Albert Barnes Commentary Job 4:11

"The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad." — Job 4:11 (ASV)

The old lion - The word used here, לישׁ layı̂sh — denotes a lion, “so called,” says Gesenius, “from its strength and bravery,” or, according to Umbreit, the lion in the strength of its old age; see an examination of the word in Bochart, Hieroz. P. i. Lib. iii. c. 1, p. 720.

Perishes for lack of prey - Notwithstanding its strength and power. That is, such a thing sometimes occurs. Eliphaz could not maintain that it always happened. The meaning seems to be, that as the strength of the lion was no security that it would not perish from want, so it was with men who resembled the lion in the strength of mature age.

And the stout lion’s whelps - The word here rendered “stout lion,” לביא lâbı̂y' — is probably derived from the obsolete root לבא lâbâ' — “to roar,” and it is given to the lion on account of its roaring. Bochart, Hieroz. P. i. Lib. iii. c. 1. p. 719, supposes that the word means a lioness.

These words complete the description of the lion, and the sense is that the lion in no condition, or whatever name indicative of strength might be given to it, had power to resist God when he came forth for its destruction. Its roaring, its strength, its teeth, its rage, were all in vain.

Are scattered abroad - That is, when the old lion is destroyed, the young ones flee and are unable to offer resistance. So it is with men. When the divine judgments come upon them, they have no power to make successful resistance. God has them under control, and he comes forth at his pleasure to restrain and subdue them, as he does the wild beasts of the desert, though they are so fearful and formidable.