Job 21:13
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Original Language Analysis
יְבַלּ֣וּ
H1086
יְבַלּ֣וּ
Strong's:
H1086
Word #:
1 of 6
to fail; by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend)
בַטּ֣וֹב
in wealth
H2896
בַטּ֣וֹב
in wealth
Strong's:
H2896
Word #:
2 of 6
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good
יְמֵיהֶ֑ם
their days
H3117
יְמֵיהֶ֑ם
their days
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
3 of 6
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע
and in a moment
H7281
וּ֝בְרֶ֗גַע
and in a moment
Strong's:
H7281
Word #:
4 of 6
a wink (of the eyes), i.e., a very short space of time
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom assumed the wicked would experience painful, prolonged deaths as divine judgment. Job's observation of quick, peaceful deaths for some wicked people challenged this assumption. Ecclesiastes later develops this theme of life's apparent injustice.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we reconcile the wicked's peaceful deaths with belief in divine justice?
- What role does final judgment play in resolving apparent temporal injustice?
- How does death's manner relate (or not relate) to one's spiritual state?
Analysis & Commentary
The wicked die peacefully: 'They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.' Job observes that the wicked often live prosperously and die quickly (painlessly) rather than suffering prolonged death. The Hebrew 'rega' (moment) suggests instantaneous, peaceful death. This contradicts his friends' claims that the wicked always suffer terribly. Job's empirical observation challenges simplistic theodicy with complex reality.