Job 27:14

¹² Surely all of you have seen it for yourselves. Why then do you keep up this empty talk?

¹³ This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

¹⁵ His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

¹⁶ Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.
KJV: If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
WEB: If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword. His offspring will not be satisfied with bread.
ASV: If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
DARBY: If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread;
BLB: If his sons should increase, [it is] for the sword; and his offspring shall not be satisfied [with] bread.

ÅB: Får han mange barn, så er de hjemfalt til sverdet; hans etterkommere får ikke brød å mette seg med.
OTB: Selv om hans barn er mange, er de bestemt for sverdet;
Og hans etterkommere vil ikke ha nok brød.
B1930: Får han mange barn, så er de hjemfalt til sverdet; hans ætlinger får ikke brød å mette sig med.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 28:41
You will father sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will go into captivity.
Read in context
Luke 23:29
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
Read in context
Job 20:10
His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
Read in context
Esther 5:11
Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
Read in context
Psalms 109:13
May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
Read in context
1 Samuel 2:5
The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
Read in context
Esther 9:5–10
The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them.
Read in context
Hosea 9:13–14
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.
Read in context