Job 20:23-29

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 20:23-29

Zophar, having described the many embarrassments and vexations which commonly attend the wicked practices of oppressors and cruel men, here comes to show their utter ruin at last. I. Their ruin will take its rise from God's wrath and vengeance, Job 20:23. The hand of the wicked was upon him (Job 20:22), every hand of the wicked. His hand was against every one, and therefore every man's hand will be against him. Yet, in grappling with these, he might go near to make his part good; but his heart... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:23

When he is about to fill his belly ,.... Either in a literal sense, when he is about to take an ordinary meal to satisfy nature; or in a figurative sense, when he is seeking to increase his worldly riches, and his barns and coffers, and endeavouring to get satisfaction therein: God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him ; or "send it out on him" F3 ישלח בו "mittet in eum", Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt; so Mercerus, Piscator. ; out of the treasures of it, which are laid up... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:24

He shall flee from the iron weapon ,.... The sword, for fear of being thrust through with it; the flaming sword of justice God sometimes threatens to take, and whet, and make use of against ungodly men; the sword of God, as Bar Tzemach observes, is hereby figuratively expressed; fleeing from it, or an attempt to flee from it, shows guilt in the conscience, danger, and a sense of it, and a fear of falling into it, and yet there is no escaping the hand of God, or fleeing from his presence: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:25

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body ,.... That is, the arrow with which a wicked man is stricken through; either it is drawn, and comes out of the quiver, as Broughton; or rather is drawn out of the body of a wicked man, being shot into it, and that in order that he may be cured of his wound if possible, but to no purpose, since it follows: yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall ; being thrust into it, which being pierced and poured out, is certain and immediate death, see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:26

All darkness shall be hid in his secret places ,.... In such places of secrecy, where he may promise himself safety, he shall find more calamities of all sorts; or every kind of judgments shall find him out, and come upon him, sometimes signified by darkness, see Isaiah 8:22 ; or utter darkness, the blackness of darkness; everlasting wrath, ruin, and destruction, are laid up and reserved in God's secret places for him, and lie hid among his treasures of vengeance, which he in due time... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:27

The heaven shall reveal his iniquity ,.... Either God the Maker and Possessor of heaven, who dwells there, and is sometimes so called, Daniel 4:25 ; who sees and knows all things, even those that are most secret, as well as more openly committed, and will make all manifest, sooner or later; or else the angels of heaven, the inhabitants of it, so the Targum; who in the last day will be employed in gathering out of Christ's kingdom all that offend, and do iniquity, Matthew 13:41 ; or the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:28

The increase of his house shall depart ,.... Either his children or his substance. Some interpret it, as Kimchi F8 Sepher Shorash. rad. יבל . observes, of the walls of his house, because of what follows, "they shall flow away", &c.; as if he should say, the stones of his house shall fall down, and his habitation shall be destroyed, according to Micah 1:6 ; where a dilapidation is expressed by a flow, or pouring down of stones: and his goods shall flow away in the day of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 20:29

This is the portion of a wicked man from God ,.... All before related, and which is very different from the portion of a good man, which is God himself, both here and hereafter; the wicked man has indeed his portion from God, which he has assigned him, but his portion is not himself; nor is it with him, nor with his people, but it is at most and best in this life, and but a worldly one, and hereafter will be with devils and damned spirits; and a dreadful portion it is to be banished from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 20:23

When he is about to fill his belly - Here seems a plain allusion to the lustings of the children of Israel in the desert. God showered down quails upon them, and showered down his wrath while the flesh was in their mouth. The allusion is too plain to be mistaken; and this gives some countenance to the bishop of Killala's version of Job 20:20 ; - "Because he acknowledged not the quail in his stomach, In the midst of his delight he shall not escape." That שלו , which we translate... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 20:24

He shall flee from the iron weapon - Or, "Though he should flee from the iron armor, the brazen bow should strike him through." So that yf he fle the yron weapens, he shal be shott with the stele bow - Coverdale. That is, he shall most certainly perish: all kinds of deaths await him. read more

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