Job 21 · Verse 17

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.
Job 21:17, King James Version

Job 21:17 in other translations

BSBHow often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?
WEB“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
ASVHow oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity cometh upon them? That God distributeth sorrows in his anger?
YLTHow oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
DARBYHow often is the lamp of the wicked put out, and cometh their calamity upon them? Doth he distribute sorrows to them in his anger?
BBEHow frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords?
WebsterHow oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and how oft cometh their destruction upon them? God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

What does Job 21:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Job in this whole passage down to Job 21:21 quotes the assertion of the friends, as to the short continuance of the sinner's prosperity, not his own sentiments. In Job 21:22 he proceeds to refute them. "How oft is the candle" (lamp), &c., quoting Bildad's sentiment (Job 18:5, 6), in order to question its truth (compare Mt 25:8). how oft--"God distributeth," &c. (alluding to Job 20:23, 29). sorrows--Umbreit translates "snares," literally, "cords," which lightning in its twining motion resembles (Psa 11:6).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? - The candle or lamp is often used, both as the emblem of prosperity and of posterity. Oftentimes the rejoicing of the wicked is short; and, not unfrequently, his seed is cut off from the earth. The root is dried up, and the branch is withered. God distributeth sorrows in his anger - He must be incensed against those who refuse to know, serve, and pray unto him. In his anger, therefore, he portions out to each his due share of misery, vexation, and wo.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 21:17-26
Job had described the prosperity of wicked people; in these verses he opposes this to what his friends had maintained about their certain ruin in this life. He reconciles this to the holiness and justice of God. Even while they prosper thus, they are light and worthless, of no account with God, or with wise men. In the height of their pomp and power, there is but a step between them and ruin. Job refers the difference Providence makes between one wicked man and another, into the wisdom of God. He is Judge of all the earth, and he will do right. So vast is the disproportion between time and eternity, that if hell be the lot of every sinner at last, it makes little difference if one goes singing thither, and another sighing. If one wicked man die in a palace, and another in a dungeon, the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched, will be the same to them. Thus differences in this world are not worth perplexing ourselves about.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Job 21:17 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.

כַּמָּ֤ה\׀ka.Mahhow often?H4100
נֵר\־ner-[the] lamp ofH5216
רְשָׁ֘עִ֤יםre.Sha.'Imwicked [people]H7563
יִדְעָ֗ךְyid.'Akhis it extinguishedH1846
וְיָבֹ֣אve.ya.Vo'and it may come?H935
עָלֵ֣ימוֹ'a.Lei.movon themH5921
אֵידָ֑ם'ei.Damcalamity theirH343
חֲ֝בָלִ֗יםcha.va.Limpain<s>H2256
יְחַלֵּ֥קye.cha.Lekdoes he apportion?H2505
בְּאַפּֽוֹ\׃be.'a.Poin anger hisH639

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

Cross references for Job 21:17

  • Job 18:5-6

    Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him.

  • Proverbs 20:20

    Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

  • Proverbs 13:9

    The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

  • Proverbs 24:20

    For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

  • Job 18:18

    He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world.

  • Luke 12:46

    The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

  • Romans 2:8-9

    But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

  • Psalms 90:7-9

    For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

  • Psalms 32:10

    Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

  • Matthew 25:8

    And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
oft.
18:5,6,18; Pr 13:9; 20:20; 24:20; Mt 25:8
candle. or, lamp. distributeth.
Ps 32:10; 90:7-9; Lu 12:46; Ro 2:8,9

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Job 21:18

    They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

Read all of Job 21

Job 21:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¡Oh cuántas veces la lámpara de los impíos es apagada, y viene sobre ellos su quebranto, y Dios en su ira les reparte dolores!
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Combien de fois la lampe des méchants s’éteint-elle, et leur calamité vient-elle sur eux, et leur distribue-t-Il des douleurs dans sa colère,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wie oft geschieht es, daß die Leuchte der Gesetzlosen erlischt und ihr Verderben über sie kommt, daß er ihnen Schlingen zuteilt in seinem Zorn,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quoties lucerna impiorum extinguetur, et superveniet eis inundatio, et dolores dividet furoris sui?