Job 15:34
in Job 15For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the company of the godless shall be barren, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
KJV
For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
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This verse in Job 15
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThe congregation of hypocrites - 11. Job is here classed with hypocrites, or rather the impious of all kinds. The congregation, or עדת adath, society, of such, shall be desolate, or a barren rock, גלמוד galmud. See this Arabic word explained in the note on Job 3:7 (note). Fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery - 12. Another insinuation against Job, that he had perverted justice and judgment, and had taken bribes.
This site's exposition
He will no longer be rich
on Job 15:29-35
The poem closes with loss, and "the flame will wither his shoots" turns the plant words Job used of hope in chapter 14 into judgment. The last lines, "fire will consume the tents of bribery", state as settled law a doctrine the book leaves unsettled at 42:7.
This site's exposition
fire will consume the tents of bribery
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown hear an insinuation that the fire of God at 1:16 fell on Job for bribery as a chief among his people. Clarke hears the same insinuation. Henry pairs hypocrisy with bribery as deceit toward God and man.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
Ver. 33, 34. His cluster shall be spoilt like a vine in the first flower, and like an olive casting its flower. For the congregation of the hypocrite shall be barren. It is to be observed that the Divine Word so speaks of this wicked man in general terms, that yet it comes down to his particular wickedness.
Respecting this merit he says, "what the hypocrite collects is sterile," because what is gathered by the hypocrite bears no fruit, "and fire will devour the tents of those who freely accepts gifts." For things acquired wickedly are sometimes easily destroyed according to divine judgment. …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? 12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, 13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? 14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate,....
The congregation of them, the whole confederacy, they and all their tabernacles, shall be desolate and consumed with fire. Hypocrisy and bribery are here charged upon them; that is, deceitful dealing both with God and man--God affronted under colour of religion, man wronged under colour of justice. It is impossible that these should end well.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rather, The binding together of the hypocrites (wicked) shall be fruitless [UMBREIT]. tabernacles of bribery--namely, dwellings of unjust judges, often reprobated in the Old Testament (Isa 1:23). The "fire of God" that consumed Job's possessions (Job 1:16) Eliphaz insinuates may have been on account of Job's bribery as an Arab sheik or emir.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For the congregation of hypocrites - The word rendered “congregation” here (עדה ‛êdâh) means properly an appointed meeting; a meeting convened by appointment or at stated times (from ידה yâdâh), and hence, an assembly of any kind. It is commonly applied to an assembly for public worship; but it may refer to a more private company - a family, or circle of friends, dependents, etc. It refers here, I suppose, to such a community that a man can get around him in his own dwelling - his family, servants, dependents, etc. The word rendered “hypocrites” (חנף chânêph) is in the singular number, and should be so rendered here. It does not mean that a worshipping assembly composed of hypocrites would be desolate - which may be true - but that the community which a man who is a hypocrite can gather around him shall be swept away. His children, his dependents, and his retinue of servants, shall be taken away from him, and he shall be left to solitude. Probably there was an allusion here to Job, who had been stripped in this manner; or at any rate the remark was one, if it were a quotation from the ancient sayings of the Arabians, which Job could not but regard as applied to himself. And fire shall consume - This has all the appearance of being a proverb. The meaning is, that they who received a bribe would be certainly punished. The tabernacles of bribery - The tents or dwellings of those who receive bribes, and who therefore are easily corrupted, and have no solid principles. There is probably an allusion here to Job; and no doubt Eliphaz meant to apply this severe remark to him. Job was a Sheik, an Emir, a head of a tribe, and, therefore, a magistrate; see Job 29:7, seq. Yet a part of his possessions and servants had been cut off by fire from heaven Job 1:16; and Eliphaz means probably to imply that it had been because he had been guilty of receiving a bribe. […]
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עֲדַ֣ת | ʾadat | a company of | H5712 → | |
| חָנֵ֣ף | chanef | [the] godless | H2611 → | 13 times |
| גַּלְמ֑וּד | galmud | [is] barren | H1565 → | 4 times |
| וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ | veesh | and fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| אָכְלָ֥ה | ʾakhelah | it consumes | H398 → | 810 times |
| אָֽהֳלֵי־ | ʾoholei- | [the] tents of | H168 → | 345 times |
| שֹֽׁחַד׃ | shochad | a bribe | H7810 → |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עֲדַ֣תa company of
ʾadatH5712 →
חָנֵ֣ף[the] godless
chanefH2611 →13 times
גַּלְמ֑וּד[is] barren
galmudH1565 →4 times
וְ֝אֵ֗שׁand fire
veeshH784 →378 times
אָכְלָ֥הit consumes
ʾakhelahH398 →810 times
אָֽהֳלֵי־[the] tents of
ʾoholei-H168 →345 times
שֹֽׁחַד׃a bribe
shochadH7810 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Job 8:22Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”
it leads to
- Psalms 132:18
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”
- Psalms 109:29
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
- Psalms 35:26
May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
- Job 18:14
He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.
- Job 8:18
If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’
- Psalms 132:18
Through
Job 8:13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
it leads to
- Job 11:20
But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 9:17
The wicked will return to Sheol— all the nations who forget God.
- Job 11:20
Through
Micah 7:2The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net.
it leads to
- Psalms 12:1
Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.
- Psalms 12:1
About Job
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.