Job 21:29

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports?

American Standard Version (1901)

Have ye not asked wayfaring men? And do ye not know their evidences,

Bible in Basic English

Have you not put the question to the travellers, and do you not take note of their experience?

Free Bible Version

Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?

King James (Authorized) Version

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

Translation for Translators

But have you never inquired of people who travel much? Do you not believe their reports about what they have seen,

Unlocked Literal Bible

Have you never asked traveling people? Do you not know the evidence they can tell,

Noah Webster Bible

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

World English Bible

Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,

Young's Literal Translation

Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?

Context

Job: God Will Punish the Wicked

²⁸For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’ ²⁹Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports? ³⁰Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

Sermons

Not Now, but Hereafter!

C.H. Spurgeon

1.8K

Summary

In Job 21:29, Job is reflecting on the common understanding that the wicked will face punishment for their sins, either in this life or the next. He acknowledges that the wicked may indeed suffer calamity, but he questions why their children should also be punished along with them. Job's contemplation challenges the simplistic view of retribution, highlighting the complexity of human suffering and the need for a deeper understanding of God's justice beyond immediate consequences.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? - This appears to be Job's answer. Consult travelers who have gone through different countries; and they will tell you that they have seen both examples - the wicked in great prosperity in some instances, while suddenly destroyed in others. See at the end of the chapter, Job 21:34 (note). Do ye not know their tokens - Mr. Good translates the whole verse thus: "Surely thou canst never have inquired of men of travel; or thou couldst not have been ignorant of their tokens. Hadst thou made proper inquiries, thou wouldst have heard of their awful end in a thousand instances. And also of their prosperity." See at the end of this chapter, Job 21:34 (note).

John Gill Bible Commentary

That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction?.... That is, that they are spared, withheld, restrained, as the word (d) signifies, or kept and preserved from many calamities and distresses, which others are exposed unto; and so are reserved, either unto a time of greater destruction in this life or rather to eternal destruction in the world to come; which is the same with the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men, when they will be destroyed soul and body, in hell, with an everlasting destruction, as the just demerit of sin; or of that sinful course of life they live, being the broad way which leads to and issues in destruction, and for which there is a day appointed, when it will take place; and unto that day are the wicked reserved, in the purpose and decree of God, by which they are righteously destined to this day of evil, and by the power and providence of God, even the same chains of darkness, in which the angels are reserved unto the same time, being fitted and prepared for destruction by their own sins and transgressions, Pe2 2:4, and unto which they are kept, as condemned malefactors are in their cells, unto the day of execution, they being condemned already, though the sentence is not yet executed; in order to which they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath; the wrath of God, which is very terrible and dreadful, and is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, and is here expressed in the plural number, "wraths" (e), either as denoting both present and future wrath; or the vehemency of it, it being exceeding fierce and vehement; and the continuance and duration of it, there will be wrath upon wrath, even to the uttermost, and for ever; and for this a day is fixed, against which day wicked men are treasuring up wrath to themselves, and they shall be brought forth at the day of judgment, to have it poured forth upon them. This is the true state of the case with respect to them, that, though sometimes they are involved in general calamities, as the old world, and the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen 7:23; and sometimes good men are delivered from them, as Noah and Lot were, Gen 7:23, or are taken away by death from the evil to come; yet for the most part, generally speaking, wicked men escape present calamities and distresses, and are not in trouble as other men, but live in ease and pleasure all their days; nevertheless, wrath and ruin, and everlasting destruction, will be their portion. (d) "prohibebitur", Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius; so Beza, Vatablus, Mercerus; "subtrahitur", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius; "subdueitur", Schultens. (e) "irarum", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Schultens.