Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 27:16
Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
16. The “dust” and “clay” or mire are images that express extreme abundance, Zec 9:3, 1Ki 10:27. Great wardrobes of costly garments are a usual element of Oriental wealth, Gen 24:53, Jos 7:21, 2Ki 7:8, Mat 6:19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Though he heap up silver as the dust – That is, in great quantities – as plenty as dust; compare 1Ki 10:27, And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones.
And prepare raiment – Oriental wealth consisted much in changes of raiment. Sir John Chardin says that in the East it is common to gather together immense quantities of furniture and clothes. According to DHerbelot, Bokteri, an illustrious poet; of Cufah in the ninth century, had so many presents made him in the course of his life, that when he died he was found possessed of an hundred complete suits of clothes, two hundred shirts, and five hundred turbans. compare Ezr 2:69, and Neh 7:70 see Bochart IIieroz. P. II. Lib. iv. c. xxv. p. 617. This species of treasure is mentioned by Virgil;
Dives equom, dives pictai vestis et auri.
Aeneid ix. 26.
The reason why wealth consisted so much in changes of raiment, is to be found in the fondness for display in Oriental countries, and in the fact that as fashions never change there, such treasures are valuable until they are worn out. In the ever-varying fashions of the West such treasures are comparatively of much less value.
As the clay – As the dust of the streets; or as abundant as mire.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Job 27:16-17
Though he heap up silver as the dust.
Hoarding
I. The wicked hoarding their wealth. They heap up silver as the dust. As a rule, this is the grand work of wicked men on the earth. On it they concentrate all their energies; to it they devote all their time.
II. The hoarded wealth of the wicked coming into the hands of the good. The just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
1. This is partially taking place now every day. Wicked worldlings die, and the righteous get possession of their wealth.
2. This will be the case universally, one day. All the wealth amassed by wicked men shall fall into the hands of the Christly. If the wicked man is blessed with children, punishment may come from that quarter. The sword and famine may deprive him of them; and so desolate will he become that all his sorrowing friends shall be buried. If wicked men are blessed with great riches, their wealth shall fall into the hands of the good. He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on. That if the wicked man is blessed with houses they will not stand. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 16. Though he heap up silver] Though he amass riches in the greatest abundance, he shall not enjoy them. Unsanctified wealth is a curse to its possessor. Money, of all earthly possessions, is the most dangerous, as it is the readiest agent to do good or evil. He that perverts it is doubly cursed, because it affords him the most immediate means of sinful gratification; and he can sin more in an hour through this, than he can in a day or week by any other kind of property. On the other hand, they who use it aright have it in their power to do the most prompt and immediate good. Almost every kind of want may be speedily relieved by it. Hence, he who uses it as he ought is doubly blessed; while he who abuses it is doubly cursed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. In great abundance.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. dust . . . clayimages ofmultitudes (Zec 9:3). Manychanges of raiment are a chief constituent of wealth in the East.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Though he heap up silver as the dust,…. Which, as it denotes the great abundance of it collected together, so it expresses the bias and disposition of such a man’s mind, that he cannot be content without amassing great quantities of it, and also his diligence and success therein, see 1Ki 10:27;
and prepare raiment as the clay; not merely, for use, but pomp and show, to fill his wardrobes with; and formerly, raiment was part of the treasure of great men: the phrase signifies that he might have such a variety of raiment, and such large quantities of it, that he would value it no more than so much clay; or else that his riches, consist of what it would, would be both polluting and troublesome to him; the Septuagint version reads “gold” instead of “raiment”, as in Zec 9:3, where like expressions are used of Tyre.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16. Raiment as the clay As with Elizabeth, queen of England, the wardrobe of the rich in the East represented often untold sums of wealth.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 27:16. Though he heap up silver, &c. See Zec 9:3 and 2Ki 5:5.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 27:16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
Ver. 16. Though he heap up silver as the dust ] Silver and gold, what are they else but white and red earth, the guts and garbage of the earth, as one saith? Yet how greedy of them and gripple after them are many muck worms, heaping up riches, and not knowing who shall gather them, Psa 39:6 ; laying up, as if their lives were riveted upon eternity; or were sure to leave it to their children, who yet shall never enjoy it. This is a great vanity, saith Solomon; and yet such dust heaps as these are to be found in every corner.
And prepare raiment as the clay
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
heap up: Job 22:24, 1Ki 10:27, Hab 2:6, Zec 9:3
prepare raiment: D’Herbelot tells us, that Bokhten, an illustrious poet of Cufah, in the 9th century, had so many presents made him, that at his death he was found possessed of 100 suits of clothes, 200 shirts, and 500 turbans. Mat 6:19, Jam 5:2
Reciprocal: Exo 3:22 – spoil Exo 11:2 – borrow Jos 8:2 – only the spoil 2Ki 7:16 – spoiled the tents Est 8:1 – give the house Job 3:15 – who filled their houses Job 15:29 – neither shall Psa 39:6 – he heapeth Psa 62:10 – riches Pro 12:3 – shall not be established Pro 13:11 – Wealth Pro 13:22 – the wealth Pro 20:21 – but Pro 28:8 – that by Pro 28:22 – and Ecc 2:26 – to the sinner Ecc 5:14 – those Luk 12:20 – then
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 27:16-18. Prepare raiment as the clay In great abundance. But the just shall put it on Either because it shall be given to him by the magistrate, to recompense him for those injuries which he had received from the oppressor; or because the right of it is, in some other way, transferred upon him by divine providence. He buildeth his house as a moth Which settleth itself in a garment, but is quickly and unexpectedly dispossessed of its dwelling, and crushed to death. And as a booth, &c. Which the keeper of a garden or vineyard suddenly rears up in fruit-time, and as quickly pulls down again.