Job 21 · Verse 16

Job 21:16

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job 21:16, King James Version

Job 21:16 in other translations

BSBStill, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
WEBBehold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
ASVLo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
YLTLo, not in their hand is their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
DARBYBehold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!
BBETruly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
WebsterLo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

What does Job 21:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. not in their hand--but in the hand of God. This is Job's difficulty, that God who has sinners prosperity (good) in His hand should allow them to have it. is--rather, "may the counsel of the wicked be far from me!" [Umbreit]. This naturally follows the sentiment of the first clause: Let me not hereby be thought to regard with aught but horror the ways of the wicked, however prosperous.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Their good is not in their hand - With all their boasting and self-dependence, God only lends them his bounty; and though it appears to be their own, yet it is at his disposal. Some of the wicked he permits to live and die in affluence, provided it be acquired in the ordinary way of his providence, by trade, commerce, etc. Others he permits to possess it for a while only, and then strips them of their illegally procured property. The counsel of the wicked is far from me - Some understand the words thus: "Far be it from me to advocate the cause of the wicked." I have nothing in common with them, and am not their apologist. I state a fact: they are often found in continual prosperity. I state another fact: they are often found in wretchedness and misery.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 21:7-16

Job says, Remarkable judgments are sometimes brought upon notorious sinners, but not always. Wherefore is it so? This is the day of God's patience; and, in some way or other, he makes use of the prosperity of the wicked to serve his own counsels, while it ripens them for ruin; but the chief reason is, because he will make it appear there is another world. These prospering sinners make light of God and religion, as…

Read the full comment on Job 21:7-16 →

Job 21:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הֵ֤ןhenthere!H2005
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
בְיָדָ֣םve.ya.Dam[is] in own hand theirH3027
טוּבָ֑םtu.Vamprosperity theirH2898
עֲצַ֥ת'a.Tzat[the] counsel ofH6098
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗יםre.sha.'Imwicked [people]H7563
רָ֣חֲקָהRa.cha.kahit is farH7368
מֶֽנִּי\׃Me.nifrom meH4480

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 21:16

  • Job 22:18

    Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

  • Psalms 1:1

    Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

  • Proverbs 1:10

    My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

  • Psalms 52:5-7

    God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

  • Psalms 49:6-7

    They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

  • Genesis 49:6

    O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

  • Luke 16:25

    But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

  • Proverbs 5:8

    Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

  • Ecclesiastes 8:8

    There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

  • Job 12:9-10

    Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

  • Luke 16:2

    And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

  • Job 1:21

    And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lo.
1:21; 12:9,10; Ps 49:6,7; 52:5-7; Ec 8:8; Lu 16:2,25
the counsel.
22:18; Ge 49:6; Ps 1:1; Pr 1:10; 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 21:15

    What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

  • Job 21:16

    Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

  • Job 21:17

    How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

Read all of Job 21

Job 21:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí que su bien no está en manos de ellos: el consejo de los impíos lejos esté de mí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, leur bonheur n’est pas dans leur main. Loin de moi le conseil des méchants!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, ihre Wohlfahrt steht nicht in ihrer Hand. Der Rat der Gesetzlosen sei ferne von mir!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Verumtamen quia non sunt in manu eorum bona sua, consilium impiorum longe sit a me.