Job 21:7 — Word Study
WLCמַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־ גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃
BSAWhymaddûwaʻ [for what reason, on what basis] ◂do the wickedrâshâʻ [morally wrong, guilty of sin] live onchâyâh▸ [continue to exist, survive] growing oldʻâthaq■ [becoming advanced in years, aging] andgam increasinggâbar■ [waxing, becoming stronger] in powerchayil [strength, might, Helech]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מַדּ֣וּעַ | why? | Particle |
| רְשָׁעִ֣ים | wicked [people] | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יִחְי֑וּ | do they live | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| עָ֝תְק֗וּ | they grow old | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| גַּם־ | also | Adverb |
| גָּ֥בְרוּ | do they become strong? | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| חָֽיִל׃ | strength | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? |
| KJV | Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? |
| ASV | Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power? |
| YLT | Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth. |
| WEB | “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power? |
| BBE | Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power? |
Where they part company is יִחְי֑וּ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause poses a question, followed by a descriptive phrase that elaborates on the actions of the wicked.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectרָשָׁע
verbחָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 21:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Job's Reflection on the Wickedgenerated
Job 21:7 highlights Job's struggle to understand why wicked individuals seem to prosper while the righteous suffer. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Job reflects on the apparent injustice in the world, questioning the very nature of divine justice. The surrounding verses, including Job 21:6 and Job 21:8, further develop this theme of suffering and the fate of the wicked.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 12:6 | The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands. |
| 2 | Psalm 17:10 | They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance. |
| 3 | Psalm 73:3–12 | For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 12:1–3 | Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? |
| 5 | Habakkuk 1:15–16 | The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רְשָׁעִים, re.sha.'Imgenerated
The term רְשָׁעִים (resha'im) refers to wicked people, those who are morally wrong or guilty of sin. It is a masculine plural noun derived from the root רָשָׁע (rasha`), which indicates moral wrongdoing. This word captures the essence of individuals who oppose God and act unjustly towards others.
In this verse, it serves as the subject of Job's inquiry, emphasizing his perplexity over their continued existence and success despite their wrongdoing.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains a series of clauses that revolve around the finite verb יִחְי֑וּ, do they live. This is followed by additional verbs עָ֝תְק֗וּ and גָּ֥בְרוּ, which describe the actions of growing old and becoming strong, respectively.
The structure emphasizes Job's questioning nature, with the initial inquiry setting the tone for the subsequent observations about the wicked's aging and increase in power.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates רְשָׁעִים as ἀσεβεῖς (asebeis), meaning 'ungodly' or 'wicked.' This choice highlights a broader moral context, emphasizing not just wrongdoing but a lack of reverence towards God.
The Greek rendering of the verbs also indicates a focus on the ongoing nature of their existence and strength, suggesting a continuity that Job finds troubling.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 21:7 asks why wicked people seem to live long lives and gain strength, even though they do wrong. Job is expressing confusion about why these individuals are not punished for their actions, which is a central theme in his discourse on justice.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job refers to individuals who are morally wrong and guilty of sin, contrasting them with the righteous who suffer.
Job is perplexed by the apparent injustice that allows wicked people to thrive while the righteous endure suffering.
This verse underscores Job's struggle with the concept of divine justice, as he grapples with the reality that the wicked often escape punishment.
Job's question invites readers to reflect on the complexities of justice and the moral order of the world.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse reveal about the nature of justice in the world?
- How can we reconcile the existence of evil with the belief in a just God?
- In what ways do we see the wicked prospering in our own lives or society?
- How does Job's questioning encourage us to seek understanding in our own struggles?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of God's justice and the prosperity of the wicked, arguing from Job's questioning to illustrate their points.
Certainly God does not cease from benefiting the wicked, in order to show that he has no hate against them, so that they may not say, “Since God hates us,Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →
Ver. 7. Wherefore do the wicked live, are lifted up, and strengthened by riches? 45. For except the patience of God bore with them, they would never live long in their sins.Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →
Since you believe to be wise and to know the reason why I suffer these afflictions, now answer my question. Why does it happen that very often many impious persons reach an old age in their wealth?… Their fields produce large crops,Early Church Fathers on Job 21 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 21:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWherefore do the wicked live,.... Which question is put either to God himself, as not knowing ow to account for it, or to reconcile it to his divine perfections; that he, a holy, just, and righteous
Read John Gill on Job 21 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Wherefore do the wicked live. The answer is (Romans 2:4; 1 Timothy 1:16; Psalms 73:18; Ecclesiastes 8:11-13; Luke 2:35, end; Proverbs 16:4; Romans 9:22).
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 21 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe expostulates this matter partly with his friends, If things be as you say, how comes this to pass, &c? partly with God himself, Wherefore doth the righteous God distribute things so unequally? The wicked live, to wit, long and happily; as living is oft taken, as 25:6 ; a painful and afflicted life being a kind of death, and oft so called, as ,19 Proverbs 15:10 19:16 15:31. Become old, to wit, in their prosperous estate.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 21 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 21:7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?Ver. 7. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old] Vivunt, veteraseunt, they are lively and longlived, so that they outlast many better than themselves; being as sound as roaches and as vivacious as the snail, the property whereof is to live a long while even after the head is off and the heart out. Of some creatures we use to say, that they have nine lives; of some wicked men it may be thought so, they do evil a hundred times, and yet their days are prolonged, Ecclesiastes 9:12. Manasseh reigned longest of any king in Judah. Pope John XXII. (that monster and mortalist) lived longest of any pope, and died richest.…
Read John Trapp on Job 21 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Wherefore do the wicked live] You have frequently asserted that the wicked are invariably punished in this life; and that the righteous are ever distinguished by the strongest marks of God's providential kindness; how then does it come that many wicked men live long and prosperously, and at last die in peace, without any evidence whatever of God's displeasure? This is a fact that is occurring daily; none can deny it; how then will you reconcile it with your maxims?
Read AdamClarke on Job 21 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–21. This great mystery of the prosperity of the wicked in God’s providence Job now unfolds on both its sides: first, they and all belonging to them prosper, and they die in peace, although in conscious godlessness they bade the Almighty depart from them, Job 21:7-16; and second, negatively, examples of calamity befalling them are few, Job 21:17-21.
Read Cambridge on Job 21 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWherefore do the wicked live? - Job comes now to the main design of his argument in this chapter, to show that it is a fact, that the wicked often have great prosperity; that they are not treated in
Read Albert Barnes on Job 21 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleMain division — THE DIVINE OF AWARDS IN THIS WORLD TENDS TO MORAL , Job 21:7-26.First half — THE WICKED DEFY GOD, AND YET GOD THEM EVEN UNTO SHEOL, Job 21:7-16.First strophe — Instead of suffering
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 21 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
“Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power?
Tyndale line
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live, Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
Why do the wicked live, become old, and, are mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked liue, and waxe olde, and grow in wealth?
Strictly literal
Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, yea, become mighty in power?
Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
Why do the wicked live? They have become old, || Indeed, they have been mighty in wealth.
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
Why do wicked people continue to live, become old, and grow mighty in power?
From the Latin
Why then do the wicked live, are they advanced, and strengthened with riches?
Simplified
Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in the core elements of the verse, though the Septuagint's word order and articles differ. The Hebrew text presents a direct inquiry, while the Greek translation reflects a similar sentiment but with its own syntactical structure.
מַדּ֣וּעַ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִחְי֑וּ עָ֝תְק֗וּ גַּם־ גָּ֥בְרוּ חָֽיִל׃
4 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 21:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מַדּוּעַ (maddua) means 'why?' or 'wherefore?'. It is derived from the root meaning 'to know' and is used to inquire about reasons or causes. The entries consistently define it as an adverbial term questioning the basis for something.
מַדּוּעַ 61 and מַדֻּעַ adv. wherefore?
base
H4069 מַדּוּעַ, מַדֻּעַ wherefore?
4069 madduwa` mad-doo'-ah
or madduaa {mad-doo'-ah}; from 4100 and the passive
participle of 3045; what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication)
(adverbially) why?:--how, wherefore, why.
see HEBREW for 04100
see HEBREW for 03045
מַדּוּעַ (mad.du.a) — why?.
why?, on what account?, wherefore?
Part — ParticleHTi
רָשָׁע (rasha`) refers to someone who is wicked or criminal, encompassing meanings such as guilty and ungodly. It is derived from a root that implies moral wrongdoing. The term is used to describe individuals who are hostile to God or guilty of sin against others.
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
base
H7563 רָשָׁע wicked, criminal
7563 rasha` raw-shaw'
from 7561; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad
person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did
wrong.
see HEBREW for 07561
רָשָׁע (ra.sah) — wicked.
1) wicked, criminal
1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst)
1b) wicked (hostile to God)
1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
עָתַק (athaq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to move, proceed, or advance. It can refer to physical movement or the figurative sense of growing old or being removed. The entries indicate uses in both the Qal and Hiphil stems, with the Hiphil form also meaning to transcribe or copy out. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
עָתַק move, proceed, advance
Qal
move
advance
Hiph.
move forward
he who removeth mountains
very late transcribe (remove from one book or roll to another)
base
H6275 עָתַק move, proceed, advance .. move
. advance
. . move forward
. he who removeth mountains
. very late transcribe (remove from one book or roll to another)
6275 `athaq aw-thak'
a primitive root; to remove (intransitive or transitive)
figuratively, to grow old; specifically, to transcribe:--copy
out, leave off, become (wax) old, remove.
עָתַק (a.taq) — to proceed.
1) to move, proceed, advance, move on, become old, be removed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to move
1a2) to advance (in years), grow old and weak
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to move forward, proceed, move on
1b2) to remove
1b3) to transcribe
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
old.
See AGE, OLD.
גַּם (gam) is an adverb meaning 'also' or 'moreover,' indicating addition or emphasis. It can express various nuances, such as 'even,' 'indeed,' or 'but.' The term is often used in a correlational manner, as in 'both...and.' It appears in contexts that require clarification or reinforcement of a statement.
גַּם 768 adv. denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
base
H1571 גַּם denoting addition, also, moreover, yea
1571 gam gam
by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea,
though; often repeated as correl. both...and:--again, alike,
also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and , but, either...or,
even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover,
nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.
גַּם (gam) — also.
1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea
1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis)
1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative)
1c) even (for stress)
1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax)
1e) also (of correspondence or retribution)
1f) but, yet, though (adversative)
1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case)
2) (TWOT) again, alike
DirObjM — AdverbHD
ol'-so: In the Greek kai, when it is equivalent to "also" or "even," is always placed before the word or phrase which it is intended to emphasize (e.g. Ac 12:3; 1 Joh 4:21). Mt 6:14 should therefore read, "Your heavenly Father will forgive you also"; Lu 6:13, "Whom also he named apostles"; Heb 8:6, "The mediator of a better covenant also"; and 1Th 4:14, `If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also (we believe that) those who are fallen asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him.'
גָּבַר (gabar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be strong or mighty, and it encompasses a range of related actions such as prevailing, strengthening, and confirming covenants. It can also imply acting insolently or proudly, particularly in relation to God. The word appears in various forms across different contexts, including Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael.
גָּבַר vb. be strong, mighty
Qal
be strong, mighty
prevail
Pi. make strong, strengthen
Hiph. confirm a covenant
Hithp. shew himself a mighty one against; of wicked behave proudly toward
base
H1396 גָּבַר be strong, mighty .. be strong, mighty
. prevail
. make strong, strengthen
. confirm a covenant
. shew himself a mighty one against; of wicked behave proudly toward
1396 gabar gaw-bar'
a primitive root; to be strong; by implication, to prevail,
act insolently:--exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty,
prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be
valiant.
גָּבַר (ga.var) — to prevail.
1) to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be strong, mighty
1a2) to prevail
1b) (Piel) to make strong, strengthen
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to confirm, give strength
1c2) to confirm (a covenant)
1d) (Hithpael)
1d1) to show oneself mighty
1d2) to act proudly (toward God)
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
The Hebrew word חַ֫יִל (*chayil*) encompasses meanings related to strength, efficiency, wealth, and army. It is derived from a root meaning force and can refer to physical might, moral virtue, or resources. The entries consistently highlight its application to soldiers and military forces, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
חַ֫יִל 244 n.m. strength, efficiency, wealth, army
strength, usu. physical
ability, efficiency, often involving moral worth
wealth
force, army
base
H2428 חַ֫יִל strength, efficiency, wealth, army
2428 chayil khah'-yil
from 2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other
resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:--able,
activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great)
forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong,
substance, train, (+)valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war,
worthy(-ily).
see HEBREW for 02342
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חֵילֵךְ (che.lek) — Helech.
§ Helech = "your army"
a place near Arvad and Gammad
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength.
: strong
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army, soldiers/army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: rich.
: rich/wealth
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: worthy.
: worthy
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
→ A title given to Jehovah 1Sa 15:29