Job 21:11 kjv
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
Job 21:11 nkjv
They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.
Job 21:11 niv
They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about.
Job 21:11 esv
They send out their little boys like a flock, and their children dance.
Job 21:11 nlt
They let their children frisk about like lambs.
Their little ones skip and dance.
Job 21 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 73:3-12 | For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked... For they have no pains until death; their bodies are fat and sleek... | Direct parallel: describes the unhindered prosperity and pride of the wicked, often questioning God's justice. |
| Jer 12:1 | Righteous are You, O Yahweh... why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? | Similar lament asking why the wicked prosper and succeed without apparent immediate consequence. |
| Hab 1:4 | So the law is paralyzed and justice never goes forth... For the wicked hem in the righteous... | Observation that injustice often goes unpunished in the short term, hindering righteous living. |
| Eccl 7:15 | In my vain life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. | Acknowledges the apparent paradox of good people suffering and evil people prospering. |
| Eccl 8:14 | There is a futility which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked... | Questions immediate, obvious retribution by noting the inequitable distribution of earthly experiences. |
| Ps 107:41 | He raises the needy from affliction, And makes their families like a flock. | Flock imagery for the prosperity and growth of families, emphasizing multitude and security. |
| Ps 37:1-2, 35-36 | Do not fret because of evildoers... they soon wither like the grass... I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a luxuriant native tree. But he passed away... | Provides a long-term, faith-based view: the wicked eventually perish, contrasting Job's immediate observation. |
| Ps 92:7 | When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all evildoers flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. | The wicked's flourishing is temporary and ultimately leads to their destruction. |
| Matt 13:24-30, 37-43 | Parable of the Weeds: The good seed and weeds (wicked) are allowed to grow together until the harvest (judgment). | God permits the wicked to flourish alongside the righteous until the time of final judgment. |
| Rom 2:5-6 | ...but by your hard and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each person according to his deeds. | God's ultimate justice and reckoning will come, but it is not always immediate or evident in this life. |
| Rev 20:12-15 | And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened... and the dead were judged according to their deeds. | Description of the final judgment and accountability for all, where true justice is fully rendered. |
| John 9:1-3 | As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents...?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned..." | Jesus refutes simplistic direct cause-and-effect links between sin and immediate suffering. |
| Lk 13:1-5 | There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices... "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners...?" | Jesus denies that those who suffer more severely are necessarily greater sinners. |
| Gen 13:2 | Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. | Livestock (flocks and herds) as a tangible sign of material wealth and divine blessing in ancient contexts. |
| Deut 28:1-6 | If you obey the voice of the Yahweh... blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. | Conventional Deuteronomic principle of blessings for obedience, which Job observes is not always true for the wicked. |
| Deut 28:15, 41 | But if you will not obey the voice of the Yahweh... You shall father sons and daughters, but you shall not retain them, for they shall go into captivity. | The curses for disobedience often involve children suffering or being lost, contrasting Job's observation. |
| Job 24:1-12 | Why are times not stored up by the Almighty? For those who know him do not see his days... Some move landmarks... and glean the vineyard of the wicked. | Job further highlights the apparent lack of immediate divine intervention and justice against wrongdoers. |
| Mal 3:13-15 | "You have said hard things against me," says the Yahweh... "It is vain to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept his charge...?" | A similar complaint from those who observe the wicked prosper and believe serving God is fruitless. |
| Ps 149:3 | Let them praise his name with dancing... | Dancing associated with joyful celebration and worship, showing its connection to uninhibited expression. |
| Lam 5:15 | The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned into mourning. | Loss of joy and happiness is characterized by the cessation of dancing and celebration. |
| Zech 8:5 | And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. | An idealized future vision where children freely and joyfully play in security, akin to dancing. |
Job 21 verses
Job 21 11 Meaning
Job 21:11 vividly portrays the unhindered prosperity and carefree existence of the wicked, particularly their thriving families. Job presents this as a counter-argument to his friends' rigid doctrine that the wicked always suffer immediately. The verse emphasizes abundance, freedom, and joy among the children of the prosperous wicked, underscoring the visible contradiction to their theological framework.
Job 21 11 Context
Job chapter 21 is a powerful and challenging speech by Job himself, continuing his response to his friends' unwavering insistence on the retribution principle—the belief that God unfailingly rewards the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with suffering. While his friends argue that Job's calamities must be a result of hidden sin, Job observes a more complex reality. In this chapter, specifically from verse 7 onwards, Job confronts their theology by presenting extensive evidence from his own observation that the wicked often live long, prosperous lives, enjoy peace, security, and a flourishing lineage, and even die without prolonged suffering (vv. 7-13). Verse 11 provides a vivid, specific example of this observable reality: their children are numerous, lively, and unburdened, frolicking freely without hardship. This directly contradicts the idea that divine justice is always immediate and visibly manifests as suffering for evil. Job's arguments expose the limitations and potential harshness of a theology that attempts to fully explain divine justice based solely on earthly experiences.
Job 21 11 Word analysis
- They send forth their little ones (ישלחו עולליהם - yishl'chū ‘ôlalêhem):
- They send forth (ישלחו - yishl'chū): From the Hebrew root שלח (shalach), meaning "to send, let go, dispatch." The Hiphil imperfect form suggests continuous or habitual action, indicating that the wicked allow their young to move freely and unhindered. This implies an environment of complete safety, ample space, and freedom from danger or scarcity, negating any immediate divine constraint on their flourishing.
- their little ones (עולליהם - ‘ôlalêhem): Refers to infants or very young children. The use of this specific term highlights the utmost vulnerability of the young, yet paradoxically, they are presented as entirely unthreatened and thriving. This amplifies the extent of the wicked's security and lack of worry for their progeny's welfare, signaling deep, generational prosperity.
- like a flock (כצאן - kətsō’n):
- like (כ - kə): A preposition meaning "as" or "like."
- a flock (צאן - tsō’n): A collective term for small livestock, typically sheep or goats. This simile conveys multiple aspects:
- Numerosity: Flocks are typically large, signifying an abundance of healthy offspring.
- Carefree Movement: Imagery of sheep grazing freely and without constraint implies ample resources, safety, and an unburdened existence, challenging the notion of any divine hindrance on their prosperity.
- Pastoral Prosperity: In ancient societies, large flocks were a clear indicator of wealth and perceived divine favor. Job ironically applies this symbol of blessing to the wicked.
- and their children (ילדיהם - yaldeyhem):
- and (ו - wə): The common connective "and."
- their children (ילדיהם - yaldeyhem): From ילד (yeled), a more general term for children or offspring, used in poetic parallelism with ‘ôlalêhem. This repetition and parallel structure emphasize the broad, pervasive nature of their familial well-being and the thriving state of their complete household, reinforcing the continuity of their lineage.
- dance (ירקדו - yirqodū):
- dance (ירקדו - yirqodū): From רקד (raqad), meaning "to skip, jump, leap, dance." The imperfect tense indicates continuous, joyful, and energetic movement. This action profoundly signifies an absence of worry, sorrow, or physical ailment. Dancing embodies overflowing exuberance and a deep sense of peace and security that pervades the wicked household, a sharp and deliberate contrast to Job's own state of profound suffering.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "They send forth their little ones like a flock": This phrase paints a picture of unfettered proliferation and thriving life. The implied ease with which the children move (being "sent forth") suggests an environment of plentiful resources, open space, and freedom from threat or hardship. The vivid comparison to a "flock" evokes pastoral abundance, signifying numerous, healthy offspring moving without impediment through a plentiful and secure setting, thereby challenging the assertion that suffering necessarily accompanies the wicked.
- "and their children dance": This second, parallel phrase elevates the scene from mere physical freedom to an overt expression of uninhibited joy and vigor. "Dancing" is an action associated with celebration, peace, and vibrant health. It vividly depicts a household where children are not simply present but are actively flourishing and expressing profound happiness, reflecting an overall lack of sorrow, illness, or affliction within the wicked family. This striking visual further undermines the argument for immediate, visible divine retribution against them.
Job 21 11 Bonus section
This verse, deeply embedded in Job’s broader argument in chapter 21, powerfully illustrates the theological problem of the "prosperity of the wicked," a common concern in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature (e.g., in various Psalms). The vivid imagery of children – traditionally seen as the epitome of blessing and divine favor – thriving unburdened, without any visible divine intervention or punishment, serves to make Job's argument intensely personal and undeniable. For his friends, this scene would represent an apparent breakdown in the divine order, as it fundamentally challenges the assumption that God's justice is always immediately discernible and operative within the bounds of this earthly life. This disquieting observation forces a critical re-evaluation of how humans understand divine governance, inviting patience and faith in God's ultimate sovereignty and justice beyond immediate, observable outcomes.
Job 21 11 Commentary
Job 21:11 is a potent counter-argument against the overly simplistic theological framework of Job’s friends. While they adamantly asserted a direct and immediate correlation between wickedness and suffering, Job highlights a different reality he observes. This verse paints a vivid scene of prosperity within a wicked household, emphasizing abundant, carefree offspring who move about freely and joyfully. The imagery of children as "a flock" indicates large numbers, security, and plenty, while their "dancing" speaks to health, unburdened exuberance, and deep-seated peace. This earthly bliss for the wicked stands in stark contradiction to the friends' belief in prompt divine judgment. Job's intention is not to deny God's ultimate justice, but to challenge human limitations in predicting and comprehending God's timing and methods of justice in the temporal realm. The verse forces an uncomfortable truth: the immediate reality for many wicked individuals does not align with a rigid retribution principle, compelling deeper theological reflection beyond simplistic cause-and-effect explanations.