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Texts -- Job 20:8-29 (NET)

Context
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. 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

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Zophar

    [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...

  • Furrow

    [ebd] an opening in the ground made by the plough (Ps. 65:10; Hos. 10:4, 10).

  • 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...

  • DAY

    [isbe] DAY - da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are...

  • Copper

    [ebd] derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called "Cyprian brass," occurs only in the Authorized Version in Ezra 8:27. Elsewhere the Hebrew word (nehosheth) is improperly rendered "brass," and sometimes "steel" (2...

  • CONSUME

    [isbe] CONSUME - kon-sum' (akhal, kalah, tamam; analisko): In Old Testament 'akhal ("to eat," "devour") occurs very frequently, and is translated "consumed" (Gen 31:40; Ex 15:7; Ps 78:63, etc.); kalah ("to finish") is also frequent...

  • BODY

    [isbe] BODY - bod'-i: I. PHILOLOGICAL: Generally speaking, the Old Testament language employs no fixed term for the human body as an entire organism in exact opposition to "soul" or "spirit." Various terms were employed, each of wh...

  • BLOW

    [isbe] BLOW - blo (nashaph): Used with reference to the wind (Ex 15:10; Ps 78:26; 147:18; pneo, "to breathe," Lk 12:55; Jn 3:8; Rev 7:1); taqa`, with reference to trumpet sound (Nu 10:3-10; 31:6 the King James Version; Jdg 7:18,20;...

  • ARCHERY

    [isbe] ARCHERY - ar'-cher-i: (1) The art of using the arcus, or bow and arrow for hunting and in battle is of great antiquity. It is mentioned in Gen 21:20, as well as in the Iliad and the Odyssey, and depicted on Egyptian monument...

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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...
  • "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...
  • 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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