Job 27:16-23 · Bible study
Job 27:16-23 Commentary: Wealth Lost, Justice Upheld
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Job 27:16-23: the wicked heap up silver and clothes but lose all. Sudden terror, east wind, and community scorn mark their end as the righteous inherit.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked's enormous wealth is temporary and always passes to the righteous; his death is sudden and ignominious.
- Key words: Moth (fragility, hidden destruction), booth (temporary shelter), east wind (relentless devastation), clap/hiss (public mockery).
- Main debate: Whether Job truly endorses this retributive view or uses his friends' language sarcastically; also whether the agent of punishment is explicitly God or the storm personified.
- Theological theme: God's certain justice overrides apparent injustice; earthly prosperity is no guarantee of divine favor.
- Best use: A caution against trusting in wealth and a comfort for the oppressed, pointing to the ultimate reversal of fortunes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
17what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.
18The house he built is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut set up by a watchman.
19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
20Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest sweeps him away in the night.
21The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
22It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.
23It claps its hands at him and hisses him out of his place.
WEB World English Bible 2000
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;
17he may prepare it, but the just will put it on, and the innocent will divide the silver.
18He builds his house as the moth, as a booth which the watchman makes.
19He lies down rich, but he will not do so again. He opens his eyes, and he is not.
20Terrors overtake him like waters. A storm steals him away in the night.
21The east wind carries him away, and he departs. It sweeps him out of his place.
22For it hurls at him, and does not spare, as he flees away from his hand.
23Men will clap their hands at him, and will hiss him out of his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
19The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
21The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
22For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
23Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare raiment as the clay;
17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, And the innocent shall divide the silver.
18He buildeth his house as the moth, And as a booth which the keeper maketh.
19He lieth down rich, but he shall not be gathered to his fathers; He openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20Terrors overtake him like waters; A tempest stealeth him away in the night.
21The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; And it sweepeth him out of his place.
22For Godshall hurl at him, and not spare: He would fain flee out of his hand.
23Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
16If he heap up as dust silver, And as clay prepare clothing,
17He prepareth--and the righteous putteth it on, And the silver the innocent doth apportion.
18He hath built as a moth his house, And as a booth a watchman hath made.
19Rich he lieth down, and he is not gathered, His eyes he hath opened, and he is not.
20Overtake him as waters do terrors, By night stolen him away hath a whirlwind.
21Take him up doth an east wind, and he goeth, And it frighteneth him from his place,
22And it casteth at him, and doth not spare, From its hand he diligently fleeth.
23It clappeth at him its hands, And it hisseth at him from his place.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay;
17He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on; and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18He buildeth his house as the moth, and as a booth that a keeper maketh.
19He lieth down rich, but will do so no more; he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
20Terrors overtake him like waters; a whirlwind stealeth him away in the night.
21The east wind carrieth him away and he is gone; and as a storm it hurleth him out of his place.
22And [God] shall cast upon him and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
23[Men] shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
16If he shall heap together silver as earth, and prepare raiment as clay,
17He shall prepare indeed, but the just man shall be clothed with it: and the innocent shall divide the silver.
18He hath built his house as a moth, and as a keeper he hath made a booth.
19The rich man when he shall sleep shall take away nothing with him: he shall open his eyes and find nothing.
20Poverty like water shall take hold on him, a tempest shall oppress him in the night:
21A burning wind shall take him up, and carry him away, and as a whirlwind shall snatch him from his place.
22And he shall cast upon him, and shall not spare: out of his hand he would willingly flee.
23He shall clasp his hands upon him, and shall hiss at him, beholding his place.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 27:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage vividly portrays the wicked man's complete reversal. His abundant silver and fine clothing, heaped up 'as dust' and 'as clay', pass inevitably to the righteous (Clarke, Barnes, Gill). The house he builds is as fragile as a moth's cocoon or a watchman's makeshift booth: temporary and easily swept away (JFB, Wesley). When death comes, it is sudden: he lies down wealthy, opens his eyes, and is gone. Terrors overtake him like a flash flood, a night storm steals him, and the fierce east wind carries him off. The identity of the subject hurling punishment in verses 22, 23 is ambiguous, some read 'God', others see the storm as personified, but all affirm that the wicked cannot escape (Barnes, Cambridge). Onlookers clap their hands and hiss in derision at his downfall, a response that combines scorn, justice, and relief (Gill, JFB). This portrait affirms retributive justice, though scholars debate whether Job speaks his own conviction or merely echoes his friends' theology (Cambridge).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Job's sincere orthodox belief: He explicitly frames vv.13–23 as 'the portion of the wicked with God' and thus affirms retributive justice.
- Sarcastic echo of friends' theology: Job's own suffering contradicts the idea that calamity always indicates wickedness; he may be using their logic to expose its failure (Cambridge).
- Storm personified as agent: The Hebrew verbs in vv.22–23 lack an explicit divine name; the context of wind and waters suggests a natural force as the instrument (Clarke).
What is clear: Whatever the agent or Job's personal conviction, the passage unambiguously teaches that the wicked man's prosperity is temporary and that God's justice will ultimately strip him of everything.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer of wealth to the righteous | All major traditions agree the silver and clothing go to the just and innocent. | Some interpret this as literal providential redistribution (Clarke, Barnes); others see it as a poetic symbol of God's justice (Cambridge). |
| Fragility of the wicked man's house | Moth and booth are universally understood as images of impermanence and vulnerability. | The moth may signify either the creature's fragile cocoon (Barnes) or its destructive effect on garments (Gill). |
| Subject of punishment in verses 22, 23 | The judgment is ultimately from God. | The Hebrew grammar allows either 'God' as subject or the storm (east wind, waters) as a personified agent; several translations supply 'God' explicitly (KJV, Darby), while others keep 'it' (WEB, BSB). |
| The crowd's response | Clapping and hissing are gestures of contempt and joy at the wicked man's ruin. | Some see this as purely human mockery (Barnes); others extend it to the righteous rejoicing in God's judgment (Gill, Geneva). |
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, wealth was often measured in silver and multiple changes of clothing. First Kings 10:27 reports that Solomon made silver 'as common as stones in Jerusalem,' and Zechariah 9:3 echoes the same hyperbole, 'heaped up silver like the dust.' Job's description of piling up wealth 'as dust' and 'as clay' draws on this familiar literary trope (Barnes). Clothing was a major component of treasure; storing many garments signified prosperity and status, and their transfer to the righteous underscored the complete redistribution of the wicked man's assets.
The simile of the moth (v.18) is rich with texture. The moth larva spins a cocoon within fabric; its dwelling is both fragile and self- consuming, shaken out or brushed away in an instant (Wesley, Gill). Similarly, a watchman's booth (sukkah) was a temporary shelter built in vineyards or fields during harvest, easily dismantled when the season ended. Both images underscore the transience of the wicked man's establishment.
The east wind (qadim) is the sirocco, a scorching, destructive wind from the desert that could flatten crops and homes. It serves as a metaphor for sudden, irresistible judgment (Barnes, JFB). The 'terrors' (ballahot) in verse 20 are not just fear but the concrete calamities that overwhelm like a flood. Death steals in at night, the time of vulnerability. The contemptuous response, clapping hands and hissing, are gestures of public scorn used elsewhere for enemies (Lamentations 2:15, Nahum 3:19). The unit closes chapter 27's grim oracle on 'the portion of the wicked with God' (v.13), leaving no doubt that their prosperity is an illusion.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants between major Hebrew manuscripts for Job 27:16, 23. A minor interpretive ambiguity exists in verses 22, 23: the subject of the verbs 'cast' (v.22) and 'clap' / 'hiss' (v.23) is not specified in the Hebrew. Some translations insert 'God' (KJV, Darby), others read the storm as the agent (Clarke), and still others use the impersonal 'it' (WEB, BSB). Additionally, the verb 'gathered' (v.19, Niphal of 'asaph) may be understood as 'gathered to one's fathers' (honorable burial) or simply 'removed' from life (Wesley).
Reception History
Across church history, Job 27:16, 23 has been read as a sobering portrait of the fate of the ungodly. Early church fathers used the moth and booth imagery to preach on the transience of earthly riches. In the medieval period, the passage was often cited in sermons on the 'four last things', death, judgment, heaven, hell. Reformation commentators such as Luther and Calvin saw here a confirmation that God's justice, though sometimes hidden, is certain and public. In modern-era study Bibles and lectionaries, the passage appears under headings like 'The Fate of the Wicked' and is used to comfort those who suffer under oppression, assuring them that the wealth of the ruthless will not last.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- False Foundations (vv. 16, 18). The wicked amass wealth with frantic energy, but every structure they build, their fortune, their home, their legacy, is as insubstantial as a moth's cocoon or a harvest booth. The silver and garments will not stay with them.
- Sudden Reversal (vv. 19, 21). Death arrives without warning. The rich man lies down in apparent security, but when he opens his eyes everything is gone. Terrors flood in like a broken dam; the east wind sweeps him from his place entirely.
- Final Derision (vv. 22, 23). Judgment is relentless. Whether God himself or the storm serves as the agent, the wicked finds no mercy. The community that once feared or envied him now claps and hisses him out, celebrating the restoration of justice.
Five-point outline
- Heaped wealth: silver like dust, clothing like clay (v.16).
- Transferred to the righteous: the just wear his clothes, the innocent divide his silver (v.17).
- Fragile dwellings: a moth's house, a watchman's booth (v.18).
- Sudden end: he lies down rich, opens his eyes, and is not; terrors, flood, night storm, east wind (vv.19, 21).
- Public scorn: God/storm hurls without sparing; men clap and hiss (vv.22, 23).
Illustration hooks
- A sandcastle at high tide, built with care, washed away in moments.
- An inheritance squandered by bad investments or fraud, leaving nothing for the one who piled it up.
- A recorded trial verdict where the offender, once powerful, is led away as the courtroom audience murmurs approval.
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'Why do people who cheat and oppress others seem to get away with it for so long?'
- 'Does God always punish the wicked in this life, or is final justice only after death?'
- 'How can I hold onto hope when injustice appears to win?'
Leading a Discussion
This passage sits in the middle of Job's final speech. After insisting on his innocence (chapter 27:1, 6), Job turns to describe the fate of the wicked, the very kind of person his friends have accused him of being. The vivid imagery invites us to wrestle with the tension between present experience and ultimate divine justice.
Discussion questions
- Read Job 27:13, 23. What kind of person is being described, and what future is assigned to them?
- The wicked heaps up silver 'as dust' and clothes 'like clay.' Why do you think the writer uses such exaggerated language?
- In verse 18, his house is compared to a moth and a watchman's booth. What do these images tell you about the stability of the wicked man's life?
- Verse 19 is haunting: 'He opens his eyes, and he is not.' What does this suggest about the suddenness of death and judgment?
- The community responds by clapping and hissing (v.23). Do you find this response troubling or appropriate? Why?
- How does this passage connect to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19, 20 about storing treasure in heaven?
- Job's situation is that he suffers while apparently innocent. How does this description of the wicked either help or challenge his own experience?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 10:27 | The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and cedars as common as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland. |
| Job 22:24 | Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. |
| Habakkuk 2:6 | Won’t all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases that which is not his, and who enriches himself by extortion! How long?’ |
| Zechariah 9:3 | Tyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets. |
| Matthew 6:19 | “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; |
| James 5:2 | Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. |
| Proverbs 13:22 | A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous. |
| Proverbs 28:8 | He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that uncontrolled wealth brings double punishment (curses for misuse and blessings for right use) while God eventually returns it to rightful owners. He believes the rich man dies without proper burial and is forever lost after resurrection.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that Job is not stating his own beliefs here but is repeating the very arguments his friends have used against him. Job’s point is to show how wrong their position is by stating it back to them. The chapter is Job’s rebuttal, not his confession.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sees Job now believing his suffering comes from God’s direct hostility. This view contradicts his earlier statements that he faces hardships without divine cause.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that the rich man builds temporary shelter just like a moth’s home or a watchman’s booth. He will die without being buried with his ancestors and vanish suddenly when others wake up.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Some read these verses as a literal account of wealth and death. Others understand them as pointing to deeper spiritual realities. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch identify sword, famine, and pestilence as the three powers that sweep away the wicked and his family. They argue for a reading in verse 19 where the rich man goes to sleep and never wakes, emphasizing sudden death. His house, though a palace, is as fragile as a moth's cocoon or a temporary watchman's hut.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Job's closing address as a carefully crafted, self-contained didactic discourse, not a contradiction of his earlier words. Job adopts the friends' theme of the wicked's ruin not to concede their case but to vindicate himself by showing that true wisdom, which the wicked lack, consists in the fear of God and belongs to him even in his suffering.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that some read this passage as a literal historical account; others understand it as pointing to deeper spiritual realities. Christians have understood this passage to mean God will eventually bring justice upon cruel oppressors.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that God’s wrath comes suddenly like a thief in the night. It carries the person away from their home and sends deadly plagues one after another.