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Texts -- Job 20:1-22 (NET)

Context
Zophar’s Second Speech
20:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered : 20:2 “This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back – because of my feelings within me. 20:3 When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer . 20:4 “Surely you know that it has been from old, ever since humankind was placed on the earth , 20:5 that the elation of the wicked is brief , the joy of the godless lasts but a moment . 20:6 Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds , 20:7 he will perish forever , like his own excrement ; those who used to see him will say , ‘Where is he?’ 20:8 Like a dream he flies away , never again to be found , and like a vision of the night he is put to flight . 20:9 People who had seen him will not see him again , and the place where he was will recognize him no longer . 20:10 His sons must recompense the poor ; his own hands must return his wealth . 20:11 His bones were full of his youthful vigor , but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust . 20:12 “If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue , 20:13 if he retains it for himself and does not let it go , and holds it fast in his mouth , 20:14 his food is turned sour in his stomach ; it becomes the venom of serpents within him. 20:15 The wealth that he consumed he vomits up , God will make him throw it out of his stomach . 20:16 He sucks the poison of serpents ; the fangs of a viper kill him. 20:17 He will not look on the streams , the rivers , which are the torrents of honey and butter . 20:18 He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce . 20:19 For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build . 20:20 For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite ; he does not let anything he desires escape . 20:21 “Nothing is left for him to devour ; that is why his prosperity does not last . 20:22 In the fullness of his sufficiency , distress overtakes him. the full force of misery will come upon him.

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Zophar

    [isbe] ZOPHAR - zo'-far (tsphar, meaning doubtful, supposed from root meaning "to leap"; Sophar): One of the three friends of Job who, hearing of his affliction, make an appointment together to visit and comfort him. He is from the...
    [smith] (sparrow), one of the three friends of Job. (Job 2:11; 11:1; 20:1; 42:9)
    [nave] ZOPHAR, one of Job's three friends, Job 2:11; 11; 20; 42:7-9.

  • Worldliness

    [nave] WORLDLINESS. 1 Sam. 8:19, 20; Job 20:4-29; Job 21:11-15; Psa. 49:16-18; Psa. 73:2-22; Prov. 14:12, 13; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:20, 21; Prov. 27:1, 7; Eccl. 1:8; Eccl. 2:1-12; Eccl. 6:11, 12; Eccl. 8:15-17; Eccl. ...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • Uncharitableness

    [nave] UNCHARITABLENESS. Isa. 29:20, 21; Matt. 7:1-5 Luke 6:37-42. Luke 12:57; John 7:24; John 8:7; Rom. 2:1; Rom. 14:1-15; 1 Cor. 4:3-5, 7; 1 Cor. 13:1-6; Jas. 4:11, 12 See: Accusation, False; Charitableness; Slander; Speaking, E...

  • RIVER

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13). (2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "t...
    [isbe] RIVER - riv'-er: (1) The usual word is nahar (Aramaic nehar (Ezr 4:10, etc.)), used of the rivers of Eden (Gen 2:10-14), often of the Euphrates (Gen 15:18, etc.), of Abana and Pharpar (2 Ki 5:12), the river of Gozan (2 Ki 17...

  • Poison

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. hemah, "heat," the poison of certain venomous reptiles (Deut. 32:24, 33; Job 6:4; Ps. 58:4), causing inflammation. (2.) Heb. rosh, "a head," a poisonous plant (Deut. 29:18), growing luxuriantly (Hos. 10:4), of a bi...

  • Milk

    [ebd] (1.) Hebrew halabh, "new milk", milk in its fresh state (Judg. 4:19). It is frequently mentioned in connection with honey (Ex. 3:8; 13:5; Josh. 5:6; Isa. 7:15, 22; Jer. 11:5). Sheep (Deut. 32:14) and goats (Prov. 27:27) and ...

  • Job

    [nave] JOB 1. A man who dwelt in Uz, Job 1:1. Righteousness of, Job 1:1, 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14, 20. Riches of, Job 1:3. Trial of, by affliction of Satan, Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10. Fortitude of, Job 1:20-22; 2:10; Jas. 5:11. Visite...

  • Hypocrisy

    [nave] HYPOCRISY. Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78...

  • Hemlock

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. rosh (Hos. 10:4; rendered "gall" in Deut. 29:18; 32:32; Ps. 69:21; Jer. 9:15; 23:15; "poison," Job 20:16; "venom," Deut. 32:33). "Rosh is the name of some poisonous plant which grows quickly and luxuriantly; of a b...

  • GOODS

    [isbe] GOODS - goodz (rekhush, Tubh; ta huparchonta): In the Old Testament rekhush ("substance") is most frequently translated "goods," as in Gen 14:11,12,16,21, etc.; Tubh is also 3 times so translated in the King James Version (G...

  • FLY

    [isbe] FLY - (Verb; `uph petaomai, or, contracted, ptaomai): Used in preference to "flee" when great speed is to be indicated. "To fly" is used: (1) Literally, of birds, `uph (Gen 1:20; Ps 55:6); da'ah (Dt 28:49), of sparks (Job 5:...

  • EXCELLENCY

    [isbe] EXCELLENCY - ek'-se-len-si (ga-on, ga'awah; huperbole): "Excellency" in the Old Testament is chiefly the translation of ga'on, "mounting," "swelling" (Ex 15:7; Job 37:4 the King James Version; Ps 47:4 the King James Version;...

  • DUNG; DUNG GATE

    [isbe] DUNG; DUNG GATE - dung ('ashpoth, domen, peresh; skubalon, etc.): Nine different words occurring in the Hebrew have been translated "dung" in the Old Testament. The word used to designate one of the gates of Jerusalem ('ashp...

  • DIVISION

    [isbe] DIVISION - di-vizh'-un: Used in English Versions of the Bible in the following senses: (1) A separate body of people (a) of the tribal divisions of Israel (Josh 11:23; 12:7; 18:10); (b) of sections of a tribe, "the divisions...

  • DESIRE

    [isbe] DESIRE - de-zir': The verb "to desire" in the Scriptures usually means "to long for," "to ask for," "to demand," and may be used in a good or bad sense (compare Dt 7:25 the King James Version). the Revised Version (British a...

  • CLOUD

    [isbe] CLOUD - kloud (`anan, `abh; nephele, nephos): I. Clouds in Palestine. In the Bible few references are found of particular clouds or of clouds in connection with the phenomena of the weather conditions. The weather in Palesti...

  • CHECK

    [isbe] CHECK - (mucar): Occurs in Job 20:3 the King James Version, "I have heard the check of my reproach" (the Revised Version (British and American) "the reproof which putteth me to shame"), i.e. a check or reproof, such as that ...

  • AFFLICTION

    [isbe] AFFLICTION - a-flik'-shun: Represents no fewer than 11 Hebrew words in the Old Testament, and 3 Greek words in the New Testament, of which the most common are (oni), (thlipsis). It is used (1) actively = that which causes or...

  • ADAM IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] ADAM IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - (Evolutionary Interpretation): (NOTE: It ought to be superfluous to say that the unfolding or development of the human personality here identified with evolution is something far higher, deeper, a...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • What this book is all about has been the subject of considerable debate. Many people think God gave it to us to provide His answer to the age-old problem of suffering. In particular, many believe it is in the Bible to help us...
  • I. Prologue chs. 1-2A. Job's character 1:1-5B. Job's calamities 1:6-2:101. The first test 1:6-222. The second test 2:1-10C. Job's comforters 2:11-13II. The dialogue concerning the basis of the divine-human relationship 3:1-42...
  • The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and ...
  • The two soliloquies of Job (chs. 3 and 29-31) enclose three cycles of dialogue between Job and his three friends. Each cycle consists of speeches by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar in that order interspersed with Job's reply to e...
  • Three steps would bring Job back to where he should be, said Zophar: repentance (v. 13), prayer (v. 13), and reformation (v. 14). He also painted the fruits of conversion for Job. These benefits were a clear conscience, faith...
  • "But it is just here, when everything is blackest, that his faith . . . like the rainbow in the cloud . . . shines with a marvelous splendor."89This short section contains probably the best known verses in the book (vv. 23-27...
  • "Therefore"(v. 2) must refer to what Job had said. Job had previously asked why his friends answered him (16:3). Zophar replied that the spirit of his understanding made him answer (v. 3b). Again he seems to be claiming innat...
  • Verse 16 pictures the wicked eating his delicacies but finding that they have turned to poison in his stomach and are killing him (v. 14). Ancient Near Easterners considered honey and curds (the part of milk from which cheese...
  • Job's friends had been selective in their observations regarding wicked people. They had pointed out only the cases in which God judged them on earth. Job now presented the other side of the story. There were many wicked who ...
  • Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job's three friends (vv. 6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason he said he had refrained from speaking until now. However he had become convinced that advancing age does not...
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