5. Zophar's second speech ch. 20

This speech must have hurt Job more than any that his friends had presented so far. Zophar was brutal in his attack. He continued the theme of the fate of the wicked that Eliphaz and Bildad had emphasized. However whereas Eliphaz stressed the distress of the wicked and Bildad their trapped position, Zophar elaborated on the fact that wicked people lose their wealth. He had nothing new to say, but he said it passionately.

 Zophar's anger 20:1-3

"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 innate, instinctive knowledge (cf. ch. 11).

 The brief prosperity of the wicked 20:4-11

Zophar reminded Job that everyone knew the wicked only prosper for a short time (cf. 15:29). The description of the wicked that Zophar proceeded to draw fit Job very well and must have wounded him deeply.

 The certain punishment of sin 20:12-19

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 comes) a great delicacy (cf. Judg. 5:25).

 God's swift judgment of the wicked 20:20-29

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 wealthy wicked. If God does not punish him this way he will still not escape because God will catch him some other way (vv. 24-25; cf. 16:13). After he died, God would burn up his possessions and family in judgment as He already had done in Job's case (v. 26; cf. ch. 1). Rather than anticipating divine vindication on the earth, Job should expect God to reveal his iniquity and the earth to rise up against him (v. 27; cf. 16:18-19).

Was Zophar correct in his assessment of the wicked's fate? He was correct in saying that God judges sin, but he was wrong in claiming that God's judgment always takes place during our earthly lifetime. He was also inaccurate in saying that Job was the type of person he described.