Job 20:20-23 KJV

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

Zophar's second speech is even more harsh than his first ( Job 11:1-20 .). He adds coarseness and rudeness to his former vehement hostility ( Job 20:7 , Job 20:15 ). His whole discourse is a covert denunciation of Job as a wicked man and a hypocrite (verses 5, 12, 19, 29), deservedly punished by God for a life of crime. He ends by prophesying Job's violent death, the destruction of his house, and the rising up of heaven and earth in witness against him (verses 24-28). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

Zophar to Job: an orthodox champion to the rescue. I. AN IMPETUOUS ORATOR PERTURBED . Threatened with Divine vengeance, Zophar advances to the combat in hopes of utterly confounding his antagonist. His appearance, manner, and address are characterized by: 1 . Bold defiance. "Therefore," i.e. in view of what you have just spoken; nay, "nevertheless," i.e. in spite of all your grandiloquent talk about a sword. Zophar had been unmoved, equally by Job's pathetic wail depicting... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

Godless prosperity short-lived. Here we have a new variation on the favourite theme of the friends—the inconstancy of godless prosperity. "The jubilation of the wicked is but of short duration, and the joy of the profligate but a moment." The wicked man is specially here described as a rich man, who greedily snatches at others' property, and whose ill-gotten gains become a deadly consuming fire to him and all his. It is related to Eliphaz's speech ( Job 15:1-35 .) as the superlative to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:5-20

The temporary triumph of the wicked. Zophar now comes forth with wise words; but they are as arrows, slender, strong, and sharp, which, though drawn upon a strong bow, yet miss their mark. Only too true is his assertion of the brevity of the triumph of the evil-doer, the momentary joy of the hypocrite; only too accurate his forcible setting forth of the state and portion of the ungodly. Job has to hear again cruel words. His patient faith has yet to be further tested; his final triumph is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:19-20

Oppressing the poor. This is a sin most frequently referred to in the Bible, a common wrong against which the prophets of Israel continually pretested with vehement indignation. Christ, usually mild and gentle, spoke in great anger of this wickedness ( Matthew 23:14 ). St. James denounced it as not unknown among Christians ( James 5:4 ). I. THE SIN . 1 . Its various forms. It is not always seen in the bare and open fashion of primitive times. The sheikh exacts more than... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:20

Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly; rather, became he knew no quietness in his belly ' or within him (see the Revised Version); i.e. because his greed and his rapacity were insatiable—he was never at rest, but continually oppressed and plundered the poor more and more (see the comment on Job 20:19 ). He shall not save of that which he desired; or, he shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth (see the Revised Version). For his oppression, for his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:21

There shall none of his meat be left ; rather, there was nothing left that he detoured not , or nothing remained over from his eating (Schultens). Scarcely intended literally, as Canon Cook supposes. Rather said in reference to the wicked man's persistent oppression and robbery of the poor, the needy, and the powerless (comp. Job 20:19 , Job 20:20 ; and note our Lord's words, "Ye devour widows' houses," Matthew 23:14 ). Therefore shall no man look for his goods . This is an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:21-26

Disappointment to the wicked. Even when all promises well to the wicked, evil shall lurk under cover of the seeming prosperity. When he is about to satisfy himself, suddenly he shall be in straits. His hopes shall be blasted, his strong confidence disappointed. With a singular cluster of strong figures Zophar depicts the unsatisfying position of the wicked man. He is in the midst of enemies. Every source of help and joy seems to fail him. I. HE FINDS NO HELP IN MAN . "Every... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:22

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits . Even while his wealth and prosperity remain, he shall find himself in difficulties, since every hand of the wicked (or rather, the hand of every one that is wretched ) shall come upon him; i.e. all those who are poor and miserable, especially such as he has made poor and miserable, shall turn against him, and vex him. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:22

Straitened in the time of fulness. I. SUDDEN DISASTER . This had come upon Job. It looks as if the pragmatic Zophar was rude enough to insinuate that the picture he was painting would be recognized by the patriarch as a portrait of himself. Now, the external part of the picture was true to the circumstances of Job. Therefore the broad hint that the internal part also applied to him was the more cruel. Job's sufferings were extreme, but they were not contrary to precedent. Sudden disaster... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:1-29

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:5-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:19-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:21-26

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:22

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 20:22

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