KJV ORIGINAL
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
When disaster strikes suddenly and kills people, he laughs at the suffering of those who have done nothing wrong.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Job is expressing his bitter frustration that God seems to mock the pain of innocent people when they suffer through no fault of their own.
📚 Historical Context
Job is responding to his friend Bildad's speech, defending his own innocence while wrestling with why a just God would allow terrible suffering to happen to good people. In ancient times, many believed that suffering was always a direct punishment for sin, but Job challenges this simplistic view. This verse comes during Job's darkest moment when he feels abandoned and even mocked by God.
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