Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
Parallel translations
- WEB “Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
- KJV Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
- NKJV Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?
- NASB “Why do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very powerful?
- NLT “Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?
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
Job poses the central question of his speech: why do the wicked not only live but grow old and powerful? This directly contradicts his friends' claim that the wicked are swiftly destroyed.
Overview
Job challenges the simplistic retribution theology of his friends, who insisted that suffering proves guilt and prosperity proves righteousness. He observes that the wicked often flourish and reach great age. This anticipates the wisdom of Psalm 73 and Jeremiah 12:1, where the same question is wrestled with and ultimately answered only in light of God's final judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 73:3–12For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Job 12:6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.
- Ps 37:35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,
- Jer 12:1–3Righteous 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?
- Ps 17:10They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance.
- Hab 1:13Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
- Dan 4:17This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
- Hab 1:15–16The 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.
- Rev 17:2–4The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
- Rev 13:2–7The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:7 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.