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Commentary on Job 21 verses 27–34
In these verses,
I. Job opposes the opinion of his friends, which he saw they still adhered to, that the wicked are sure to fall into such visible and remarkable ruin as Job had now fallen into, and none but the wicked, upon which principle they condemned Job as a wicked man. "I know your thoughts," says Job (Job 21:27); "I know you will not agree with me; for your judgments are tinctured and biassed by your piques and prejudices against me, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against my comfort and honour: and how can such men be convinced?" Job's friends were ready to say, in answer to his discourse concerning the prosperity of the wicked, "Where is the house of the prince? Job 21:28. Where is Job's house, or the house of his eldest son, in which his children were feasting? Enquire into the circumstances of Job's house and family, and then ask, Where are the dwelling-places of the wicked? and compare them together, and you will soon see that Job's house is in the same predicament with the houses of tyrants and oppressors, and may therefore conclude that doubtless he was such a one."
II. He lays down his own judgment to the contrary, and, for proof of it, appeals to the sentiments and observations of all mankind. So confident is he that he is in the right that he is willing to refer the cause to the next man that comes by (Job 21:29): "Have you not asked those that go by the way - any indifferent person, any that will answer you? I say not, as Eliphaz (Job 5:1), to which of the saints, but to which of the children of men will you turn? Turn to which you will, and you will find them all of my mind, that the punishment of sinners is designed more for the other world than for this, according to the prophecy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, Jde 1:14. Do you not know the tokens of this truth, which all that have made any observations upon the providences of God concerning mankind in this world can furnish you with?" Now,
1.What is it that Job here asserts? Two things: - (1.) That impenitent sinners will certainly be punished in the other world, and, usually, their punishment is put off until then. (2.) That therefore we are not to think it strange if they prosper greatly in this world and fall under no visible token of God's wrath. Therefore they are spared now, because they are to be punished then; therefore the workers of iniquity flourish, that they may be destroyed for ever, Psa 92:7. The sinner is here supposed, [1.] To live in a great deal of power, so as to be not only the terror of the mighty in the land of the living (Eze 32:27), but the terror of the wise and good too, whom he keeps in such awe that none dares declare his way to his face, Job 21:31. None will take the liberty to reprove him, to tell him of the wickedness of his way, and what will be in the end thereof; so that he sins securely, and is not made to know either shame or fear. The prosperity of fools destroys them, by setting them (in their own conceit) above reproofs, by which they might be brought to that repentance which alone will prevent their ruin. Those are marked for destruction that are let alone in sin, Hos 4:17. And, if none dares declare his way to his face, much less dare any repay him what he has done and make him refund what he has obtained by injustice. He is one of those great flies which break through the cobwebs of the law, that hold only the little ones. This emboldens sinners in their sinful ways that they can brow-beat justice and make it afraid to meddle with them. But there is a day coming when those shall be told of their faults who now would not bear to hear of them, those shall have their sins set in order before them, and their way declared to their face, to their everlasting confusion, who would not have it done here, to their conviction, and those who would not repay the wrongs they had done shall have them repaid to them. [2.] To die, and be buried in a great deal of pomp and magnificence, Job 21:32, Job 21:33. There is no remedy; he must die; that is the lot of all men; but every thing you can think of shall be done to take off the reproach of death. First, He shall have a splendid funeral - a poor thing for any man to be proud of the prospect of; yet with some it passes for a mighty thing. Well, he shall be brought to the grave in state, surrounded with all the honours of the heralds' office and all the respect his friends can then pay to his remains. The rich man died, and was buried, but no mention is made of the poor man's burial, Luk 16:22. Secondly, He shall have a stately monument erected over him. He shall remain in the tomb with a Hic jacet - Here lies, over him, and a large encomium. Perhaps it is meant of the embalming of his body to preserve it, which was a piece of honour anciently done by the Egyptians to their great men. He shall watch in the tomb (so the word is), shall abide solitary and quiet there, as a watchman in his tower. Thirdly, The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; there shall be as much done as can be with rich odours to take off the noisomeness of the grave, as by lamps to set aside the darkness of it, which perhaps was referred to in the foregoing phrase of watching in the tomb. But it is all a jest; what is the light, or what the perfume, to a man that is dead? Fourthly, It shall be alleged, for the lessening of the disgrace of death, that it is the common lot: He has only yielded to fate, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him. Note, Death is the way of all the earth: when we are to cross that darksome valley we must consider, 1. That there are innumerable before us; it is a tracked road, which may help to take off the terror of it. To die is ire ad plures - to go to the great majority. 2. That every man shall draw after us. As there is a plain track before, so there is a long train behind; we are neither the first nor the last that pass through that dark entry. Every one must go in his own order, the order appointed of God.
2.From all this Job infers the impertinency of their discourses, Job 21:34. (1.) Their foundation is rotten, and they went upon a wrong hypothesis: "In your answers there remains falsehood; what you have said stands not only unproved but disproved, and lies under such an imputation of falsehood as you cannot clear it from." (2.) Their building was therefore weak and tottering: "You comfort me in vain. All you have said gives me no relief; you tell me that I shall prosper again if I turn to God, but you go upon this presumption, that piety shall certainly be crowned with prosperity, which is false; and therefore how can your inference from it yield me any comfort?" Note, Where there is not truth there is little comfort to be expected.
69. Often that wrath of God, which the wicked man is to suffer for ever, even while placed in this life too he is made to experience, whilst he loses the good fortune that he loves, and meets with the adversity that he dreads. And though even in prosperity he may be rebuked for his wickednesses by the tongue of the righteous, yet we know that it is when his evil deeds bring the bad man to the earth, that the reproof of the righteous gains force. But in what sense is it now said, Who shall reprove his way to his face? seeing that the righteous even holding their peace this too is well known, that so often is ‘the way of the wicked man reproved to his face’ here, as often as his prosperity is disturbed by adversity intervening. But blessed Job, while he was speaking of the body of all the wicked, suddenly turns his words to the head of all the wicked.
For he saw that at the end of the world Satan entering into the man, whom Holy Scripture calls Antichrist, is lifted up with such exaltation, lords it with such power, is exalted with such wonderful signs and marvels in the exhibiting of holiness, that his deeds cannot be charged home to him by man, in that with the power of terribleness he likewise unites the signs of holiness which is exhibited, and he says, Who shall reprove his way to his face? ‘Who,’ that is to say, ‘of mankind may dare to rebuke him? whose face does he dread to endure [or, ‘the sight of whom he dreads’]? Yet not only Elijah and Enoch who are brought forward for the rebuking of him, but even all the Elect ‘reprove his way to his face,’ whilst they show contempt, and whilst by excellence of mind they oppose his wickedness. But because this they do by divine grace and not by their own powers, it is rightly said now, Who shall reprove his way before his face? For ‘who’ is there save God, by whose aid the Elect are supported to have power to withstand him? For sometimes in Holy Scripture, when in asking a question the word ‘who’ is put, the Almighty is denoted. Hence it is written, Who shall raise him up? [Gen. 49. 9] Of Whom it is said by Paul, Whom God raised from the dead. [Gal. 1, 1] In respect then that holy men oppose themselves to his wickedness, it is not themselves, that ‘reprove his way,’ but it is He, by Whose grace they are strengthened, and whereas his presence, wherewith he will come in man, will be much more dreadful in persecution than it is now, when he is not seen at all, in that he is not as yet preeminently borne by that special vessel of his, it is well said, before his face. For there are many now who judge and rebuke the ways of Antichrist, but this they do as it were in his absence, in that they rebuke him whom they do not as yet in a special manner see. But when he shall come in that damned man, whoever withstands his presence, ‘reproves his way before his face,’ the powers of whom he at once sees and sets at nought. Or surely, to ‘reprove his way before his face’ is to disturb the prosperity of his course by the interrupting of eternal punishment. Which thing because the Lord alone is to do by His own might, of Whom it is written, Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming, [2 Thess. 2, 8] it is rightly said, Who shall reprove his way before his face? And hence the words follow, And who shall repay him what he hath done? Who, truly, save the Lord, Who alone shall ‘repay that lost man what he hath done,’ when by His coming He shall dash in pieces his exceeding mighty power with eternal damnation? But what this exalted prince of the wicked is about, as long as he is in this life, let us hear.
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SUMMARY
Job 21:31 encapsulates Job's profound challenge to the conventional wisdom of his friends, who rigidly adhere to a simplistic theology of immediate, earthly retribution. In this chapter, Job presents empirical observations that contradict their views, noting that the wicked often prosper, live long, and die peacefully, seemingly escaping divine judgment in this life. This verse serves as a climactic rhetorical question, expressing Job's frustration with the apparent lack of present justice and underscoring the profound limitations of human ability to confront or hold accountable those who commit evil, thereby implicitly pointing to a higher, ultimate authority for true and comprehensive judgment.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 21:31 primarily employs a powerful Rhetorical Question. By posing two questions that are designed to elicit no human answer, Job effectively emphasizes the profound impossibility of human intervention in bringing the wicked to a complete and just reckoning. This device highlights the inherent limitations of human power and authority in the face of pervasive evil, thereby implicitly pointing to a higher, divine authority as the only one capable of administering ultimate and perfect judgment. The strategic use of rhetorical questions also serves to articulate Job's deep frustration, bewilderment, and even despair at the apparent injustice he observes in the world, compelling the reader to grapple with the very same theological dilemma. Furthermore, there is an element of Irony embedded within Job's questions, as his friends firmly believe that God does immediately repay the wicked in this life. Yet, Job's empirical observations directly contradict their rigid theology, exposing the stark irony and inadequacy of their simplistic view of divine justice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 21:31 is a poignant expression of the universal human struggle with the enduring problem of evil and the apparent delay of divine justice. It fundamentally challenges the simplistic notion that God always dispenses immediate, visible retribution or reward in this life, compelling a deeper and more nuanced understanding of God's sovereignty and His ultimate, comprehensive plan for justice. The verse implicitly but powerfully shifts the locus of ultimate judgment from imperfect human hands to perfect divine authority, reminding believers that while earthly systems of justice are often flawed, incomplete, and easily circumvented, God's justice is perfect, comprehensive, and absolutely certain, even if its full manifestation is reserved for a future, appointed time. This profound perspective cultivates patience, fosters unwavering trust in God's character, and encourages a reliance on His perfect timing rather than on the immediate, often contradictory, circumstances of the present world.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 21:31 offers profound and enduring insights for believers navigating a world where injustice often seems to prevail and the wicked appear to prosper without consequence. It calls us to cultivate a robust and unwavering faith in God's ultimate justice, even when earthly circumstances appear to contradict it or when our human expectations of immediate retribution are not met. We are starkly reminded that our human capacity to confront pervasive evil and exact perfect, comprehensive retribution is inherently limited. This humbling truth should prevent us from taking vengeance into our own hands and, instead, compel us to entrust the final, perfect judgment to the perfectly righteous and sovereign God. It also provides a crucial perspective on the temporary and often illusory nature of earthly prosperity, especially for those who disregard God; true blessedness and ultimate well-being are not always measured by material wealth or worldly success. For those experiencing injustice, suffering, or oppression at the hands of the wicked, this verse offers a grounding and comforting truth: while human efforts to right every wrong are limited and often frustrating, God's justice is absolutely sure, complete, and will be perfectly executed, even if delayed from a human perspective. It encourages patient endurance, unwavering trust in the divine timetable, and a confident hope in the ultimate triumph of righteousness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Job 21:31 imply that the wicked never suffer in this life?
Answer: No, Job 21:31 does not imply that the wicked never suffer in this life. Rather, Job's central point is that suffering or prosperity is not always a direct, immediate, and visibly transparent indicator of one's righteousness or wickedness. He is directly challenging the simplistic, rigid theology of his friends who insisted on an immediate and unequivocal cause-and-effect relationship between sin and suffering. Job observes that, contrary to their doctrine, many wicked individuals experience long lives, peace, and prosperity, and die without apparent earthly consequence (see Job 21:7-13). His rhetorical question highlights the human inability to confront or punish these powerful wicked individuals effectively in this life, thereby pointing to the absolute necessity of a higher, ultimate judgment that transcends earthly limitations and human capacity. It is a profound statement about the apparent lack of justice and human helplessness in the face of pervasive evil, not an absolute denial of all earthly suffering for the wicked.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's desperate rhetorical cry in Job 21:31 for someone to confront and repay the wicked finds its ultimate, comprehensive answer and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job recognized the inherent human inability to exact perfect justice or to hold the powerful wicked accountable, the New Testament unequivocally reveals Jesus as the one uniquely appointed by God to be the righteous Judge of all humanity. The very one whom no human could "declare his way to his face" or "repay" is ultimately confronted, judged, and brought to account by Christ. John 5:22 powerfully declares that "the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son." Furthermore, Jesus himself, the perfectly innocent and righteous one, suffered the ultimate injustice on the cross, taking upon himself the full repayment and just recompense for the sins of humanity, thereby satisfying divine justice on behalf of all who believe (2 Corinthians 5:21). His glorious resurrection and triumphant ascension confirm His absolute victory over sin, death, and all evil, establishing Him as the supreme authority before whom "every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (Philippians 2:10). Thus, the profound problem of unpunished evil and apparent injustice, so keenly felt and articulated by Job, is perfectly resolved in the person of Christ, who will one day return to execute perfect, final judgment and establish everlasting righteousness and justice for all eternity (Acts 17:31).