Job 27:22

KJV

For [God] shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.

KJV (with Strong's)

For God shall cast {H7993} upon him, and not spare {H2550}: he would fain {H1272} flee {H1272} out of his hand {H3027}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Yes, it hurls itself at him, sparing nothing; he does all he can to flee from its power.

Berean Standard Bible

It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

American Standard Version

ForGodshall hurl at him, and not spare: He would fain flee out of his hand.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 27:22 stands as a solemn declaration by Job concerning the inevitable and inescapable judgment awaiting the wicked, powerfully asserting God's absolute sovereignty and unwavering justice. This verse underscores that divine retribution is not only certain but also overwhelming, highlighting the futility of any attempt to evade the Almighty's hand and contrasting sharply with the simplistic retribution theology espoused by Job's friends.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Job 27:22 is situated within Job's final and most extensive discourse, spanning chapters 27-31. After enduring relentless accusations from his three friends, Job passionately reasserts his integrity in [Job 27:1-6](/job/27-1 "Job 27:1-6 - Job's Oath of Integrity"). Interestingly, from [Job 27:7](/job/27-7 "Job 27:7 - The Fate of the Wicked") onward, Job pivots to describe the certain doom of the wicked, employing arguments that, on the surface, resemble those his friends had used against him. However, Job applies these principles generally to the wicked, not to himself, emphasizing that even if the unrighteous prosper for a time, their ultimate end is destruction at God's hand. Verse 22 specifically portrays the forceful, sudden, and unavoidable nature of this divine judgment, serving as a climactic statement on the futility of resisting God's decree.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in a patriarchal, pre-Mosaic era, likely in the land of Uz, a region possibly east of Palestine. The prevailing cultural understanding in the Ancient Near East (ANE) often linked prosperity with divine favor and suffering with divine displeasure, a concept known as retribution theology. While Job's friends rigidly adhere to this view, Job's experience challenges its simplistic application. The verse reflects a common ANE understanding of a sovereign deity who actively intervenes in human affairs, meting out justice. The imagery of God's "hand" is a powerful ancient metaphor for divine power, authority, and control, signifying an inescapable grip from which no one can flee.
* **Key Themes:** Job 27:22 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book and broader biblical theology. It powerfully conveys the **Divine Sovereignty and Justice** of God, emphasizing His active role in judging human actions and asserting that no sin or defiance ultimately goes unaddressed. The phrase "shall cast upon him, and not spare" speaks to the **Inevitability and Severity of Punishment** for unrighteousness, highlighting that there is no escaping God's righteous wrath once it is unleashed. Furthermore, "he would fain flee out of his hand" vividly portrays the **Futility of Human Resistance** against divine power, underscoring God's omnipotence and omnipresence, from whom no one can hide. This theme resonates with the impossibility of escaping God's presence described in [Psalm 139:7-12](/psalms/139-7 "Psalm 139:7-12 - The Impossibility of Fleeing God's Presence"), where the psalmist acknowledges that neither heaven nor the depths of Sheol can hide one from the Lord.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **cast (Hebrew, _yashlikh'_):** From the verb שָׁלַךְ (shalakh, H7993), meaning "to throw," "cast down," or "hurl." In this context, it denotes a sudden, forceful, and overwhelming action, implying that God's judgment is not a gentle or gradual process but an immediate and decisive act. It suggests a heavy, inescapable burden or calamity being forcefully applied.
* **spare (Hebrew, _yachmol'_):** From the verb חָמַל (chamal, H2550), meaning "to pity," "show compassion," "have mercy," or "spare." The negation "not spare" emphasizes the absolute absence of leniency, mercy, or compassion in this divine act of judgment. It signifies a complete and unmitigated execution of justice, without any restraint or softening.
* **fain flee (Hebrew, _yachmod livroach'_):** The KJV's "fain" is an archaic English word meaning "gladly" or "eagerly." The Hebrew phrase combines חָמַד (chamad, H2530), "to covet," "desire," or "delight in," with בָּרַח (barach, H1272), "to flee" or "escape." Thus, the phrase means "he desires to flee" or "he eagerly seeks to escape." This highlights not just the act of fleeing but the intense, desperate longing of the wicked person to escape, juxtaposed against the absolute impossibility of doing so from God's omnipotent grasp.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For [God] shall cast upon him,"**: This clause establishes God as the active agent of judgment. The implied object "upon him" refers to the wicked person whose ultimate fate Job is describing. The verb "cast" conveys a sense of sudden, forceful, and overwhelming action, suggesting that God's judgment descends upon the wicked like an inescapable, heavy burden or a violent storm. It implies a direct, personal, and unavoidable confrontation with divine wrath.
* **"and not spare:"**: This phrase intensifies the preceding declaration, emphasizing the absolute nature of God's judgment. It signifies that there will be no mercy, no compassion, no reprieve, and no mitigation of the consequences for the wicked. The judgment will be complete, unhindered, and executed without any reservation or pity, underscoring the severity and finality of divine justice.
* **"he would fain flee out of his hand."**: This final clause vividly portrays the desperate, yet utterly futile, attempts of the wicked to escape God's reach. "His hand" is a powerful anthropomorphism for God's power, authority, and inescapable control. The "fain flee" (eagerly desire to flee) highlights the intense longing for escape, but the context implies the absolute impossibility of such an evasion. It underscores God's omnipresence and omnipotence, from whom no one can hide or escape judgment.

#### Literary Devices
Job 27:22 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The phrase "shall **cast** upon him" functions as a **Metaphor**, depicting divine judgment as a sudden, overwhelming, and inescapable force, akin to a heavy object or a destructive storm being hurled down. This imagery evokes a sense of immediate and unavoidable consequence. The subsequent declaration, "and **not spare**," serves as an **Intensification** or **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the absolute and unmitigated nature of this judgment, leaving no room for mercy or reprieve. There is also a subtle **Irony** at play, as Job, who has been unjustly accused by his friends of being wicked, now articulates the certain fate of the truly wicked, implicitly affirming God's justice while simultaneously distinguishing his own suffering from a direct consequence of sin. Finally, the entire verse is built on a stark **Contrast** between the wicked person's desperate desire to flee and the absolute impossibility of escaping God's omnipresent and omnipotent "hand," which is a form of **Personification** representing divine power and control.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 27:22 offers a profound theological statement on the character of God, affirming His unyielding justice and sovereign control over all creation. It teaches that while God is merciful and patient, there is an ultimate and inescapable accountability for those who persistently defy His ways. This verse underscores that sin carries real consequences, and no one can ultimately evade the divine reckoning. It serves as a powerful reminder that God's moral order will be upheld, and His righteousness will prevail, even if the timing of justice is not always immediately apparent or understood by human observers. This truth should inspire both reverence for God's holiness and a sober reflection on the choices we make.

* [Psalm 139:7-12](/psalms/139-7 "The Impossibility of Fleeing God's Presence")
* [Proverbs 11:21](/proverbs/11-21 "Proverbs 11:21 - Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished")
* [Romans 2:5-6](/romans/2-5 "Romans 2:5-6 - God's Righteous Judgment")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 27:22 serves as a timeless and sobering reminder of God's unwavering justice and the certainty of accountability for all humanity. In a world that often seeks to minimize sin or defer consequences, this verse powerfully asserts that there are real and inescapable repercussions for a life lived in defiance of God's ways. It challenges any notion that one can perpetually defy divine law without ultimately facing a reckoning. For those who may feel that injustice prevails or that the wicked prosper unchecked, this verse offers assurance that God sees all and will ultimately bring all things to light. For believers, it deepens our appreciation for the immense grace found in Jesus Christ, who bore the judgment that humanity deserved, and it reinforces the solemnity of God's character, encouraging us to live lives of righteousness and humility, knowing that while the wicked face unavoidable judgment, those in Christ have found refuge from God's righteous wrath.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Job 27:22 challenge contemporary notions of accountability or justice in society?**
* **In what ways might we, like the wicked described, try to "flee out of God's hand" in our own lives, perhaps through denial, busyness, or self-justification?**
* **How does the certainty of God's judgment, as expressed in this verse, inform and deepen our understanding of His love and mercy extended through Christ?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse imply that all suffering is a direct punishment for specific wickedness?**

Answer: No, the Book of Job as a whole strongly refutes this simplistic "retribution theology" that equates all suffering with specific sin. While Job 27:22 describes the *ultimate* and *certain* fate of the wicked, Job's own experience throughout the book demonstrates that righteous individuals can also suffer immensely without direct correlation to their wickedness. The verse speaks to a general principle of divine justice—that those who persistently defy God will face inescapable judgment—rather than providing a universal explanation for every instance of human suffering. The book's larger message is that God's ways are complex, and His justice operates on a grander scale than human understanding often perceives, often allowing the righteous to suffer and the wicked to prosper for a time, before their ultimate reckoning. This verse is a statement of the *certainty* of eventual judgment for the unrepentant, not a diagnostic tool for individual suffering.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 27:22, with its stark portrayal of the wicked's inescapable judgment from God's hand, finds its most profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. While the verse describes those who "would fain flee out of his hand," Jesus is the unique one who, though perfectly righteous, willingly submitted to the full weight of God's judgment, not for His own sin, but for ours. He did not "fain flee" but rather embraced the cross, allowing the Father to "cast upon him" the wrath and consequences of humanity's sin, so that we might be spared. As [Isaiah 53:4-6](/isaiah/53-4 "Isaiah 53:4-6 - The Suffering Servant") prophesied, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." [2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us") declares that God "made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Through Christ's sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, the certainty of judgment described in Job 27:22 is transformed for believers from a terrifying inevitability into a glorious deliverance. Those who trust in Him are no longer under condemnation, having found refuge from God's righteous hand in the pierced hands of the Savior, who triumphed over sin and death, thereby delivering us from the fear of death and eternal judgment (cf. [Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Jesus Delivers from Fear of Death")). He is the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, making escape from judgment possible, not by fleeing God, but by fleeing *to* God through Christ.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Peter 2:4

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

2 Peter 2:5

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Job 20:24

He shall flee from the iron weapon, [and] the bow of steel shall strike him through.

Romans 8:32

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Isaiah 10:3

And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation [which] shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

Jeremiah 13:14

And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Joshua 10:11

And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, [and] were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: [they were] more which died with hailstones than [they] whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.