Job – Chapter 27

Old Testament • 23 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:" — so begins Job 27. Job stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 23 verses, two threads run through the text: justice and care for the poor and sin and divine judgment. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:

2As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness,

3As long as breath remaineth in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils,

4My lips shall not speak iniquity, neither shall my tongue contrive lying.

5God forbid that I should judge you to be just: till I die I will not depart from my innocence.

6My justification, which I have begun to hold, I will not forsake: for my heart doth not reprehend me in all my life.

7Let my enemy be as the ungodly, and my adversary as the wicked one.

8For what is the hope of the hypocrite if through covetousness he take by violence, and God deliver not his soul?

9Will God hear his cry, when distress shall come upon him?

10Or can he delight himself in the Almighty, and call upon God at all times?

11I will teach you by the hand of God, what the Almighty hath, and I will not conceal it.

12Behold you all know it, and why do you speak vain things without cause?

13This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the inheritance of the violent, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

14If his sons be multiplied, they shall be for the sword, and his grandsons shall not be filled with bread.

15They that shall remain of him, shall be buried in death, and his widows shall not weep.

16If he shall heap together silver as earth, and prepare raiment as clay,

17He shall prepare indeed, but the just man shall be clothed with it: and the innocent shall divide the silver.

18He hath built his house as a moth, and as a keeper he hath made a booth.

19The rich man when he shall sleep shall take away nothing with him: he shall open his eyes and find nothing.

20Poverty like water shall take hold on him, a tempest shall oppress him in the night:

21A burning wind shall take him up, and carry him away, and as a whirlwind shall snatch him from his place.

22And he shall cast upon him, and shall not spare: out of his hand he would willingly flee.

23He shall clasp his hands upon him, and shall hiss at him, beholding his place.

Important Verses in Job 27

“As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness,”

Job 27:2

“God forbid that I should judge you to be just: till I die I will not depart from my innocence.”

Job 27:5

“For what is the hope of the hypocrite if through covetousness he take by violence, and God deliver not his soul?”

Job 27:8

“I will teach you by the hand of God, what the Almighty hath, and I will not conceal it.”

Job 27:11

Historical Context

Job addresses all who wrestle with the mystery of suffering and God's justice within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 27 of 42 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a wisdom instruction on how to live before God in ordinary circumstances with 23 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Job appear at the center of the events recorded here. The passage starts with these words: "Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:" The chapter ends with: "He shall clasp his hands upon him, and shall hiss at him, beholding his place. " Read against its original backdrop, Job confronts the deepest human question: why do the innocent suffer? The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC.

Who Wrote It

Unknown inspired poet of Israel

When It Was Written

Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC

Catholic Commentary

The literal sense presents maxims, observations, or arguments meant to form character and discernment. A pivotal line is verse 2: "As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness," The passage repeatedly touches on justice and care for the poor.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of suffering, faith, and divine mystery. the Church sees Job as prefiguring Christ in innocent suffering (CIC 1502). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 113).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • ✓God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.
  • ✓Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • ✓The Holy Spirit is the giver of life who animates creation, the prophets, and the Church.

People in This Chapter

Job1 mention

Reflection for Today

Sacred Scripture presents Job Chapter 27 as a unique stage in salvation history, not merely as background to other books.

St. Gregory the Great and other Fathers of the Church meditated on texts like this one, seeing in them instruction for the spiritual life. the Church sees Job as prefiguring Christ in innocent suffering (CIC 1502). The passage calls believers to grasp that God's ways transcend human understanding.

Let Job Chapter 27 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Job Chapter 27 about?

Job 27 contains 23 verses. It opens with "Job also added, taking up his parable, and said:" and closes with "He shall clasp his hands upon him, and shall hiss at him, beholding his place. ". The book as a whole is wisdom literature in poetic dialogue.

What is a key verse in Job 27?

One of the most significant verses is verse 2: "As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath brought my soul to bitterness," It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Job Chapter 27?

This chapter mentions Job.

Who wrote Job and when?

Unknown inspired poet of Israel. Uncertain; commonly dated between the 7th and 4th centuries BC.

Related Chapters

James 5Shares people and themes with this chapterTobit 2Shares people and themes with this chapterEzekiel 14Shares people and themes with this chapter

Prayers Related to This Chapter

🙏Prayer for the Poor🙏Prayer for the World🙏Act of Contrition🙏Kyrie Eleison

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