7 Why is life given to the evil-doers? why do they become old and strong in power? 8 Their children are ever with them, and their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are free from fear, and the rod of God does not come on them. 10 Their ox is ready at all times to give seed; their cow gives birth, without dropping her young. 11 They send out their young ones like a flock, and their children have pleasure in the dance, 12 They make songs to the instruments of music, and are glad at the sound of the pipe. 13 Their days come to an end without trouble, and suddenly they go down to the underworld. 14 Though they said to God, Go away from us, for we have no desire for the knowledge of your ways. 15 What is the Ruler of all, that we may give him worship? and what profit is it to us to make prayer to him? 16 Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)
17 How frequently is the light of the evil-doers put out, or does trouble come on them? how frequently does his wrath take them with cords? 18 How frequently are they as dry stems before the wind, or as grass taken away by the storm-wind? 19 You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it! 20 Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all! 21 For what interest has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is ended?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 21:7-21
Commentary on Job 21:7-16
(Read Job 21:7-16)
Job says, Remarkable judgments are sometimes brought upon notorious sinners, but not always. Wherefore is it so? This is the day of God's patience; and, in some way or other, he makes use of the prosperity of the wicked to serve his own counsels, while it ripens them for ruin; but the chief reason is, because he will make it appear there is another world. These prospering sinners make light of God and religion, as if because they have so much of this world, they had no need to look after another. But religion is not a vain thing. If it be so to us, we may thank ourselves for resting on the outside of it. Job shows their folly.
Commentary on Job 21:17-26
(Read Job 21:17-26)
Job had described the prosperity of wicked people; in these verses he opposes this to what his friends had maintained about their certain ruin in this life. He reconciles this to the holiness and justice of God. Even while they prosper thus, they are light and worthless, of no account with God, or with wise men. In the height of their pomp and power, there is but a step between them and ruin. Job refers the difference Providence makes between one wicked man and another, into the wisdom of God. He is Judge of all the earth, and he will do right. So vast is the disproportion between time and eternity, that if hell be the lot of every sinner at last, it makes little difference if one goes singing thither, and another sighing. If one wicked man die in a palace, and another in a dungeon, the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched, will be the same to them. Thus differences in this world are not worth perplexing ourselves about.