He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
Parallel translations
- WEB He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.
- KJV He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
- NKJV He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
- NASB “He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his property will not stretch out on the earth.
- NLT Their riches will not last, and their wealth will not endure. Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wicked man will not stay rich; his wealth and holdings will not endure or spread. His prosperity is destined to collapse.
Overview
Eliphaz insists the godless cannot retain his riches or extend his possessions, for judgment will strip him bare. This reflects the biblical truth that ill-gotten or godless wealth is fleeting (Proverbs 13:11). Yet pressed onto Job it is cruelly mistaken, for Job's losses are a trial, and the book finally restores his fortunes, overturning Eliphaz's rigid formula.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Job 27:16–17Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
- Jas 1:11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
- Jas 5:1–3Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
- Job 22:15–20Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
- Luke 12:19–21Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Luke 16:19–22Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.
- Ps 49:16–17Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
- Luke 16:2So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’
- Job 20:22–28In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 15:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.