow him to that place of torment, Luk 16:25-28. So little will the gain of the world profit him that has lost his soul.
III. He resolves this difference which Providence makes between one wicked man and another into the wisdom and sovereignty of God (Job 21:22): Shall any pretend to teach God knowledge? Dare we arraign God's proceedings or blame his conduct? Shall we take upon us to tell God how he should govern the world, what sinner he should spare and whom he should punish? He has both authority and ability to judge those that are high. Angels in heaven, princes and magistrates on earth, are accountable to God, and must receive their doom from him. He manages them, and makes what use he pleases of them. Shall he then be accountable to us, or receive advice from us? He is the Judge of all the earth, and therefore no doubt he will do right (Gen 18:25, Rom 3:6), and those proceedings of his providence which seem to contradict one another he can make, not only mutually to agree, but jointly to serve his own purposes. The little difference there is between one wicked man's dying so in pain and misery, when both will at last meet in hell, he illustrates by the little difference there is between one man's dying suddenly and another's dying slowly, when they will both meet shortly in the grave. So vast is the disproportion between time and eternity that, if hell be the lot of every sinner at last, it makes little difference if one goes singing thither and another sighing. See,
1.How various the circumstances of people's dying are. There is one way into the world, we say, but many out; yet, as some are born by quick and easy labour, others by that which is hard and lingering, so dying is to some much more terrible than to others; and, since the death of the body is the birth of the soul into another world, death-bed agonies may not unfitly be compared to child-bed throes. Observe the difference. (1.) One dies suddenly, in his full strength, not weakened by age or sickness (Job 21:23), being wholly at ease and quiet, under no apprehension at all of the approach of death, nor in any fear of it; but, on the contrary, because his breasts are full of milk and his bones moistened with marrow (Job 21:24), that is, he is healthful and vigorous, and of a good constitution (like a milch cow that is fat and in good liking), he counts upon nothing but to live many years in mirth and pleasure. Thus fair does he bid for life, and yet he is cut off in a moment by the stroke of death. Note, It is a common thing for persons to be taken away by death when they are in their full strength, in the highest degree of health, when they least expect death, and think themselves best armed against it, and are ready not only to set death at a distance, but to set it at defiance. Let us therefore never be secure; for we have known many well and dead in the same week, the same day, the same hour, nay, perhaps, the same minute. Let us therefore be always ready. (2.) Another dies slowly, and with a great deal of previous pain and misery (Job 21:25), in the betterness of his soul, such as poor Job was himself now in, and never eats with pleasure, has no appetite to his food nor any relish of it, through sickness, or age, or sorrow of mind. What great reason have those to be thankful that are in health and always eat with pleasure! And what little reason have those to complain who sometimes do not eat thus, when they hear of many that never do!
2.How undiscernible this difference is in the grave. As rich and poor, so healthful and unhealthful, meet there (Job 21:26): They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them, and feed sweetly on them. Thus, if one wicked man die in a palace and another in a dungeon, they will meet in the congregation of the dead and damned, and the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched, will be the same to them, which makes those differences inconsiderable and not worth perplexing ourselves about.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–26. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
COMMENTARY ON JOB 21:19-22A
Since he spoke before him [Zophar] and said “from the time man was set upon the earth,” things go on in this manner. Job addresses his reproaches to him, because he ignores what is clear and evident. He says to him, you asserted that things are not as I said, but quite the opposite. Therefore, no one must know the secret plans of God, who rules the entire creation. Now tell me, why are those who are not impious punished? One is in need, the other in wealth, but their wickedness is the same.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
57. We know that it is written; Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children unto the third and fourth generation. [Ex. 34, 7] And again it is written, What mean ye that ye make this a proverb among you concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord, ye shall not have this for a proverb any more in Israel. Behold all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. [Ezek. 18, 2-4] Thus in these two sentences whereas there is found a dissimilar meaning, the mind of the hearer is instructed, that it should search out with minute care the way of discernment. Since original sin we derive from our parents, and, except by the grace of Baptism we be loosed from it, we bear with us the sins of our very parents, seeing that surely we are still one with them. And so ‘He visiteth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,’ when on account of the guilt of the parent, the soul of the offspring is polluted by original sin. And again He does not ‘visit the sins of the fathers upon the children,’ in that when we are freed from original guilt by Baptism, we no longer own the sins of our fathers, but those which we have ourselves been guilty of. Which however may be understood in another way as well, in that whosoever imitates the wicked ways of a bad father, is bound in his sins also. But whosoever does not follow the wickedness of his parent, is never burthened by his offence. And hence it comes to pass that the bad son of a bad father not only pays for his own sins, which he has added; but the sins of his father as well; seeing that to the evil practices of his father, which he is not ignorant that the Lord is angry with, he is not afraid to add yet further his own wickedness too. And it is meet that he who being liable to a strict Judge does not fear to follow the ways of a wicked parent, should be compelled in this present life to pay for even his parent’s misdeeds. And hence it is there said, The soul of the father is Mine, and the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die, because in the flesh by the sin of the father the sons too are sometimes ruined. But now that original sin has been done away, they are not bound in the soul by the parent’s wickedness. For how is it that little children are very often seized by devils, saving that the flesh of the son is mulcted in punishment of the father? For the bad father is stricken in his own person, and is too stubborn to feel the force of the blow. Very often he is stricken in his children, so as to be more sharply stung, and the sorrow of the father is rendered to the flesh of the children, to the end that the evil heart of the parent may be chastened by inflictions on the children. But when not little children, but such as are now more advanced in years, are stricken by the parent’s sin, what else are we given clearly to understand, but that they likewise pay the penalties of those whose deeds they have imitated? And hence it is rightly said, Even unto the third and fourth generation. For whereas it is possible that ‘even to the third and fourth generation,’ children may witness the life of their father, which they copy, vengeance extends even to them, who witnessed what they might mischievously imitate.
58. And because sin shuts the eyes of the ungodly, but punishment opens them wide at the last, it is rightly subjoined; And when He repayeth, then he shall know it. For the ungodly man knows not the evil things he has done, except when he has already begun to be punished for those same evil deeds. Hence it is said by the Prophet; And the vexation alone shall give understanding to the hearing. For he then ‘understands’ what he has heard, when he now grieves that he is ‘vexed’ for the neglect of it. Hence it is said by Balaam concerning himself; the man whose eye is shut hath said: He hath said which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, which shall fail, and so his eyes shall be opened. [Num. 24, 3. 4.] For he gave counsel against the children of Israel, but he saw afterwards in punishment what it was he had been guilty of before in sin. Now the Elect, forasmuch as they see beforehand so that they should not sin, the eyes of these surely are open before their fall. But the wicked man opens his eyes after his fall, because after his sin he now in his own punishment sees that he ought to have avoided that ill which he did.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Job 21:19 captures a pivotal moment in Job's impassioned discourse, where he vehemently challenges the simplistic retribution theology advanced by his friends. Rather than accepting the notion that God might defer the punishment for a wicked person's iniquity to their innocent children, Job rhetorically demands that the wicked individual themselves should directly experience and acknowledge the full recompense for their deeds in their own lifetime. This verse serves as a potent expression of Job's profound frustration with the apparent prosperity of the wicked and his unwavering insistence on a more immediate and personal manifestation of divine justice.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 21:19 powerfully employs several literary devices to convey Job's profound frustration and challenge to conventional wisdom. The primary device is Rhetorical Question/Challenge. Job is not stating a theological truth he believes, but rather posing a statement that implicitly and forcefully challenges the perceived or actual ways of divine justice. He sets up a premise ("God layeth up his iniquity for his children") only to immediately refute it with an indignant demand for direct accountability. This creates a strong sense of Juxtaposition, contrasting the idea of deferred, intergenerational punishment with the demand for immediate, personal retribution. There is also a palpable element of Irony or Sarcasm in Job's tone, as he articulates a concept of justice (punishing children for parents' sins) that he finds deeply unsatisfactory and fundamentally unjust, especially given his own undeserved suffering. The verse's concise, forceful, and declarative phrasing significantly contributes to its potent rhetorical impact.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 21:19 stands as a poignant and powerful expression of Job's agonizing struggle with the problem of evil and the perceived inequity of divine justice in the world. It directly confronts the simplistic retribution theology prevalent in his day and staunchly championed by his friends, a theology that utterly failed to account for the persistent prosperity of the wicked or the profound suffering of the righteous. Job's fervent demand for direct, personal accountability for the wicked anticipates later, crucial theological developments in the Old Testament, particularly the prophetic emphasis on individual responsibility over corporate guilt. While the Old Testament does contain passages speaking of intergenerational consequences for sin, Job's protest here pushes back against the idea that such a system is inherently just or entirely sufficient, especially when the wicked themselves seem to escape immediate, visible judgment. This verse compels a deeper contemplation of God's complex, often mysterious, and ultimately sovereign ways of administering justice, reminding us that His timing and methods are not always discernible or predictable from a limited human perspective.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 21:19, embedded within Job's profound lament and theological wrestling, offers invaluable lessons for our understanding of divine justice and our compassionate response to suffering and apparent injustice in the world. It serves as a powerful caution against adopting a simplistic, mechanistic cause-and-effect theology that assumes all suffering is a direct, immediate punishment for personal sin, or that the wicked will always visibly suffer in this life. Instead, it invites us to cultivate a more nuanced, humble, and patient perspective on God's sovereignty, acknowledging that His ways are often far beyond our full comprehension. We are called to extend profound compassion to those who suffer, refraining from quick judgments about their spiritual state or presumed guilt, and to cultivate an unwavering trust in God's ultimate righteousness and perfect justice, even when immediate justice is not outwardly apparent. Job's demand for personal accountability also serves as a crucial reminder of the biblical emphasis on individual responsibility before God, encouraging us to diligently examine our own lives and deeds rather than seeking to defer blame or expecting consequences to fall elsewhere.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Job 21:19 asserting that God does punish children for their parents' sins?
Answer: No, Job 21:19 is not an affirmation that God consistently or justly punishes children for their parents' sins. Rather, it represents Job's rhetorical challenge or an indignant question. He is either echoing a common, perhaps flawed, belief or proverb of his time (that God might defer punishment to descendants) or sarcastically stating what he thinks his friends believe about God's justice. His immediate, forceful counter-demand—"he rewardeth him, and he shall know [it]"—reveals his true desire: that if there is to be retribution for wickedness, it should be visited directly upon the wicked individual themselves, so they personally experience and acknowledge it. Job is pushing back against the idea of deferred or indirect punishment, advocating for immediate and personal accountability. This verse highlights the tension within Old Testament thought between concepts of corporate responsibility and the emerging emphasis on individual accountability, as later seen in Ezekiel 18.
How does this verse relate to other biblical passages about intergenerational sin?
Answer: Job 21:19 stands in a crucial theological tension with certain Old Testament passages that speak of God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, such as Exodus 20:5 and Numbers 14:18. These passages often refer to the natural, communal consequences of sin within a covenant relationship, where the actions of one generation can indeed affect the well-being, spiritual trajectory, and even the physical circumstances of subsequent generations. However, Job's protest in Job 21:19 anticipates and foreshadows the later prophetic emphasis on individual accountability, most clearly articulated in Ezekiel 18, where God unequivocally declares that "the soul who sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). Job's demand for the wicked person to "know [it]" themselves aligns with this profound principle of personal responsibility, highlighting a crucial development in biblical theology regarding the nature of divine justice and individual culpability.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's indignant demand in Job 21:19—that the wicked person themselves should "know" their recompense rather than their children bearing the iniquity—finds its ultimate, profound, and paradoxically glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While Job yearned for the wicked to face their own immediate judgment, God's perfect justice and boundless love converged at the cross. There, the ultimate "iniquity" of humanity was not "laid up for children," nor was it borne by the guilty, but was perfectly and completely laid upon the innocent Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Christ, "who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). He personally bore the full, crushing weight of sin's consequences, fulfilling the demand for personal accountability not for His own iniquity, but for ours (Isaiah 53:5-6). Through His unparalleled sacrifice, the tension between divine justice and divine mercy is perfectly resolved: God is both "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). Thus, the ultimate "reward" for sin was fully known and experienced by Christ on the cross, allowing for the ultimate "reward" of salvation and eternal life to be graciously offered to all who believe in Him.