the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Job 21:16
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But their prosperity is not of their own doing.The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
The success of the wicked is not their own doing. Their way of thinking is different from mine.
"But notice, the prosperity of the wicked is not in their hand (in their power); The counsel of the wicked [and the mystery of God's dealings with the ungodly] is far from my comprehension.
"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The advice of the wicked is far from me.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, their wealth is not in their hand: therfore let the counsell of the wicked bee farre from me.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Yet their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
We succeeded all on our own." And so, I keep away from them and their evil schemes.
Isn't their prosperity already theirs? The plans of the wicked are far from me.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked be far from me!
"Of course, evil people don't make their own success. I would never follow their advice.
Lo, they have no power over their prosperity; the counsel of the ungodly is far from me.
They claim they succeed by their own strength, but their way of thinking I can't accept.
Look, their prosperity is not in their hands; the schemes of the wicked are repugnant to me.
Behold, their good is not in their hand! The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, there is vtterly no goodnesse in them, therfore will not I haue to do with the councell of the vngodly.
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Loe, their good is not in their hand, the counsell of the wicked is farre from me.
Lo, there is vtterly no goodnesse in their hande, therefore wyll I not haue to do with the counsaile of the vngodly.
For their good things were in their hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.
Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
Look, their prosperity is not in their hand: The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
(They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)
See, their well-being is not in their own hands. The wisdom of the sinful is far from me.
Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement? The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.
Lo! not in their own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, is far from me!
Yet because their good things are not in their hand, may the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Lo: Job 1:21, Job 12:9, Job 12:10, Psalms 49:6, Psalms 49:7, Psalms 52:5-7, Ecclesiastes 8:8, Luke 16:2, Luke 16:25
the counsel: Job 22:18, Genesis 49:6, Psalms 1:1, Proverbs 1:10, Proverbs 5:8
Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 20:20 - Far be it Job 9:29 - General Romans 3:11 - seeketh
Cross-References
Esau said to his father, "Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!" Then Esau wept loudly.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly.
For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see my father's pain."
When the Lord 's messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
May the Lord enable each of you to find security in the home of a new husband!" Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly.
When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Then Saul wept loudly.
Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.
The real mother spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. She said, "My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don't kill him!" But the other woman said, "Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!"
For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?"
Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Lo, their good [is] not in their hand,.... Though it is in their possession for the present, it is not in the power of their hands to keep, nor to carry it with them when they die; God, that gave it, can take it away when he pleases; and therefore it might be profitable to them to serve him and pray unto him: or "their good [is] not by their hand"; they do not obtain their happiness by their works, as in the Tigurine version; and to the same sense Mr. Broughton,
"lo, their wealth cometh not by their own power;''
it is not got by their own industry, diligence, care, and labour; by their own wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and cunning; for riches are not always to men of understanding, but come from God, who gives them to whom he pleases, and can take them away again if he thinks fit; and therefore men are dependent upon him for what they have, and should be thankful to him, and serve him, and pray for the continuance of good things to them. Jarchi reads the words by way of interrogation and admiration, lo! is "not their good in their hand?" verily it is, especially in their own opinion; their hands are full of it; they want nothing of God; they see no need of praying to him; hence the above words, which Job expresses his disapprobation of:
the counsel of the wicked is far from me; the counsels of their hearts; the thoughts of their mind; the words of their mouth; the above impious sayings were such as were detested and abhorred by him; their sense and judgment of things, their choice from deliberate consultation with themselves, preferring temporal good to spiritual good, and earthly things to heavenly ones, outward wealth and riches to the knowledge, service, and worship of God, and communion with him; these were what he disliked; their course of life, which was according to this world, and Satan the god of it, their company and conversation, were such as he carefully shunned and avoided; he chose not to come into their assembly, or to have any fellowship with them; to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, these things were an abomination to him; see Psalms 1:1. This Job says to exculpate himself, and wipe off any calumny that might be cast upon him, as if by what he had said, concerning the outward prosperity of the wicked, that he was a patron and defender of them, and an advocate for them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Lo, their good is not in their hand - Schultens, Rosenmuller, and Noyes, suppose, I think, correctly, that this is to be understood ironically, or as referring to what “they” had maintained. “Lo! you say, that their good is not in their hand! They do not enjoy prosperity, do they? They are soon overwhelmed with calamity, are they? How often have I seen it otherwise! How often is it a fact that they continue to enjoy prosperity, and live and die in peace!” The common interpretation, which Prof. Lee has adopted, seems to me to be much less probable. According to that it means that “their prosperity was not brought about or preserved by their own power. It was by the power of God, and was under his control. An inscrutable Providence governs all things.” But the true sense is, that Job is replying to the arguments which they had advanced, and one of those was, that whatever prosperity they had was not at all secure, but that in a moment it might be, and often was, wrested from them. Job maintains the contrary, and affirms that it was a somewhat unusual occurrence Job 21:17, that the wicked were plunged into sudden calamity. The phrase “in their hand” means “in their power,” or under their control, and at their disposal.
The counsel of the wicked is far from me - Or, rather, “far be it from me!” Perhaps the meaning is this, “Do not misunderstand me. I maintain that the wicked are often prospered, and that God does not in this life deal with them according to their deserts. They have life, and health, and property. But do not suppose that I am their advocate. Far be it from me to defend them. Far from me be their counsels and their plans. I have no sympathy with them. But I maintain merely that your position is not correct that they are always subjected to calamity, and that the character of people can always be known by the dealings of Providence toward them.” Or, it may mean, that he was not disposed to be united with them. They were, in fact, prospered; but though they were prospered, he wished to have no part in their plans and counsels. He would prefer a holy life with all the ills that might attend it.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 21:16. 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, &c. 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.
