Job 27:16

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,

Job 27:16 in Other Translations

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

16 Though he heap up silver like dust, and pile up clothing like clay,

16 “Evil people may have piles of money and may store away mounds of clothing.

16 Even if they make a lot of money and are resplendent in the latest fashions,

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, And prepare raiment as the clay;

16 Though he collects silver like dust and piles up clothing like dirt,

16 Though he piles up silver like dust and heaps up a wardrobe like clay-

16 Sinners might store up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay.

Job 27:16 Meaning and Commentary

Job 27:16

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 ( 1 Kings 10:27 ) ( Psalms 39:6 ) ( Habakkuk 2:6 ) ;

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 ( Zechariah 9:3 ) , where like expressions are used of Tyre.

Job 27:16 In-Context

14 However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat.

15 The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.

16 Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,

17 what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.

18 The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.

Cross References

• 1. S 1 Kings 10:27
• 2. Zechariah 9:3