The Meaning of Job 27:19 Explained

Job 27:19

KJV: The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

YLT: Rich he lieth down, and he is not gathered, His eyes he hath opened, and he is not.

Darby: He lieth down rich, but will do so no more; he openeth his eyes, and he is not.

ASV: He lieth down rich, but he shall not be gathered to his fathers ; He openeth his eyes, and he is not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The rich  man shall lie down,  but he shall not be gathered:  he openeth  his eyes,  and he [is] not. 

What does Job 27:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 27:1-23 - The Justice Of God
Zophar ought now to have taken up the discourse, but, as he is silent, Job proceeds. First he renews his protestations of integrity, Job 27:1-10. He denies the charge of being ungodly, and says that till he dies he will not put away his integrity. He refuses to justify the accusations of his friends, and demands that they who had spoken against him should suffer the punishments which they had suggested as his due, Job 27:7. The falsity of their charges was surely evidenced by the fact that he could still delight in the Almighty and call upon His name, Job 27:10.
Then he speaks of the portion of the wicked, Job 27:11-23. Zophar and the rest could hardly have spoken more strongly. Though Job denied the application to himself, he was willing to admit the general truth of these propositions. Through what marvelous alternations the mind of man passes-now on the crest of the wave and again in the trough; arguing, debating, questioning; now antagonizing a position, and then almost accepting it! But be of good cheer! "At eventide it shall be light!" "I have been within the gates," said one brave explorer, "and there is no dark valley." [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 27

1  Job protests his sincerity
8  The hypocrite is without hope
11  The blessings which the wicked have are turned into curses

What do the individual words in Job 27:19 mean?

The rich man will lie down but not be gathered [up] his eyes He opens and he [is] no more
עָשִׁ֣יר יִ֭שְׁכַּב וְלֹ֣א יֵאָסֵ֑ף עֵינָ֖יו פָּקַ֣ח וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ

עָשִׁ֣יר  The  rich  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָשִׁיר  
Sense: rich, wealthy n.
יִ֭שְׁכַּב  will  lie  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַב  
Sense: to lie down.
וְלֹ֣א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵאָסֵ֑ף  be  gathered  [up] 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
עֵינָ֖יו  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
פָּקַ֣ח  He  opens 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַח  
Sense: to open (the eyes).
וְאֵינֶֽנּוּ  and  he  [is]  no  more 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, third person masculine singular
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.