Job 27:15
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Job 27:15
15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
Chapter Context
Job 27 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of obedience, judgment, creation. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-23: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 27:15
15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
Analysis
Those that remain of him shall be buried in death—the Hebrew בַּמָּוֶת יִקָּבֵרוּ (bammavet yiqqaveru) literally means "in death they shall be buried," emphasizing that death itself is their grave—no honorable burial, no memorial. The plague or pestilence personified as "death" consumes survivors. His widows shall not weep reverses normal mourning customs; the Hebrew תִבְכֶּינָה (tivkeynah, shall weep) appears negated, indicating even wives refuse lamentation. Ancient Near Eastern culture considered proper burial and mourning essential for honoring the dead—their absence signified ultimate disgrace.
Job describes complete social breakdown: the wicked man's death is so shameful that even widows—who depended on him and should mourn most—refuse tears. Either they're glad he's gone (suggesting his wickedness), or they're too devastated to mourn (suggesting plague killed them too). The verse depicts the erasure of memory and legacy—no honorable burial, no mourning, no continuation.
Historical Context
Proper burial and mourning were sacred duties in ancient Israel and surrounding cultures. Professional mourners were hired for funerals (Jeremiah 9:17-18), and widows especially were expected to lament (2 Samuel 14:2). Job's description of unburied dead recalls covenant curses in Deuteronomy 28:26, where corpses become food for birds and beasts. The plague or pestilence ("death" as divine judgment) appears throughout ancient Near Eastern texts as punishment for covenant violation.
Reflection
- What does the absence of mourning reveal about how the wicked person lived and impacted others?
- How does Job's description of shameful death contrast with the honorable burial and legacy he once enjoyed?
- In what ways do our lives earn either genuine grief or relief when we die?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Psalms 78:64