Movatterモバイル変換

Deuteronomy 28:33,51
The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: …

Judges 6:3-6
Andso it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; …

Isaiah 62:8
The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy cornto be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:

the thorns.

Judges 6:11
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak whichwas in Ophrah, thatpertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hideit from the Midianites.

2 Chronicles 33:11
Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

the robber.

Job 1:15,17
And the Sabeans fellupon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee…

Job 12:6
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringethabundantly.

Job 18:9
The gin shall takehim by the heel,and the robber shall prevail against him.

swalloweth.

Job 2:3
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, thatthere is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Job 20:15
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Jeremiah 51:34,44
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out…

taking it even from the thorns
The mention of "thorns" suggests that the harvest is protected or difficult to access, yet the hungry are so desperate that they overcome these obstacles. Thorns in the Bible often symbolize sin and the curse of the fall (Genesis 3:18). This phrase may imply that no matter how the wicked try to protect their wealth, it will be taken from them. The imagery of thorns can also be seen in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:7, 22), where thorns choke the word, representing the cares of the world and deceitfulness of riches.

and the thirsty pant after his wealth
This part of the verse highlights the insatiable desire for the wealth of the wicked. The term "thirsty" conveys a deep longing or need, suggesting that others are eagerly waiting to seize the wealth of those who are unrighteous. In a broader biblical context, thirst is often used metaphorically for spiritual longing (Psalm 42:1-2). The idea of panting after wealth can be contrasted with the call to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), emphasizing the futility of placing trust in material riches. This phrase underscores the transient nature of wealth and the ultimate futility of relying on it for security.

“ ‘The hungry consume his harvest…’ ” (Job 5:5a)

• Eliphaz has just said, “I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed” (Job 5:3), showing that any prosperity gained apart from God evaporates.

• Here he pictures ravenous people sweeping in to eat what the fool planted, a literal fulfillment ofDeuteronomy 28:33, “A nation you do not know will eat the produce of your land and all your labor.”

•Psalm 37:25–26 confirms God’s pattern: “I have not seen the righteous forsaken… they are ever generous,” but the fool’s field feeds strangers.

•Proverbs 11:29 warns, “He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind.” That wind becomes real hunger stalking the fields of the ungodly.

“ ‘…taking it even from the thorns…’ ” (Job 5:5b)

• Thorns were the ancient farmer’s living fence (Isaiah 5:5). If the hungry rip grain out from between the briars, nothing is secure.

• Gideon’s day illustrates this picture: Midianites raided Israel “like locusts,” leaving “no sustenance” (Judges 6:3–5).

•Hosea 2:6 shows God hedging the way of the unfaithful with thorns, yet even that barrier cannot protect ill-gotten gain.

• The lesson: self-reliant defenses fail; only the Lord is “a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5).

“ ‘…and the thirsty pant after his wealth.’ ” (Job 5:5c)

• Need intensifies: first hunger, now thirst. What the fool stored as riches becomes another man’s drink.

•Habakkuk 2:5 says the proud man “enlarges his appetite like Sheol” yet can never be satisfied; here that appetite drains the fool’s resources.

•Jeremiah 2:13 contrasts broken cisterns with “the fountain of living water.” When a life rejects that fountain, others rush in, parched for what little remains.

•Proverbs 5:10 warns, “Strangers will consume your wealth, and your labor will enrich another man’s house,” echoing Eliphaz’s words.

Job 5:5 paints the fool’s harvest, hedges, and hoarded wealth as easy prey for the needy. God allows the hungry and thirsty to strip away what was gained or protected without Him. The verse underscores a timeless principle: apart from the Lord, labor cannot guarantee security; with Him, even lean times bow to His faithful provision.