Job 21:1
New International Version
Then Job replied:

New Living Translation
Then Job spoke again:

English Standard Version
Then Job answered and said:

Berean Standard Bible
Then Job answered:

King James Bible
But Job answered and said,

New King James Version
Then Job answered and said:

New American Standard Bible
Then Job responded,

NASB 1995
Then Job answered,

NASB 1977
Then Job answered,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Job answered and said,

Amplified Bible
Then Job answered and said,

Christian Standard Bible
Then Job answered:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Job answered:

American Standard Version
Then Job answered and said,

Contemporary English Version
Job said:

English Revised Version
Then Job answered and said,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Job replied [to his friends],

International Standard Version
In response, Job said:

Majority Standard Bible
Then Job answered:

NET Bible
Then Job answered:

New Heart English Bible
Then Job answered,

Webster's Bible Translation
But Job answered and said,

World English Bible
Then Job answered,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Job answers and says:

Young's Literal Translation
And Job answereth and saith: --

Smith's Literal Translation
And Job will answer and say,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Job answered, and said:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Job responded by saying:

New American Bible
Then Job answered and said:

New Revised Standard Version
Then Job answered:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
THEN Job answered and said,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Job answered and said:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then Job answered and said:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But Job answered and said,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Job: God will Punish the Wicked
1Then Job answered: 2“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.…

Cross References
Job 19:23-27
I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book, / by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever. / But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. ...

Job 16:1-5
Then Job answered: / “I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all. / Is there no end to your long-winded speeches? What provokes you to continue testifying? ...

Job 6:1-4
Then Job replied: / “If only my grief could be weighed and placed with my calamity on the scales. / For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas—no wonder my words have been rash. ...

Job 7:11-21
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. / Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard? / When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, ...

Job 9:1-4
Then Job answered: / “Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God? / If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. ...

Job 10:1-3
“I loathe my own life; I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul. / I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me. / Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?

Job 13:1-3
“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this; my ears have heard and understood. / What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. / Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.

Job 23:1-7
Then Job answered: / “Even today my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning. / If only I knew where to find Him, so that I could go to His seat. ...

Job 24:1-12
“Why does the Almighty not reserve times for judgment? Why may those who know Him never see His days? / Men move boundary stones; they pasture stolen flocks. / They drive away the donkey of the fatherless and take the widow’s ox in pledge. ...

Job 30:20-23
I cry out to You for help, but You do not answer; when I stand up, You merely look at me. / You have ruthlessly turned on me; You oppose me with Your strong hand. / You snatch me up into the wind and drive me before it; You toss me about in the storm. ...

Psalm 73:1-14
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. / But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. / For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ...

Ecclesiastes 8:14
There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-3
So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate. / It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow. / This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.

Jeremiah 12:1-4
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? / You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts. / But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage. ...

Habakkuk 1:2-4
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save? / Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds. / Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.


Treasury of Scripture

But Job answered and said,

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Job
Job 21
1. Job shows that even in the judgment of man he has reason to be grieved
7. Sometimes the wicked prosper, though they despise God
16. Sometimes their destruction is manifest
21. The happy and unhappy are alike in death
27. The judgment of the wicked is in another world














Then
The word "Then" serves as a transitional marker, indicating a response or a continuation of a dialogue. In the context of the Book of Job, this word signifies a pivotal moment where Job is about to present his rebuttal to the arguments of his friends. Historically, the Book of Job is set in a patriarchal era, possibly around the time of Abraham, where oral discourse was a primary means of communication. This transition highlights the ongoing nature of the debate and the importance of Job's forthcoming words.

Job
The name "Job" is derived from the Hebrew "Iyyov," which may mean "persecuted" or "hated." Job is a central figure in this biblical narrative, representing a man of great faith and integrity who undergoes severe trials. From a conservative Christian perspective, Job is often seen as a type of Christ, prefiguring the suffering servant who remains faithful amidst trials. His account is a testament to unwavering faith and the mystery of divine sovereignty.

answered
The verb "answered" comes from the Hebrew root "anah," which means to respond or reply. This word indicates that Job is not merely speaking but is directly addressing the arguments and accusations of his friends. In the ancient Near Eastern context, dialogues were a common method of exploring philosophical and theological questions. Job's answer is not just a defense of his character but also an exploration of the justice and nature of God. His response is a profound reflection on human suffering and divine wisdom, inviting readers to consider the complexities of faith and righteousness.

XXI.

(1) But Job answered.--Having, in Job 19, declared his belief in a retribution to come, Job now proceeds to traverse more directly Zophar's last contention, and to show that even in this life there is not the retribution which he maintained there was.

Verses 1-34. - Job answers Zophar, as he had answered Bildad, in a single not very lengthy chapter. After a few caustic introductory remarks (vers. 2-4), he takes up the challenge which Zophar had thrown out, respecting the certain punishment, in this life, of the wicked (Job 20:4-29), and maintains, "in language of unparalleled boldness" (Cook), the converse of the proposition. The wicked, he says, live, grow old, attain to great power, have a numerous and flourishing offspring, prosper, grow rich, spend their time in feasting and jollity - nay, openly renounce God and decline to pray to him - yet suffer no harm, and when they die, go down to the grave without suffering, "in a moment" (vers. 5-15). To the suggestion that from time to time they are cut off suddenly in a signal way, he answers, "How often is this?" or rather, "How seldom!" (vers. 17, 18). To the further suggestion that they are punished in their children he replies, "How much better if they were punished in their own persons!" (vers. 19-21). As it is, he argues, one event happens to all (vers. 23-26). In conclusion, he observes that common opinion supports his view (vers. 29-33), and denounces as futile the attempts of his comforters to convince him, since his views and theirs respecting the facts of God's government are diametrically opposed to each other (ver. 34). Verses 1, 2. - But Job answered and said, Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations. As ye have no other consolation to offer me, at least attend diligently to what I say. That will be some comfort to me, and I will accept it in lieu of the consolations which I might have looked for at your hands.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Job
אִיּ֗וֹב (’î·yō·wḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 347: Job -- a patriarch

answered:
וַיַּ֥עַן (way·ya·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond


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OT Poetry: Job 21:1 Then Job answered (Jb)
Job 20:29
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