Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 15:29

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Ver. 29. He shall not be inhabited, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he send forth his root into the earth. That which is here expressed, He shall not be inhabited, I have found in some copies, He shall not be enriched; but the sense is not at variance, though the phraseology is at variance. For he is 'enriched' with virtuous attainments whose mind is 'inhabited' by Almighty God. But because the thought of the proud man is not 'inhabited' by the grace of his Maker, hereby surely he is not 'enriched' with virtues. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XII ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Second is that he is despoiled of his riches and so he says, "He will not become wealthy," by acquiring new riches, "nor will he preserve his substance," to retain the riches he has already acquired. The third bitter thing is the impossibility of recovering his wealth. So he says, "nor will he put forth his roots in the earth." If a tree is uprooted and replanted, it recovers its strength if it can put forth its root in the earth. But if it cannot put forth its root in the earth, it cannot grow strong again.

Commentary on Job ↗