Job20

Zophar the Naamathite begins his second discourse, asserting that the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting and their joy momentary. He declares that despite their apparent success, they will perish, their ill-gotten gains will be vomited forth, and their wickedness will turn to bitter poison. Ultimately, God's wrath will consume them, revealing their iniquity and ensuring their destruction as their appointed heritage.
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Zophar Rebukes Job and States the Principle

1
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, ​
2
Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me. ​

The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short

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Knowest thou notthis of old time, Since man was placed upon earth, ​
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That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment? ​
6
Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
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Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that 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 which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
10
His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth. ​
11
His bones are full of his youth, But it shall lie down with him in the dust. ​

Wickedness Turns to Poison

12
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, Though he hide it under his tongue, ​
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Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;
14
Yet his food 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 will cast them out of his belly. ​
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He shall suck the poison of asps: The viper’s tongue shall slay him.
17
He shall not look upon the rivers, The flowing streams of honey and butter. ​
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That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.
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For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up. ​
20
Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.
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There was nothing left that he devoured not; Therefore his prosperity shall not endure.

God's Sudden Judgment on the Wicked

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In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: The hand of every one that is in misery shall come upon him. ​
23
When he is about to fill his belly, Godwill cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating. ​
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He shall flee from the iron weapon, And the bow of brass shall strike him through.
25
He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
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All darkness is laid up for his treasures: A fire not blown by man shall devour him; It shall consume that which is left in his tent. ​
27
The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, And the earth shall rise up against him. ​
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The increase of his house shall depart; His goodsshall 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. ​

Study Notes for Job 20

Verse 1

This is Zophar’s second and final speech (he does not speak in the third cycle). He is agitated, feeling that Job has insulted him personally (v. 3) and is rushing to defend the traditional doctrine of immediate retribution.

Verse 3

Zophar claims his 'understanding' compels him to answer Job’s 'reproach,' framing his ensuing argument as a necessary defense of divine justice against Job’s perceived blasphemy.

Verse 4

Zophar appeals to 'ancient wisdom' (a common trope among the friends) to prove that the fate of the wicked has always been swift downfall, implying that Job's prolonged suffering must be due to hidden sin.

Verse 5

The term 'hypocrite' (Heb. *chanef*) often means 'godless' or 'profane' in Job. Zophar asserts the extreme brevity of prosperity for anyone who ignores God.

Verse 7

This vivid and dismissive simile emphasizes the utter worthlessness and final disposal of the wicked man, whose memory and legacy vanish entirely.

Verse 10

One consequence of the wicked man's ruin is that his children will be forced into servitude or poverty to repay the debts and restore the wealth unjustly acquired by their father.

Verse 11

Zophar suggests that the consequences of deep-seated, habitual corruption ('the sin of his youth') are physically embedded in the man and will accompany him to the grave.

Verse 12

Verses 12–14 use a powerful metaphor: though sin is tasted as sweet (like forbidden food), when it is internalized, it becomes lethal poison, illustrating the internal destructive power of greed and oppression.

Verse 15

The imagery of swallowing riches and then vomiting them up illustrates that wealth gained through evil means cannot be retained, as God actively forces the restitution.

Verse 17

'Rivers... of honey and butter' is a metaphorical description of extreme abundance and luxurious living, signifying the prosperity that the wicked man will ultimately be barred from enjoying.

Verse 19

Zophar specifies the crimes he believes Job must have committed: oppression of the poor and unjust land/property seizure, reflecting common abuses of power by the wealthy.

Verse 22

The judgment is sudden and comprehensive. Even when the wicked man thinks he has secured his future ('fulness of his sufficiency'), he will immediately face distress and financial ruin.

Verse 23

This verse describes divine wrath as an immediate, physical attack, raining down judgment even in the midst of feasting, highlighting the inescapable nature of God's retribution.

Verse 26

The 'fire not blown' emphasizes a supernatural, divine judgment that consumes the wicked man and his possessions without human effort or means.

Verse 27

Heaven and earth are personified as witnesses and prosecutors, confirming the universally recognized guilt of the wicked man. This emphasizes the cosmic scope of God's justice.

Verse 29

This serves as Zophar’s concluding summary statement, defining the inevitable fate of the godless—a fixed 'portion' or inheritance appointed directly by God—an argument Job vehemently rejects.

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