Job 20:1-29 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Job 20. Second Speech of Zophar. Zophar helps the return to the wider problem by appearing once more with a strong doctrine as to the shortness of the prosperity of the wicked. His theme is, Sin brings its own reward.

Job 20:1-3. Zophar replies to Job's exasperating words (Job 19:1-6). In Job 20:2 b mg. is probably to be followed. In Job 20:3 b Duhm, on the basis of LXX, reads, and with wind void of understanding thou answerest me.

Job 20:4-29. The portion of the wicked. How short is his joy, how utter his destruction! In Job 20:4 the literal translation of the Heb. is knowest thou this of old. In that case the question is a mocking one (Peake). In Job 20:10 Budde reads for his hands his children with slight alteration and better sense.

Job 20:11 says that while his bones are still full of youth it (his youth) is prematurely buried in the grave.

Job 20:12 f. describes sin as a dainty morsel kept in the mouth; but (Job 20:14) it is poison when swallowed. In Job 20:15 the morsel swallowed becomes ill-gotten gam. In Job 20:20 within him is lit, in his belly, which is regarded as the seat of insatiable greed. With Job 20:23 we come to the Divine judgment upon the wicked man; here mg. is to be preferred: Let it be for the filling of his belly that God shall cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him as his food.

Job 20:24 represents the wicked man as attacked by warriors.

Job 20:25 means that, hoping to save his life, he draws out the arrow which has struck him; but the terrors of death seize upon him.

Related Commentaries of Job 20:1

Job 20:1-29

1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,a and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;b

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

10 His childrenc shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still withind his mouth:

14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods,e the brooks of honey and butter.

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

19 Because he hath oppressedf and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

20 Surely he shall not feelg quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wickedh shall come upon him.

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointedi unto him by God.