Job 21:14-16

14 So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us!
We do not want to
The absence of the preposition before the complement adds greater vividness to the statement: “and knowing your ways – we do not desire.”
know your ways.
Contrast Ps 25:4, which affirms that walking in God’s ways means to obey God’s will – the Torah.

15 Who is the Almighty, that
The interrogative clause is followed by ki, similar to Exod 5:2, “Who is Yahweh, that I should obey him?”
we should serve him?
What would we gain
if we were to pray
The verb פָּגַע (paga’) means “to encounter; to meet,” but also “to meet with request; to intercede; to interpose.” The latter meaning is a derived meaning by usage.
to him?’
The verse is not present in the LXX. It may be that it was considered too blasphemous and therefore omitted.

16 But their prosperity is not their own doing.
Heb “is not in their hand.”
The implication of this statement is that their well-being is from God, which is the problem Job is raising in the chapter. A number of commentators make it a question, interpreting it to mean that the wicked enjoy prosperity as if it is their right. Some emend the text to say “his hands” – Gordis reads it, “Indeed, our prosperity is not in his hands.”

The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
Even though their life seems so good in contrast to his own plight, Job cannot and will not embrace their principles – “far be from me their counsel.”

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