Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale? New Living Translation Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm like chaff? Not at all! English Standard Version That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? Berean Standard Bible Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm? King James Bible They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away. New King James Version They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away. New American Standard Bible “Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? NASB 1995 “Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? NASB 1977 “Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away? Legacy Standard Bible Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm steals away? Amplified Bible “Are they like straw before the wind, And like chaff that the storm steals and carries away? Christian Standard Bible Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away? Holman Christian Standard Bible Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away? American Standard Version That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm carrieth away? Contemporary English Version How often does he strike them like a windstorm that scatters straw? English Revised Version That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away? GOD'S WORD® Translation How often are they like straw in the wind or like husks that the storm sweeps away? Good News Translation and blow them away like straw in the wind, or like dust carried away in a storm? International Standard Version May they become like a straw, blown away before the wind; like a chaff that's swept off by a storm. NET Bible How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff swept away by a whirlwind? New Heart English Bible How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away? Webster's Bible Translation They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAre they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm? World English Bible How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThey are as straw before wind, "" And as chaff a windstorm has stolen away, Young's Literal Translation They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away, Smith's Literal Translation They shall be as straw before the wind, and as chaff the storm stole it away. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThey shall be as chaff before the face of the wind, and as ashes which the whirlwind scattereth. Catholic Public Domain Version They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters. New American Bible Let them be like straw before the wind, like chaff the storm carries away! New Revised Standard Version How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThey are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they shall be as straw before the wind and like chaff that a tornado picks up! OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917That they are as stubble before the wind, And as chaff that the storm stealeth away? Brenton Septuagint Translation And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Job: God will Punish the Wicked…17How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction? 18Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a storm? 19It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it.… Cross References Psalm 1:4 Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Isaiah 17:13 The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. Hosea 13:3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window. Psalm 35:5 May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away. Psalm 83:13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind. Isaiah 29:5 But your many foes will be like fine dust, the multitude of the ruthless like blowing chaff. Then suddenly, in an instant, Isaiah 41:2 Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow. Isaiah 40:24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble. Jeremiah 13:24 “I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Luke 3:17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’” Matthew 13:40 As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. Luke 12:28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, / his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. Treasury of Scripture They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away. as stubble Job 13:25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? Exodus 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. Psalm 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. carrieth. Jump to Previous Carries Carrieth Chaff Dry Frequently Gale Grass Hurricane Often Stealeth Stems Stolen Storm Storm-Wind Straw Stubble Swept WindJump to Next Carries Carrieth Chaff Dry Frequently Gale Grass Hurricane Often Stealeth Stems Stolen Storm Storm-Wind Straw Stubble Swept WindJob 21 1. Job shows that even in the judgment of man he has reason to be grieved7. 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 Are they like straw before the wind This phrase uses agricultural imagery common in the ancient Near East, where straw was a byproduct of threshing grain. Straw, being lightweight and insubstantial, is easily carried away by the wind. In biblical literature, wind often symbolizes judgment or the fleeting nature of life (Psalm 1:4). The rhetorical question suggests the transience and instability of the wicked, contrasting with the perceived prosperity of the unrighteous. This imagery is also seen in Isaiah 40:24, where God’s power is depicted as blowing away the wicked like stubble. like chaff swept away by a storm? Persons / Places / Events 1. JobThe central figure in the Book of Job, a man of great faith and integrity who undergoes severe trials and suffering. In this chapter, Job is responding to his friends' assertions about the fate of the wicked. 2. Job's Friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who argue that suffering is a direct result of sin. Job 21 is part of Job's rebuttal to their claims. 3. The Wicked In this context, Job is discussing the fate of the wicked, questioning the simplistic view that they are always punished swiftly and visibly. 4. Wind and Storm Natural elements used metaphorically to describe the sudden and complete destruction of the wicked, akin to straw and chaff being blown away. 5. Chaff A metaphor for worthlessness and impermanence, often used in the Bible to describe the fate of the wicked. Teaching Points The Impermanence of WickednessThe imagery of straw and chaff highlights the temporary nature of the wicked's prosperity. While they may seem secure, their end is swift and certain. God's Sovereignty in Judgment Job's rhetorical question underscores the belief that God is ultimately in control of the fate of the wicked, even if it is not immediately apparent. The Complexity of Suffering Job challenges the simplistic view that suffering is always a direct result of personal sin, encouraging believers to trust in God's wisdom and timing. The Call to Righteousness Believers are reminded to pursue righteousness, knowing that the apparent success of the wicked is fleeting. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Job 21Who was Araunah the Jebusite in the Bible? In Job 13:25, why does Job accuse God of targeting him as if he were light chaff, if God is portrayed as just and merciful? Job 1:18-19 - Why would God permit the deaths of Job's children if they were not the ones being tested? Job 32:16-22 - Are there any textual or historical clues suggesting this chapter might be a later insertion, potentially creating inconsistencies within the book?Verse 18. - They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away; rather, How oft is it that they are as stubble before the wind and as chaff etc.? The construction begun in the first clause of ver. 17 is carried on to the end of ver. 18. "Stubble" and "chaff" are ordinary figures for foolish and ungodly men, whom the blast of God's anger swoops away to destruction (comp. Exodus 15:7; Psalm 1:4; Psalm 35:5; Psalm 83:13; Isaiah 27:13; Isaiah 29:5; Isaiah 41:2, etc.). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Areיִהְי֗וּ (yih·yū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be they like straw כְּתֶ֥בֶן (kə·ṯe·ḇen) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8401: Material, refuse haum, stalks of grain before לִפְנֵי־ (lip̄·nê-) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 6440: The face the wind, ר֑וּחַ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit like chaff וּ֝כְמֹ֗ץ (ū·ḵə·mōṣ) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4671: Chaff, threshed loose) swept away גְּנָבַ֥תּוּ (gə·nā·ḇat·tū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine singular Strong's 1589: To thieve, to deceive by a storm? סוּפָֽה׃ (sū·p̄āh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5492: A storm wind Links Job 21:18 NIVJob 21:18 NLT Job 21:18 ESV Job 21:18 NASB Job 21:18 KJV Job 21:18 BibleApps.com Job 21:18 Biblia Paralela Job 21:18 Chinese Bible Job 21:18 French Bible Job 21:18 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 21:18 How often is it that they (Jb) |
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