Job 21:15

Why do you, Almighty God, think that we should serve you? ◄What advantage do we get if we pray to you?/It is useless for us to pray to you.► [RHQ]’

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

In Context

14While they are alive, they say to God, ‘Do not bother us; we do not want to know how you want us to conduct our lives!

16Think about it: Wicked people think that it is because of what they have done that they have become prosperous, but I do not understand why they think like that.

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Cross References

Exodus 5:2But the king said, “Who is Yahweh? Why should I pay attention to what he says and let the Israeli people [MTY] go? I do not know Yahweh! And furthermore, I will not let the Israeli people go!”

Job 34:9He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’

Psalms 12:4They say, “By telling lies we will get what we want; we control what we say [MTY], so no one can tell us what we should not do!”

Proverbs 30:9because if I become rich, I might say that I do not [RHQ] know you and that I do not need you; and if I become poor, I might dishonor you by stealing things.

Isaiah 45:19What I proclaimed, I did not speak secretly or hide what I was saying by speaking in a dark place. When I spoke to the descendants of Jacob, I did not tell them ‘It will be useless for you to ◄seek for/pray to► me!’ I, Yahweh, speak only what is true and what is right.

Malachi 1:13You say ‘We are tired of burning all these sacrifices on the altar.’ You ◄turn up your noses at/act very disrespectfully toward► me. When you bring to me animals that have been stolen or ones that are crippled or that have diseases, to offer them for sacrifices, do you think that [RHQ] I should accept them?

Matthew Henry on Job 21:8-17

Prosperity of the Wicked; Abuse of Earthly Prosperity. ( b. c. 1520.) 7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? 8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. 10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. 12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at… Read the whole commentary →

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