Job 21 7

Job 21:7 kjv

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Job 21:7 nkjv

Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?

Job 21:7 niv

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

Job 21:7 esv

Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

Job 21:7 nlt

"Why do the wicked prosper,
growing old and powerful?

Job 21 verses

Job 21 7 Meaning

Job 21:7 encapsulates Job's deep perplexity and direct challenge to the conventional wisdom of his friends regarding divine justice. It is an empirical observation and a rhetorical question asserting that, contrary to the prevailing belief that the wicked are swiftly punished and cut off, many actually experience long and prosperous lives, even gaining considerable power and influence. This verse highlights the profound discrepancy Job perceives between theological theory and observed reality, questioning why God appears to allow the unrighteous to flourish without immediate retribution.

Job 21 7 Context

Job 21:7 is Job's response to Zophar's unwavering assertion in chapter 20 that the wicked's prosperity is inherently brief and leads to swift destruction. Job fundamentally challenges this simplistic retribution theology, which posits an immediate, direct cause-and-effect relationship between righteousness/wickedness and earthly reward/punishment. He offers his own observational counter-argument, asserting that, in reality, the wicked frequently prosper for extended periods, contradicting his friends' rigid doctrine. This verse encapsulates Job's bewildering personal experience of suffering despite his righteousness, prompting him to question God's overall moral governance of the world, rather than merely defending his own innocence. This dialogue exposes the limitations of human theological frameworks when confronted with the complexities of God's ways.

Job 21 7 Word analysis

• "Why" (מַדּוּעַ – maddu'a): This interrogative particle expresses deep perplexity and questioning. It conveys not just a query but a profound wrestling with an observed reality that contradicts an assumed divine order. It underlines Job's internal turmoil and his courageous challenge to conventional thought.

• "do the wicked" (רְשָׁעִים – rĕšāʿīm): The plural noun rasha' denotes those who are guilty, unrighteous, or actively evil. It refers to individuals whose conduct is contrary to God's ways and human justice, making their prosperity even more puzzling from Job's friends' perspective and Job's own, as it seems to defy the established divine standard.

• "live" (יְחֵיוּ – yĕḥēyū): Derived from the verb chaya (to live, to be alive), this refers to their continued existence. Job highlights that the wicked are not immediately struck down but persist in life, challenging the notion of swift divine eradication for evildoers.

• "reach old age" (וַיַּעֲתְּקוּ – va'ya'attîqu): From the verb 'athaq (to be old, advanced in age), this indicates that the wicked do not just live, but they attain the advanced years typically associated with divine blessing or a full lifespan. This further dismantles the idea of short, cursed lives for the unrighteous.

• "and grow mighty in power" (גָּבְרוּ – gavru): From the verb gabar (to be strong, to be mighty, to prevail, to increase). This phrase signifies not merely surviving or growing old, but flourishing, gaining influence, increasing their strength, and succeeding. Their power is seen to expand, not diminish, directly refuting the idea of decline for evildoers.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Why do the wicked live, reach old age": This phrase directly confronts the immediate punitive aspect of retribution theology. It questions why those who are ostensibly deserving of swift judgment are instead granted longevity and full lifespans, attributes usually ascribed to the righteous. Job's observation challenges the very foundation of his friends' arguments and the simplified view of divine justice.
  • "and grow mighty in power": This phrase adds another layer to Job's observation of the wicked's flourishing. It implies not just personal survival but societal influence and prosperity, where the unrighteous gain dominance and strength. This deepens the theological dilemma, as it depicts God apparently allowing evil to thrive and exert significant influence without visible hindrance.

Job 21 7 Bonus section

This verse marks a critical pivot in the dialogue of Job, moving the focus from Job's personal suffering to a broader theological critique of God's administration of justice in the world. It squarely raises the "problem of evil" or "theodicy" by highlighting the empirical evidence of the wicked's prosperity. This honest grappling with observable reality prevents the book from being reduced to a simple moral tale, instead asserting a more nuanced understanding of God's ways, preparing for the grand revelation of God's sovereignty in later chapters. Job 21:7 underscores that a truly comprehensive understanding of justice requires looking beyond immediate earthly outcomes, hinting at a fuller, eternal scope of divine reckoning and a wisdom that often remains beyond human grasp.

Job 21 7 Commentary

Job 21:7 is a profound lament that pierces the core of human attempts to understand divine justice within rigid, observable frameworks. Job presents an undeniable reality: the wicked often experience sustained life, attain old age, and even ascend to positions of great power, contrary to the simplistic Deuteronomic theology advocated by his friends. This verse is not an assertion that God is unjust, but rather a cry of honest bewilderment at the apparent discrepancy between righteous divine character and the messy, often contradictory, reality of the world. It reveals Job's refusal to accept comforting but ultimately false explanations. This tension introduces the larger theological purpose of Job: to explore a justice that extends beyond temporal observation and human comprehension, ultimately pointing to God's sovereign and inscrutable wisdom that transcends simplistic human expectations. It forces the reader to acknowledge that divine timing and methods of justice are far more complex than a straightforward earthly retribution system.