TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Job 27 verses 11–23
Job's friends had seen a great deal of the misery and destruction that attend wicked people, especially oppressors; and Job, while the heat of disputation lasted, had said as much, and with as much assurance, of their prosperity; but now that the heat of the battle was nearly over he was willing to own how far he agreed with them, and where the difference between his opinion and theirs lay. 1. He agreed with them that wicked people are miserable people, that God will surely reckon with cruel oppressors, and one time or other, one way or other, his justice will make reprisals upon them for all the affronts they have put upon God and all the wrongs they have done to their neighbours. This truth is abundantly confirmed by the entire concurrence even of these angry disputants in it. But, 2. In this they differed - they held that these deserved judgments are presently and visibly brought upon wicked oppressors, that they travail with pain all their days, that in prosperity the destroyer comes upon them, that they shall not be rich, nor their branch green, and that their destruction shall be accomplished before their time (so Eliphaz, Job 15:20, Job 15:21, Job 15:29, Job 15:32), that the steps of their strength shall be straitened, that terrors shall make them afraid on every side (so Bildad, Job 18:7, Job 18:11), that he himself shall vomit up his riches, and that in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits, so Zophar, Job 20:15, Job 20:22. Now Job held that, in many cases, judgments do not fall upon them quickly, but are deferred for some time. That vengeance strikes slowly he had already shown (ch. 21 and 24); now he comes to show that it strikes surely and severely, and that reprieves are no pardons.
I. Job here undertakes to set this matter in a true light (Job 27:11, Job 27:12): I will teach you. We must not disdain to learn even from those who are sick and poor, yea, and peevish too, if they deliver what is true and good. Observe, 1. What he would teach them: "That which is with the Almighty," that is, "the counsels and purposes of God concerning wicked people, which are hidden with him, and which you cannot hastily judge of; and the usual methods of his providence concerning them." This, says Job, will I not conceal. What God has not concealed from us we must not conceal from those we are concerned to teach. Things revealed belong to us and our children. 2. How he would teach them: By the hand of God, that is, by his strength and assistance. Those who undertake to teach others must look to the hand of God to direct them, to open their ear (Isa 50:4), and to open their lips. Those whom God teaches with a strong hand are best able to teach others, Isa 8:11. 3. What reason they had to learn those things which he was about to teach them (Job 27:12), that it was confirmed by their own observation - You yourselves have seen it (but what we have heard, and seen and known, we have need to be taught, that we may be perfect in our lesson), and that it would set them to rights in their judgment concerning him - "Why then are you thus altogether vain, to condemn me for a wicked man because I am afflicted?" Truth, rightly understood and applied, would cure us of that vanity of mind which arises from our mistakes. That particularly which he offers now to lay before them is the portion of a wicked man with God, particularly of oppressors, Job 27:13. Compare Job 20:29. Their portion in the world may be wealth and preferment, but their portion with God is ruin and misery. They are above the control of any earthly power, it may be, but the Almighty can deal with them.
II. He does it, by showing that wicked people may, in some instances, prosper, but that ruin follows them in those very instances; and that is their portion, that is their heritage, that is it which they must abide by.
1.They may prosper in their children, but ruin attends them. His children perhaps are multiplied (Job 27:14) or magnified (so some); they are very numerous and are raised to honour and great estates. Worldly people are said to be full of children (Psa 17:14), and, as it is in the margin there, their children are full. In them the parents hope to live and in their preferment to be honoured. But the more children they leave, and the greater prosperity they leave them in, the more and the fairer marks do they leave for the arrows of God's judgments to be levelled at, his three sore judgments, sword, famine, and pestilence, Sa2 24:13. (1.) Some of them shall die by the sword, the sword of war perhaps (they brought them up to live by their sword, as Esau, Gen 27:40, and those that do so commonly die by the sword, first or last), or by the sword of justice for their crimes, or the sword of the murderer for their estates. (2.) Others of them shall die by famine (Job 27:14): His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. He thought he had secured to them large estates, but it may happen that they may be reduced to poverty, so as not to have the necessary supports of life, at least not to live comfortably. They shall be so needy that they shall not have a competency of necessary food, and so greedy, or so discontented, that what they have they shall not be satisfied with, because not so much, or not so dainty, as what they have been used to. You eat, but you have not enough, Hag 1:6. (3.) Those that remain shall be buried in death, that is, shall die of the plague, which is called death (Rev 6:8), and be buried privately and in haste, as soon as they are dead, without any solemnity, buried with the burial of an ass; and even their widows shall not weep; they shall not have wherewithal to put them in mourning. Or it denotes that these wicked men, as they live undesired, so they die unlamented, and even their widows will think themselves happy that they have got rid of them.
2.They may prosper in their estates, but ruin attends them too, Job 27:16-18. (1.) We will suppose them to be rich in money and plate, in clothing and furniture. They heap up silver in abundance as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; they have heaps of clothes about them, as plentiful as heaps of clay. Or it intimates that they have such abundance of clothes that they are even a burden to them. They lade themselves with thick clay, Hab 2:6. See what is the care and business of worldly people - to heap up worldly wealth. Much would have more, until the silver is cankered and the garments are moth-eaten, Jam 5:2, Jam 5:3. But what comes of it? He shall never be the better for it himself; death will strip him, death will rob him, if he be not robbed and stripped sooner, Luk 12:20. Nay, God will so order it that the just shall wear his raiment and the innocent shall divide his silver. [1.] They shall have it, and divide it among themselves. In some way or other Providence shall so order it that good men shall come honestly by that wealth which the wicked man came dishonestly by. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just, Pro 13:22. God disposes of men's estates as he pleases, and often makes their wills against their wills. The just, whom he hated and persecuted, shall have rule over all his labour, and, in due time, recover with interest what was violently taken from him. The Egyptians' jewels were the Israelites' pay. Solomon observes (Ecc 2:26) that God makes the sinners drudges to the righteous; for the sinner he gives travail to gather and heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. [2.] They shall do good with it. The innocent shall not hoard the silver, as he did that gathered it, but shall divide it to the poor, shall give a portion to seven and also to eight, which is laying up the best securities. Money is like manure, good for nothing if it be not spread. When God enriches good men they must remember they are but stewards and must give an account. What bad men bring a curse upon their families with the ill-getting of good men bring a blessing upon their families with the well-using of. He that by unjust gain increaseth his substance shall gather it for him that will pity the poor, Pro 28:8. (2.) We will suppose them to have built themselves strong and stately houses; but they are like the house which the moth makes for herself in an old garment, out of which she will soon be shaken, Job 27:18. He is very secure in it, as a moth, and has no apprehension of danger; but it will prove of as short continuance as a booth which the keeper makes, which will quickly be taken down and gone, and his place shall know him no more.
3.Destruction attends their persons, though they lived long in health and at ease (Job 27:19): The rich man shall lie down to sleep, to repose himself in the abundance of his wealth (Soul, take thy ease), shall lie down in it as his strong city, and seem to others to be very happy and very easy; but he shall not be gathered, that is, he shall not have his mind composed, and settled, and gathered in, to enjoy his wealth. He does not sleep so contentedly as people think he does. He lies down, but his abundance will not suffer him to sleep, at least not so sweetly as the labouring man, Ecc 5:12. He lies down, but he is full of tossings to and fro till the dawning of the day, and then he opens his eyes and he is not; he sees himself, and all he has, hastening away, as it were, in the twinkling of an eye. His cares increase his fears, and both together make him uneasy, so that, when we attend him to his bed, we do not find him happy there. But, in the close, we are called to attend his exit, and see how miserable he is in death and after death.
(1.)He is miserable in death. It is to him the king of terrors, Job 27:20, Job 27:21. When some mortal disease seizes him what a fright is he in! Terrors take hold of him as waters, as if he were surrounded by the flowing tides. He trembles to think of leaving this world, and much more of removing to another. This mingles sorrow and wrath with his sickness, as Solomon observes, Ecc 5:17. These terrors put him either [1.] Into a silent and sullen despair; and then the tempest of God's wrath, the tempest of death, may be said to steal him away in the night, when no one is aware or takes any notice of it. Or, [2.] Into an open and clamorous despair; and then he is said to be carried away, and hurled out of his place as with a storm, and with an east wind, violent, and noisy, and very dreadful. Death, to a godly man, is like a fair gale of wind to convey him to the heavenly country, but, to a wicked man, it is like an east wind, a storm, a tempest, that hurries him away in confusion and amazement, to destruction.
(2.)He is miserable after death. [1.] His soul falls under the just indignation of God, and it is the terror of that indignation which puts him into such amazement at the approach of death (Job 27:22): For God shall cast upon him and not spare. While he lived he had the benefit of sparing mercy; but now the day of God's patience is over, and he will not spare, but pour out upon him the full vials of his wrath. What God casts down upon a man there is no flying from nor bearing up under. We read of his casting down great stones from heaven upon the Canaanites (Jos 10:11), which made terrible execution among them; but what was that to his casting down his anger in its full weight upon the sinner's conscience, like the talent of lead? Zac 5:7, Zac 5:8. The damned sinner, seeing the wrath of God break in upon him, would fain flee out of his hand; but he cannot: the gates of hell are locked and barred, and the great gulf fixed, and it will be in vain to call for the shelter of rocks and mountains. Those who will not be persuaded now to fly to the arms of divine grace, which are stretched out to receive them, will not be able to flee from the arms of divine wrath, which will shortly be stretched out to destroy them. [2.] His memory falls under the just indignation of all mankind (Job 27:23): Men shall clap their hands at him, that is, they shall rejoice in the judgments of God, by which he is cut off, and be well pleased in his fall. When the wicked perish there is shouting, Pro 11:10. When God buries him men shall hiss him out of his place, and leave on his name perpetual marks of infamy. In the same place where he has been caressed and cried up he shall be laughed at (Psa 52:7) and his ashes shall be trampled on.
“The scorching wind shall carry him off and take him away.” Who is it that is here called the “scorching wind”? None other than the evil spirit who stirs up the flames of diverse lusts in the heart that he may drag it to an eternity of punishments. And so “the scorching wind” is said to “carry off” the bad people, because the plotter, the evil spirit, inflames a person who is drawn toward evil and drags him when dying to torments.…“And as a whirlwind shall carry him out of his place.” “The place” of the wicked is the gratification of the temporal life and the enjoyment of the flesh. Therefore, every single individual is in a sense “carried out of his place by a whirlwind.” He is overwhelmed with terror on the last day, severed from all gratifications. Regarding this same last day, it is immediately added, and rightly, “For he shall let loose upon him and not spare.” God, as often as he chastises the sinner by smiting him, “lets loose” the scourge, precisely that he may “spare” him. But when, by punishing him, he brings his life to an end while remaining in sin, he “lets loose” the scourge and does not “spare.” For the same one who “lets loose” the scourge in order that he might “spare” will one day “let it loose” with this in view—that he may not spare. For in this life the Lord is able more to spare in proportion as he scourges those who are in waiting. This is what he himself said to John by the voice of the angel, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chastise;” and as it is elsewhere spoken, “For whom the Lord loves, he chastises.” But, in reverse, it is written of the scourge of condemnation, “The wicked is trapped in the work of his own hands.” According to Jeremiah, when the Lord sees the multitude transgressing irreclaimably, whom he now no longer regards as sons under discipline but as enemies under unmitigated scourging, he says: “For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with a cruel chastisement.” …
Then he says, “He shall bind up his hands over him.” To “bind up the hands” is to establish the practices of his life in uprightness. Hence Paul also says, “Therefore lift up the loosed hands and the unstrung knees.” While, then, they behold the destruction of another, they are made to turn back to the conscience. There they are to remind themselves of their own acts, by which one person is carried to torments and another is freed from torments. And so “he binds up his hands over him,” because he observes in the punishment of another what to be afraid of. While he sees one living in transgression as smitten, he binds fast with the sinews of righteousness his own loose practices. And so it is brought to pass that he who, being a bad person while living, had drawn numbers into transgression by the seductiveness of sin, may in dying recover some from transgression by the terribleness of their torments.…
“And he shall hiss upon him, beholding his place.” What is expressed in the hissing other than the wrenching of wonder? But if in the hissing there is some other meaning sought, when the sinner dies, those who witness his death draw tight the mouth in hissing, in the sense that they are converted to those spiritual words that they themselves had condemned, so that they henceforth begin to believe and to teach that which before, while they perceived the wicked person thriving, they earlier had not believed. For it very often happens that the mind of the weak is the more unsteadied from the hearing of the truth precisely by seeing the despisers of the truth flourishing. But when just punishment takes away the unjust, it keeps others away from wickedness.
37. For to ‘bind up the hands’ is to establish the practices of his life in uprightness, Whence Paul too saith; Wherefore lift up the loosed hands, and the unstrung knees [Heb. 12, 12]. While, then, they behold the destruction of another, they are made to turn back to the conscience, to remind themselves of their own, and by the very same cause whereby one man is carried to torments, another is freed from torments, And so ‘he binds up his hands over him,’ because he observes in the punishment of another what to be afraid of; and whilst he sees one living in transgression so smitten, he binds fast his own too loose practices with the sinews of righteousness. And so it is brought to pass that he who, being a bad man, whilst living, had drawn numbers into transgression by the delightfulness of sin, in dying recovers some from transgression by the terribleness of torments. Which same the Psalmist bears witness to be of advantage to the good as well, saying, The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash has hands in the blood of sinners. [Ps. 58, 10] For ‘in the blood of sinners,’ when dying, ‘the righteous do wash their hands,’ because, when their punishment is seen, the life of the person seeing it is cleansed. It goes on;
And he shall hiss upon him, beholding his place.
38. What is expressed in the hissing, but the straining of wonderment? But if in the hissing there is some other meaning ought, when the sinner dies, these that witness his death draw tight the mouth in hissing, in that they are converted to those spiritual words, which they had contemned, so that they henceforth begin to believe and to teach, what before, while they perceived the wicked man thriving, they need not to believe. For it very often happens that the mind of the weak is the more unsteadied from the hearing of the truth, as it sees the despisers of the truth flourishing; but when just vengeance takes away the unjust, it keeps others away from wickedness. Whence it is said by Solomon; When the pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser. Thus the holy man after he had adequately filled up the punishments of the men of power that are lifted up in the world, again directs his words to the pride of heretics, who are lifted up in speech.
Continue studying Job 27:23 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 27:23 serves as the dramatic culmination of Job's discourse on the inevitable fate of the wicked, portraying their downfall not merely as a private judgment but as a public spectacle of profound scorn and humiliation. The verse vividly depicts societal rejection, where onlookers express derision through the symbolic acts of clapping and hissing, signifying the complete and utter removal of the unrighteous from their position of power, influence, and honor. It stands as a stark contrast to Job's steadfast integrity, reinforcing the overarching theme that unrighteous prosperity is fleeting and ultimately culminates in disgrace.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 27:23 marks the climactic conclusion of Job's final major discourse (chapters 27-31), wherein he passionately reasserts his blamelessness and unwavering integrity before God and his friends. Having endured relentless accusations that his suffering must stem from hidden sin, Job dedicates chapter 27 to articulating his steadfast commitment to righteousness (verses 1-6). Paradoxically, from his friends' perspective, he then describes the sure and terrifying end of the wicked (verses 7-23). This section, often debated by scholars regarding its precise authorship or placement, powerfully underscores Job's conviction that while the wicked may prosper temporarily, their ultimate portion is ruin and disgrace—a fate he emphatically denies for himself. Verse 23 acts as the final, most vivid stroke in this portrait of inevitable public humiliation, bringing Job's argument to a forceful close.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, public standing, honor, and reputation were paramount, forming the very fabric of an individual's identity and security within the community. To be "clapped at" or "hissed out" was not merely a symbolic act but a deeply humiliating public shaming, a severe form of social ostracization. "Clapping hands" (Hebrew: çâphaq) in this context was not applause but a gesture of derision, mockery, or triumph over a fallen enemy, often accompanied by lament or scorn, as seen in other biblical texts like Lamentations 2:15. "Hissing" (Hebrew: shâraq) was a potent vocal expression of extreme contempt, astonishment, or disapproval, signifying utter disdain and rejection, akin to a public expulsion. The phrase "out of his place" speaks to the complete loss of one's established position, status, wealth, and social standing, which in a communal society meant total societal repudiation and disgrace—a fate often considered worse than death.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Job and broader wisdom literature. It underscores the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, asserting that God's moral order will ultimately prevail, and the wicked will face their just desserts, even if delayed. This aligns with the wisdom found in Proverbs 11:4 and Psalm 73:17-19. It also highlights the Futility of Wicked Prosperity, emphasizing that any success gained through unrighteousness is fleeting and leads only to ultimate shame, not lasting honor. The vivid imagery stresses the Public Disgrace and Humiliation that awaits the unrighteous, demonstrating that their judgment is not merely internal but involves widespread scorn. Finally, by contrasting this fate with his own steadfast integrity, Job implicitly argues for the eventual Vindication of Righteousness, a central tension throughout the book that anticipates God's ultimate declaration of Job's blamelessness in Job 42:7.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 27:23 employs powerful Imagery to paint a vivid picture of the wicked man's downfall. The actions of "clapping hands" and "hissing" create a multisensory experience for the reader, allowing them to visualize and almost hear the public scorn. This imagery is highly effective in conveying the depth of the humiliation and the collective nature of the condemnation. The verse also utilizes Irony, as the wicked man, who likely sought honor and power through unrighteous means, ultimately receives the exact opposite: public derision and expulsion. His relentless pursuit of "place" leads directly to his being cast "out of his place." Furthermore, the combined force of these actions suggests Hyperbole, emphasizing the completeness and severity of the judgment. It's not just a private downfall, but a resounding, public, and utterly devastating rejection, leaving no room for recovery or redemption in the eyes of society.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 27:23 stands as a profound statement on the certainty of divine justice and the ultimate futility of a life lived in defiance of God's ways. While the book of Job grapples with the complexities of suffering and the delay of justice, this verse articulates a fundamental biblical principle: the temporary prosperity of the wicked is ultimately unsustainable, leading inevitably to a public and humiliating reckoning. It reinforces the theological truth that God is sovereign over human affairs and will ensure that righteousness is eventually vindicated and wickedness is exposed and punished. This serves as both a solemn warning to those who might be tempted by unrighteous gain and a profound encouragement to the righteous to trust in God's perfect timing and judgment, even when it seems the wicked flourish.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 27:23 serves as a sobering reminder that while the world may often seem upside down, with the wicked prospering and the righteous suffering, there is an ultimate divine order that will prevail. This verse challenges us to re-evaluate our definition of success and security. Is our "place" rooted in worldly achievements, fleeting power, or material wealth, which can be "hissed out" in an instant? Or is our security found in our integrity and relationship with God, which endures beyond any earthly circumstance? The public scorn described here is a powerful warning against pursuing unrighteous gain, reminding us that temporary pleasures or perceived advantages gained through sin ultimately lead to profound and lasting disgrace. For those who feel overlooked or unjustly treated, this verse offers a measure of comfort, affirming that God sees and will ultimately bring about justice, even if it is not immediately apparent. It calls us to trust in God's perfect timing and to live with unwavering integrity, knowing that true vindication comes from Him, not from the fickle applause of the crowd.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this verse about God's direct judgment or societal reaction?
Answer: This verse describes a consequence of divine judgment that manifests through societal reaction. While it is "men" who clap and hiss, their actions are depicted as the inevitable outcome of the wicked's moral bankruptcy and God's overarching justice. In the biblical worldview, societal disgrace and expulsion often served as tangible expressions of divine displeasure or the natural outworking of a life lived apart from God's ways. Therefore, it's not merely human opinion but a reflection of a deeper, divinely ordained moral order. The community's scorn becomes the instrument through which the wicked are "hissed out of his place," demonstrating that even human society, consciously or unconsciously, participates in the execution of God's righteous judgment against those who persist in wickedness. This aligns with themes found in Proverbs 29:2 where the community groans under wicked rule, and Psalm 58:10-11 where the righteous rejoice when God's justice is evident.
How does this verse relate to the overall message of Job?
Answer: Job 27:23 is a crucial part of Job's final argument, where he passionately defends his integrity and asserts his understanding of divine justice, even amidst his inexplicable suffering. Throughout the book, Job's friends argue that his suffering must be due to sin, implying that the wicked always suffer immediately and the righteous always prosper. Job, however, knows this is not always true in lived experience. In this chapter, he articulates his belief that while the wicked may indeed prosper for a time, their ultimate end is certain ruin and public disgrace. This verse, therefore, serves as Job's counter-argument to his friends' simplistic theology, affirming that God will ultimately bring justice, even if it's not on man's timeline. It sets the stage for God's later speeches in Job 38 through Job 41, which reveal that God's wisdom and justice operate on a scale far beyond human comprehension, ultimately vindicating Job's faith despite the delay of his understanding.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 27:23, with its stark portrayal of the wicked's public disgrace and expulsion, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the eschatological judgment and the contrasting fates of humanity. While Job speaks of societal scorn, the New Testament reveals that Jesus Christ is the one appointed by God to be the ultimate judge of all humanity, as declared in John 5:22. The "hissing out of his place" for the wicked finds its terrifying culmination in the final judgment, where those who reject Christ will be cast into eternal separation, a place of utter disgrace and torment, as vividly described in Matthew 25:41 where they are told, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Conversely, Jesus himself bore the ultimate public scorn and humiliation, being despised and rejected by men (as prophesied in Isaiah 53:3), mocked, and crucified outside the city gates. He was "hissed out of his place" by the world, yet through His death and resurrection, He triumphed over sin and death, securing a place of honor and glory. Because He endured this ultimate shame, those who believe in Him will not face the final, eternal "hissing out of place" but will instead be glorified with Him (Romans 8:30). Thus, Job's prophecy of ultimate justice is perfectly fulfilled in Christ's final triumph over all wickedness and His establishment of an eternal kingdom where the righteous are honored and the wicked are eternally cast out, as seen in the ultimate vision of Christ's return and judgment in Revelation 19:11-21.