Job 27 15

Job 27:15 kjv

Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.

Job 27:15 nkjv

Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep,

Job 27:15 niv

The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.

Job 27:15 esv

Those who survive him the pestilence buries, and his widows do not weep.

Job 27:15 nlt

Those who survive will die of a plague,
and not even their widows will mourn them.

Job 27 verses

Job 27 15 Meaning

Job 27:15 describes the ignominious end of those who remain of the wicked man's lineage, portraying their deaths as devoid of proper burial and marked by a complete absence of public mourning. It underscores the utter desolation and lack of respect that awaits the wicked, where even those who should lament their passing – their own widows – do not weep. This suggests a profound societal and spiritual disgrace, signifying divine judgment that strips them of dignity even in death.

Job 27 15 Context

Job 27:15 falls within Job's concluding monologue (Job 27-31). This specific verse is part of Job's discourse on the fate of the wicked, specifically from verse 13 to 23. After affirming his integrity and faithfulness despite his suffering (vv. 1-6), and declaring that the wicked's hope will perish (vv. 7-12), Job transitions to describe in detail the bitter end that ultimately awaits the wicked and their descendants. This section can be interpreted in a few ways: either Job is here (somewhat paradoxically given his earlier protests) aligning with his friends' traditional theology regarding the ultimate fate of the wicked, or he is explaining why he rejects the friends' logic—not because the wicked don't suffer ultimate demise, but because their prosperity often persists for a long time on earth, making the friends' simple equation faulty. Given Job's persistent self-vindication, the stronger interpretation is that Job, even in his own understanding, confirms the general principle of divine judgment against the wicked, particularly regarding their legacy and honor in death, thereby distinguishing his righteous suffering from the true demise of the wicked. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a proper burial and mourning rituals were vital expressions of honor and peace for the deceased, as well as a reflection of the family's standing. To be denied such rites was the ultimate disgrace, symbolizing complete rejection and obliteration from memory, indicating a total and unredeemable condemnation from both human and divine perspectives.

Job 27 15 Word analysis

• Those who survive him (יְתָרָיו yethārāw): This refers to "his remnant" or "his survivors." It highlights the continuation of the wicked man's household or offspring. The statement then indicates that even these surviving descendants face a grim and dishonorable end. This negates the idea of a lasting legacy for the wicked.

• shall be buried in death (יִקָּבְרוּ בַמָּוֶת yiqqāḇrū vammāwet):

  • yiqqāḇrū is the passive form of "to bury," indicating they are recipients of an action, or perhaps that the act of burial itself is inflicted upon them by some force.
  • bammāwet literally means "in death." This is a stark and unusual phrasing. It can imply:
    • Burial by death itself: That no human agency gives them a proper burial; death itself claims and conceals them, leaving them unmourned or unhonored. They might just perish and decompose wherever they fall, without formal interment.
    • A deathly burial: A burial so shameful and ignoble that it's as if they are simply swallowed by death's embrace, utterly devoid of ritual or dignity. This aligns with biblical depictions of bodies left exposed, becoming food for carrion.The phrase points to a scandalous, neglected end, contradicting the high value placed on dignified burial in the ancient world. It is the ultimate degradation.

• and their widows shall not weep (וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּינָה ve’almenōṯāw lō’ tiḇkeināh):

  • ve’almenōṯāw: "And his widows." This specifically mentions the women who would naturally be the most deeply affected and expected to lead the mourning rites. Their presence and action (or inaction) signify the full extent of the disgrace.
  • lō’ tiḇkeināh: "shall not weep." This negates the expected, essential act of lamentation. This could mean:
    • No one left to weep: Their families might have been completely eradicated, leaving no one behind to mourn them.
    • No one will weep: Despite survivors, there is an unwillingness or shame in weeping for such individuals. The extent of the wickedness or the disgrace of their end might be so great that even close kin withhold traditional lamentation, perhaps out of fear of association or utter contempt.
    • Tears of joy/relief instead of sorrow: Less likely directly in this context, but in the broader biblical narrative of judgment on oppressors, their fall brings relief to others, removing the need for sorrow for their families.The absence of weeping for a dead person in ancient society signified total abandonment, an absence of sympathy, and a stark pronouncement of their worthlessness in the eyes of others and, by implication, God. It paints a picture of isolation even in death.

Job 27 15 Bonus section

This verse, when set against Job's earlier vehement denials of personal sin warranting such suffering, serves to articulate his understanding of God's universal justice while still asserting his own integrity. Job knows and affirms the ultimate principle that the wicked face a wretched end, thereby showing that his grievance is not against this truth itself, but against its immediate and simplistic application to his own innocent suffering. It helps distinguish him from his friends, whose theology often seemed to lack the nuance of God's complex timeline for justice and the allowance for righteous suffering in a fallen world. This verse underscores the thematic contrast between true godliness, which endures trials and receives vindication, and wickedness, which culminates in an ignominious end.

Job 27 15 Commentary

Job 27:15 encapsulates a critical aspect of Job's argument regarding the fate of the wicked: despite any temporal prosperity, their ultimate end is one of profound shame and desolation. It counters the simplified theological perspective that immediate earthly suffering always follows sin. Instead, Job argues for an end that is so devoid of dignity, so thoroughly condemned, that it reaches into the very sacred acts of death and remembrance. The phrase "buried in death" goes beyond a mere absence of burial; it speaks to an oblivion where even the natural processes of dignified interment are suspended, signifying a non-burial or an utterly disgraceful one, perhaps leaving their remains exposed. The crucial detail "their widows shall not weep" provides the final, chilling touch. In a culture where wailing and elaborate mourning rituals were central to validating life and death, their absence signals the complete ostracization and condemnation of the wicked and their lineage. This isn't just a physical death but a symbolic obliteration of legacy and honor, demonstrating the severe nature of divine justice against those who forsake the Almighty. It confirms that the wicked truly have "no future" and no lasting name, highlighting the spiritual principle that earthly success is no guarantee of ultimate blessing or honor in the sight of God.