Job 20
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Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Job 20:1-29
Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2“Therefore my thoughts answer me,
because of my haste within me.
3I hear censure that insults me,
and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
4Do you not know this from of old,
since man was placed on earth,
5that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens,
and his head reach to the clouds,
7he will perish forever like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8He will fly away like a dream and not be found;
he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will see him no more,
nor will his place any more behold him.
10His children will seek the favor of the poor,
and his hands will give back his wealth.
11His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
but it will lie down with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
though he hides it under his tongue,
13though he is loath to let it go
and holds it in his mouth,
14yet his food is turned in his stomach;
it is the venom of cobras within him.
15He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;
God casts them out of his belly.
16He will suck the poison of cobras;
the tongue of a viper will kill him.
17He will not look upon the rivers,
the streams flowing with honey and curds.
18He will give back the fruit of his toil
and will not swallow it down;
from the profit of his trading
he will get no enjoyment.
19For he has crushed and abandoned the poor;
he has seized a house that he did not build.
20“Because he knew no contentment in his belly,
he will not let anything in which he delights escape him.
21There was nothing left after he had eaten;
therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress;
the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.
23To fill his belly to the full,
God will send his burning anger against him
and rain it upon him into his body.
24He will flee from an iron weapon;
a bronze arrow will strike him through.
25It is drawn forth and comes out of his body;
the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder;
terrors come upon him.
26Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures;
a fire not fanned will devour him;
what is left in his tent will be consumed.
27The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
and the earth will rise up against him.
28The possessions of his house will be carried away,
dragged off in the day of God’s wrath.
29This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
the heritage decreed for him by God.”
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Job 20:1-29
Zophar
1Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
2“My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
because I am greatly disturbed.
3I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,
and my understanding inspires me to reply.
4“Surely you know how it has been from of old,
ever since mankind was placed on the earth,
5that the mirth of the wicked is brief,
the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
6Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens
and his head touches the clouds,
7he will perish forever, like his own dung;
those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found,
banished like a vision of the night.
9The eye that saw him will not see him again;
his place will look on him no more.
10His children must make amends to the poor;
his own hands must give back his wealth.
11The youthful vigor that fills his bones
will lie with him in the dust.
12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth
and he hides it under his tongue,
13though he cannot bear to let it go
and lets it linger in his mouth,
14yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;
it will become the venom of serpents within him.
15He will spit out the riches he swallowed;
God will make his stomach vomit them up.
16He will suck the poison of serpents;
the fangs of an adder will kill him.
17He will not enjoy the streams,
the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
18What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;
he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.
19For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute;
he has seized houses he did not build.
20“Surely he will have no respite from his craving;
he cannot save himself by his treasure.
21Nothing is left for him to devour;
his prosperity will not endure.
22In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;
the full force of misery will come upon him.
23When he has filled his belly,
God will vent his burning anger against him
and rain down his blows on him.
24Though he flees from an iron weapon,
a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.
25He pulls it out of his back,
the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors will come over him;
26total darkness lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire unfanned will consume him
and devour what is left in his tent.
27The heavens will expose his guilt;
the earth will rise up against him.
28A flood will carry off his house,
rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.
29Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.”
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
It’s easy and appealing to think of someone getting their just reward. Maybe it’s our desire for justice, or our vindictive side, or maybe we just don’t like to see someone getting away with bad behavior.
In the old days, there was a strong sense that people would get their just desserts. Zophar and his friends took it farther, deducing that if you got your punishment, you must have had it coming. Zophar actually spelled out the gruesome details of how that penalty would be realized-- hell fire theology, here and now.
Should we trust that God will take care of the punishments?
While it may be true that God will purge the world of sin and evil, the picture of a vengeful God is enough to convince some that they don’t want to have any part of Him.
Consider the tone that we can use regarding God: condemnation vs kindness, condescension vs compassion, judgment vs humility. How might a humble and loving plea for repentance and restoration touch a heart?
Yes, we can trust God to put an end to sin, but we can also trust Him to embrace and restore us, and to lead us home to Him.
Art Kharns
Musician in Malibu, California USA (as of this writing)
