Job 21:15

13 They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

14 Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’

16 Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’
KJV
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
WEB
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
ASV
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
DARBY
What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what are we profited if we pray unto him?
BLB
What [is] Shaddai that we should serve Him? And what do we gain that we should meet with Him?’
ÅB
Hva er den Allmektige, at vi skulle tjene ham, og hva gagn skulle vi ha av å vende oss til ham med bønn?
OTB
Hvem er Den Allmektige, at vi skulle tjene ham?
Hva gagn har vi av å be til ham?’
B1930
Hvad er den Allmektige, at vi skulde tjene ham, og hvad gagn skulde vi ha av å vende oss til ham med bønn?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Exodus 5:2

    But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”

    Read in context
  • Job 34:9

    For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’

    Read in context
  • Malachi 1:13–14

    You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts. “You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 12:4

    They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 30:11

    Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”

    Read in context
  • Proverbs 30:9

    Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

    Read in context
  • Job 35:3

    For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 45:19

    I have not spoken in secret, from a place in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’ I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right.

    Read in context