Job — Chapter 20
Loading ESV text...
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
3I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
14Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
18That 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.
19Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
21There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
23When 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.
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
25It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26All 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.
27The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
28The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4Knowest thou [not] this of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
10His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust.
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue,
13Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
14Yet his food in his bowels is turned, It is the gall of asps within him.
15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper`s tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter.
18That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
21There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him.
23When he is about to fill his belly, [God] will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
26All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown [by man] shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him.
28The increase of his house shall depart; [His goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, And the heritage appointed unto him by God.
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
2“This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back— because of my feelings within me.
3When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer.
4“Surely you know that it has been from old, ever since humankind was placed on the earth,
5that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
6Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds,
7he will perish forever, like his own excrement; those who used to see him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8Like a dream he flies away, never again to be found, and like a vision of the night he is put to flight.
9People who had seen him will not see him again, and the place where he was will recognize him no longer.
10His sons must recompense the poor; his own hands must return his wealth.
11His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.
12“If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
13if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth,
14his food is turned sour in his stomach; it becomes the venom of serpents within him.
15The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.
16He sucks the poison of serpents; the fangs of a viper kill him.
17He will not look on the streams, the rivers that are the torrents of honey and butter.
18He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.
19For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.
20For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape.
21Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last.
22In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. The full force of misery will come upon him.
23While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him and rains down his blows upon him.
24If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him.
25When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over him.
26Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire that has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.
27The heavens reveal his iniquity; the earth rises up against him.
28A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.
29Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God.”
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2“Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
5that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him shall say, ‘Where is he?’
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found. Yes, he shall be chased away like a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place any more see him.
10His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youth, but youth shall lie down with him in the dust.
12“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth;
14yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
15He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue shall kill him.
17He shall not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.
19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
20“Because he knew no quietness within him, he shall not save anything of that in which he delights.
21There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity shall not endure.
22In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.
23When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.
24He shall flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow shall strike him through.
25He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
26All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire shall devour him. It shall consume that which is left in his tent.
27The heavens shall reveal his iniquity. The earth shall rise up against him.
28The increase of his house shall depart. They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.
29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”
Summary
Zophar's second speech — insists that the triumph of the wicked is always short-lived, describing in elaborate detail how the wicked man's prosperity will be vomited up and God's wrath will rain upon him.
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik notes that Zophar's speech is essentially a longer version of his first speech (ch. 11) with added visceral imagery. He has not grown or reconsidered — he has simply become more graphic. The vomiting imagery reveals Zophar's view of Job's loss: God is forcing Job to give back what he should never have had. This directly contradicts 1:1-3 where Job's wealth is presented as divine blessing on genuine righteousness. Guzik also observes that Zophar's departure after this speech (no third speech) may indicate he has nothing left to say — his theology cannot develop beyond "the wicked are punished."
- Charles Spurgeon: "Zophar describes the fate of the greedy oppressor — and means every word for Job. But here is the irony: everything Zophar says about the wicked is true in general. God does eventually judge oppressors. The problem is not Zophar's theology of judgment but his diagnosis of Job. He has the right medicine for the wrong patient. A surgeon who operates on the wrong person may be skilled, but he is doing harm, not good. Accurate theology applied to the wrong case is malpractice."
Reflection
- 1. Theological certainty without evidence is presumption (v.29). Zophar declares Job's "portion" from God with absolute confidence — yet he has no evidence, no revelation, no proof. He is certain because his system requires it, not because God has spoken. Check your certainties: are they based on evidence or on the need to protect your theological system?
- 2. Accusation disguised as general teaching (v.19). Zophar says "the wicked man oppresses the poor" — meaning Job. If you cannot accuse someone directly with evidence, do not accuse them indirectly through "general principles." Either bring specific proof or be silent.
- 3. The wicked do face consequences — but not always immediately (v.5). Zophar's theology requires immediate visible judgment. But reality is messier: some wicked people prosper for decades. Job will make exactly this point in chapter 21. A theology that requires instant retribution cannot survive contact with reality.
- 4. Visceral imagery reveals emotional investment (vv.12-15). Zophar is emotionally invested in seeing Job punished. His vivid imagery of vomiting and poison reveals satisfaction in the wicked man's downfall — which he identifies with Job's downfall. When you take pleasure in someone's suffering because it "proves" your theology right, something has gone wrong in your heart.
- 5. The wrong diagnosis makes the right medicine harmful (v.19). Zophar's general theology about the fate of oppressors is biblical. But Job was never an oppressor. When you apply correct theology to the wrong situation, you don't help — you wound. Make sure your diagnosis is correct before you prescribe.