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Texts -- Job 20:14-29 (NET)

Context
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. 20:23 “While he is filling his belly , God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him. 20:24 If he flees from an iron weapon , then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him. 20:25 When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back , the gleaming point out of his liver , terrors come over him. 20:26 Total darkness waits to receive his treasures ; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent . 20:27 The heavens reveal his iniquity ; the earth rises up against him. 20:28 A flood will carry off his house , rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath . 20:29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked , and the heritage of his appointment from God .”

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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. ...

  • 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...

  • Zophar

    [nave] ZOPHAR, one of Job's three friends, Job 2:11; 11; 20; 42:7-9.

  • Gall

    [ebd] (1) Heb. mererah, meaning "bitterness" (Job 16:13); i.e., the bile secreted in the liver. This word is also used of the poison of asps (20:14), and of the vitals, the seat of life (25). (2.) Heb. rosh. In Deut. 32:33 and Job...
    [isbe] GALL - gol: (1) ro'sh, or rosh (Dt 32:32 only, "grapes of gall"): Some very bitter plant, the bitterness as in (2) being associated with the idea of poison. Dt 29:18 margin "rosh, a poisonpus herb"; Lam 3:5,19; Jer 8:14; 9:1...
    [smith] Mereerah , denoting "that which is bitter;" hence the term is applied to the "bile" or "gall" (the fluid secreted by the liver), from its intense bitterness, (Job 16:13; 20:25) it is also used of the "poison" of serpents, (J...
    [nave] GALL Any bitter or poisonous substance, as the bile, Job 16:13; venom of serpents, Job 20:14. A bitter herb, Deut. 29:18. Given Jesus, Psa. 69:21; Matt. 27:34. Figurative Gall of bitterness, Acts 8:23.

  • Asp

    [ebd] (Heb. pethen), Deut. 32:33; Job 20:14, 16; Isa. 11:8. It was probably the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje), which was very poisonous (Rom. 3:13; Gr. aspis). The Egyptians worshipped it as the uraeus, and it was found in the desert...
    [isbe] ASP - (pethen (Dt 32:33; Job 20:14,16; Isa 11:8); aspis (Rom 3:13)); Any poisonous snake, or even poisonous snakes in general, would satisfy the context in all the passages cited. Pethen is also translated ADDER (which see) ...
    [nave] ASP A venomous serpent, Deut. 32:33; Job 20:14, 16; Isa. 11:8; Rom. 3:13. Venom of, illustrates the speech of the wicked, Psa. 140:3; Rom. 3:13; injurious effects of wine, Deut. 32:33; Prov. 23:32. Deprived of venom, illus...

  • 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...

  • Poor

    [isbe] POOR - poor ('ebhyon, dal, `ani, rush; ptochos): I. In the Old Testament. The poor have great prominence in the Bible; it is said, indeed, that there should be no poor among the Hebrews because Yahweh should so greatly bless...
    [nave] POOR Atonement money of, uniform with that of the rich, Ex. 30:15. Inexpensive offerings of the poor, Lev. 5:7; 12:8; 14:21, 22. See: Beneficence; Giving; Liberality; Orphans; Poverty; Widow. Also See: Rich; Riches. Uncl...

  • Sin

    [nave] SIN. Index of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to, Defining, and Illustrating; Confession of; Consequences of, Entailed Upon Children; Conviction of; Forgiveness of; Fruits of; Kn...

  • Serpent

    [isbe] SERPENT - sur'-pent: 1. General: Serpents are not particularly abundant in Palestine, but they are often mentioned in the Bible. In the Hebrew there are 11 names. The New Testament has four Greek names and the Septuagint emp...
    [smith] The Hebrew word nachash is the generic name of any serpent. The following are the principal biblical allusions to this animal its subtlety is mentioned in (Genesis 3:1) its wisdom is alluded to by our Lord in (Matthew 10:18) ...
    [nave] SERPENT Satan appears in the form of, to Eve, Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Cor. 11:3. Subtlety of, Gen. 3:1; Eccl. 10:8; Matt. 10:16. Curse upon, Gen. 3:14, 15; 49:17. Feeds upon the dust, Gen. 3:14; Isa. 65:25; Mic. 7:17. Unfit for f...

  • Creditor

    [nave] CREDITOR. Laws Concerning Ex. 21:2-6; Ex. 22:25-27; Lev. 25:14-17, 35-37; Deut. 15:2, 3; Deut. 23:19, 20; Deut. 24:6, 10-13, 17; Matt. 5:42; Luke 6:34 Oppressions of 2 Kin. 4:1; Neh. 5:1-13; Job 20:18-20; Job 22:6; Job 2...

  • Pleasure

    [nave] PLEASURE. Worldly Job 20:12-16; Job 21:12, 13; Prov. 9:17; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 21:17; Eccl. 1:17; Eccl. 2:1-13; Isa. 5:11, 12; Isa. 22:12, 13; Isa. 47:8, 9; Amos 6:1; Luke 8:14; Rom. 1:32; 2 Thess. 2:12; 1 Tim. 5:6; 2 Tim. ...

  • Belly

    [isbe] BELLY - bel'-i: gachon = "the external abdomen" (Gen 3:14; Lev 11:42). qobhah = "the abdominal cavity" (Nu 25:8 the American Standard Revised Version "body"). beTen = "the internal abdomen," "the womb" (1 Ki 7:20; Job 15:2,3...
    [nave] BELLY, used figuratively for the seat of the affections, Job 15:2, 35; 20:20; Psa. 44:25; Prov. 18:20; 20:27, 30; Hab. 3:16; John 7:38; Tit. 1:12.

  • Butter

    [ebd] (Heb. hemah), curdled milk (Gen. 18:8; Judg. 5:25; 2 Sam. 17:29), or butter in the form of the skim of hot milk or cream, called by the Arabs kaimak, a semi-fluid (Job 20:17; 29:6; Deut. 32:14). The words of Prov. 30:33 have...
    [smith] Curdled milk. (Genesis 18:8; 32:14; Judges 5:25; Job 20:17) Milk is generally offered to travellers in Palestine in a curdled or sour state, leben , thick, almost like butter. Hasselquist describes the method of making butter...
    [nave] BUTTER, Gen. 18:8; Deut. 32:14; Judg. 5:25; 2 Sam. 17:29; Job 20:17; Isa. 7:15, 22. Made by churning, Prov. 30:33.

  • Steel

    [ebd] The "bow of steel" in (A.V.) 2 Sam. 22:35; Job 20:24; Ps. 18:34 is in the Revised Version "bow of brass" (Heb. kesheth-nehushah). In Jer. 15:12 the same word is used, and is also rendered in the Revised Version "brass." But ...
    [isbe] STEEL - stel: the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "brass" for "steel" in 2 Sam 22:35; Job 20:24; Ps 18:34; Jer 15:12, and "steel" for "torches" in Nah 2:3. See BRASS.
    [nave] STEEL Bows of, 2 Sam. 22:35; Job 20:24; Psa. 18:34. Strength of, Jer. 15:12.

  • Viper

    [ebd] In Job 20:16, Isa. 30:6; 59:5, the Heb. word eph'eh is thus rendered. The Hebrew word, however, probably denotes a species of poisonous serpents known by the Arabic name of 'el ephah. Tristram has identified it with the sand...
    [isbe] VIPER - vi'-per ('eph`eh (Job 20:16; Isa 30:6; 59:5); echidna (Mt 3:7 = Lk 3:7; Mt 12:34; 23:33; Acts 28:3)): Several vipers are found in Palestine, but it is not certain that 'eph`eh referred definitely to any of them. See ...
    [nave] VIPER A serpent, Job 20:16; Isa. 30:6; 59:5. Fastens on Paul's hand, Acts 28:3. See: Serpent. Figurative Matt. 3:7; 23:33; Luke 3:7.

  • 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...

  • Debtor

    [nave] DEBTOR, Laws Concerning Ex. 21:2-6; Ex. 22:10-15; Lev. 25:14-17, 25-41, 47-55; Neh. 10:31; Matt. 5:25, 26, 40; Matt. 18:25 Unclassified Scriptures Relating to 2 Kin. 4:1-7; Neh. 5:3-5; Job 20:18, 19; Matt. 18:23-33; Luke...

  • STRIKE

    [isbe] STRIKE - strik: The verbs "to strike" and "to stroke" (latter not in English Versions) have the same derivation, and originally "strike" was the intrans, "stroke" the transitive form. "Strike" however, became used in both se...
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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...
  • 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...
  • Zophar explained that while the wicked greedily fill their own bellies, God sends His anger into their bowels (v. 23). In other words, the poor health that accompanies over indulgence is God's instrument of judgment on the we...
  • 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 ...
  • Since 27:1 begins, "Then Job continued . . .,"Job may have paused and waited for Zophar to respond. However we have no third speech by him in the text. Evidently Job proceeded to elaborate further on Bildad's "wisdom"but broa...
  • 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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