איוב, פרק כ״ז, פסוק כ׳

The downfall of a wicked person does not always happen slowly. It can strike with sudden and absolute force, bringing a relentless wave of disasters that leaves the individual completely helpless. This punishment strikes him directly during his lifetime, rather than merely affecting his property or his descendants after he is gone [מלבי״ם].

The nature of this punishment is rooted in overwhelming dread. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to intense terror, anxiety, and fear [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ], though another perspective suggests an onslaught of demons and harmful spirits [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. This panic hits with the force and behavior of water. On one hand, the fears attack suddenly, much like a river that unexpectedly overflows its banks [אבן עזרא]. On the other hand, the troubles arrive in rapid succession, pouring in one after another without a moment of relief, just like an unstoppable flood [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, רמב״ן]. This overwhelming dread is sometimes tied to the exact moment the wealthy, corrupt individual opens his eyes to find that all his riches have been stripped away by the very people he previously oppressed [רמב״ן].

The peak of this terror happens under the cover of darkness, as a sudden storm snatches the person away in the dead of night [מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ], casting him into public disgrace and shame [רש״י]. Others view this nighttime storm through a psychological lens, describing a frantic escape. Driven by extreme panic, the wicked man is entirely unable to remain in his home until daylight. Instead, he flees for his life in the middle of the night, as if a violent wind has swept him out of his own house [מצודת דוד]. Alternatively, the actual sequence of these events might be reversed. The sudden storm first steals him away in the night like a thief, and only after he is cast out do the endless waves of trouble and terror continue to wash over him like flowing water [אלשיך].