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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 20:23–29. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Zophar, having described the many embarrassments and vexations which commonly attend the wicked practices of oppressors and cruel men, here comes to show their utter ruin at last.
I.Their ruin will take its rise from God's wrath and vengeance, Job 20:23.
The hand of the wicked was upon him (Job 20:22), every hand of the wicked. His hand was against every one, and therefore every man's hand will be against him. Yet, in grappling with these, he might go near to make his part good; but his heart cannot endure, nor his hands be strong, when God shall deal with him (Eze 22:14), when God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and rain it upon him. Every word here speaks terror. It is not only the justice of God that is engaged against him, but his wrath, the deep resentment of provocations given to himself; it is the fury of his wrath, incensed to the highest degree; it is cast upon him with force and fierceness; it is rained upon him in abundance; it comes on his head like the fire and brimstone upon Sodom, to which the psalmist also refers, Psa 11:6. On the wicked God shall rain fire and brimstone. There is no fence against this, but in Christ, who is the only covert from the storm and tempest, Isa 32:2. This wrath shall be cast upon him when he is about to fill his belly, just going to glut himself with what he has gotten and promising himself abundant satisfaction in it. Then, when he is eating, shall this tempest surprise him, when he is secure and easy, and in apprehension of no danger; as the ruin of the old world and Sodom came when they were in the depth of their security and the height of their sensuality, as Christ observes, Luk 17:26, etc. Perhaps Zophar here reflects on the death of Job's children when they were eating and drinking.
II.Their ruin will be inevitable, and there will be no possibility of escaping it (Job 20:24):
He shall flee from the iron weapon. Flight argues guilt. He will not humble himself under the judgments of God, nor seek means to make his peace with him. All his care is to escape the vengeance that pursues him, but in vain: if he escape the sword, yet the bow of steel shall strike him through. God has weapons of all sorts; he has both whet his sword and bent his bow (Psa 7:12, Psa 7:13); he can deal with his enemies cominus vel eminus - at hand or afar off. He has a sword for those that think to fight it out with him by their strength, and a bow for those that think to avoid him by their craft. See Isa 24:17, Isa 24:18; Jer 48:43, Jer 48:44. He that is marked for ruin, though he may escape one judgment, will find another ready for him.
III.It will be a total terrible ruin.
When the dart that has struck him through (for when God shoots he is sure to hit his mark, when he strikes he strikes home) comes to be drawn out of his body, when the glittering sword (the lightning, so the word is), the flaming sword, the sword that is bathed in heaven (Isa 34:5), comes out of his gall, O what terrors are upon him! How strong are the convulsions, how violent are the dying agonies! How terrible are the arrests of death to a wicked man!
IV.Sometimes it is a ruin that comes upon him insensibly, Job 20:26.
1.The darkness he is wrapped up in is a hidden darkness: it is all darkness, utter darkness, without the least mixture of light, and it is hid in his secret place, whither he has retreated and where he hopes to shelter himself; he never retires into his own conscience but he finds himself in the dark and utterly at a loss.
2.The fire he is consumed by is a fire not blown, kindled without noise, a consumption which every body sees the effect of, but nobody sees the cause of. It is plain that the gourd is withered, but the worm at the root, that causes it to wither, is out of sight. He is wasted by a soft gentle fire - surely, but very slowly. When the fuel is very combustible, the fire needs no blowing, and that is his case; he is ripe for ruin. The proud, and those that do wickedly, shall be stubble, Mal 4:1. An unquenchable fire shall consume him (so some read it), and that is certainly true of hell-fire.
V.It is a ruin, not only to himself, but to his family:
It shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle, for the curse shall reach him, and he shall be cut off perhaps by the same grievous disease. There is an entail of wrath upon the family, which will destroy both his heirs and his inheritance, Job 20:28.
1.His posterity will be rooted out: The increase of his house shall depart, shall either be cut off by untimely deaths or forced to run their country. Numerous and growing families, if wicked and vile, are soon reduced, dispersed, and extirpated, by the judgments of God.
2.His estate will be sunk. His goods shall flow away from his family as fast as ever they flowed into it, when the day of God's wrath comes, for which, all the while his estate was in the getting by fraud and oppression, he was treasuring up wrath.
VI.It is a ruin which will manifestly appear to be just and righteous, and what he has brought upon himself by his own wickedness; for (Job 20:27) the heaven shall reveal his iniquity, that is, the God of heaven, who sees all the secret wickedness of the wicked, will, by some means or other, let all the world know what a base man he has been, that they may own the justice of God in all that is brought upon him. The earth also shall rise up against him, both to discover his wickedness and to avenge it. The earth shall disclose her blood, Isa 26:21. The earth will rise up against him (as the stomach rises against that which is loathsome), and will no longer keep him. The heaven reveals his iniquity, and therefore will not receive him. Whither then must he go but to hell? If the God of heaven and earth be his enemy, neither heaven nor earth will show him any kindness, but all the hosts of both are and will be at war with him.
VII.Zophar concludes like an orator (Job 20:29):
This is the portion of a wicked man from God; it is allotted him, it is designed him, as his portion. He will have it at last, as a child has his portion, and he will have it for a perpetuity; it is what he must abide by: This is the heritage of his decree from God; it is the settled rule of his judgment, and fair warning is given of it. O wicked man! thou shalt surely die, Eze 33:8. Though impenitent sinners do not always fall under such temporal judgments as are here described (therein Zophar was mistaken), yet the wrath of God abides upon them, and they are made miserable by spiritual judgments, which are much worse, their consciences being either, on the one hand, a terror to them, and then they are in continual amazement, or, on the other hand, seared and silenced, and then they are given up to a reprobate sense and bound over to eternal ruin. Never was any doctrine better explained, or worse applied, than this by Zophar, who intended by all this to prove Job a hypocrite. Let us receive the good explication, and make a better application, for warning to ourselves to stand in awe and not to sin.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
For you may often see the bad person, who is set in earthly power, agitated with furious passion and executing all that his rage suggests. When his fury is gone, then lust directly ravages his soul. When lust is stopped for a time, his continence produces self-exaltation that immediately occupies his heart. So that others may fear him, he aims to present himself as an object of terror. But when the occasion requires that he should say anything deceitfully, he seems to lay aside the horror of his pride and flatters with an easy address. When he ceases to show himself proud, he does not dread to act deceitfully again. And so it is rightly said of him, in whose mind one vice takes the place of another, “Terrible ones come and go upon him.” Since all the evil habits weigh him down with their coming and going in taking each other’s place, his soul is, as it were, overrun by as many evil spirits departing and returning.
31. This wicked man lays plots in arts of robbery on his neighbours. And whilst he is plotting mischief in the thoughts of his heart, it is as if ‘the sword were still in its sheath;’ but when he wickedly executes the mischief, which he has contrived, he ‘cometh out of his sheath,’ in that he is brought out to view, from the secresy of his thoughts, in the wickedness of evil doing. He is shown to light in the deed, such as he was, hidden from view, in the thought. And observe that he says, drawn and cometh out; i.e. ‘drawn’ by the deceiver, but ‘coming out’ by the act of his own free will. For he that is ‘drawn’ unquestionably follows one that draws him. But he that ‘cometh forth,’ seems to act according to his own will. That man, then, who is at once drawn to the several wicked practices by our old enemy, and yet fast bound in the desire of them by his own free will, is described as ‘drawn and coming forth from his sheath,’ since this thing, that he issues forth from the bad thought to the worst enacting, belongs at once to the wickedness of that spirit that prompted, and of him that consented by an act of his own will.
32. The terribleness of whose power is further shown, where it is immediately added, Yea, lightening in his bitterness. For when the lightning comes suddenly from above, when it shines with terribleness before our eyes, it displays shining brightness, and strikes the object before it. Thus, thus is it with the wicked man, when he has secured to himself the glory of the present life: by the same cause by which he is shown to view bright by power in the present world, it is brought to pass that he is blasted at the last. For the wicked man’s as it were ‘lightening,’ is his shining in this life’s honour; but whereas the splendour of that glory is consigned to the eternal woes of hell, it is rightly said in this place, ‘Yea, lightening in his bitterness.’ For he that now seems as though he took delight in striking by terribleness and brightness, for this cause afterwards undergoes punishments for everlasting. And indeed it is written of a certain rich man that he ‘fared splendidly’ every day. Now it is one thing to show ‘splendidly,’ and another to ‘lighten;’ for sometimes there is splendour without striking, but splendour with striking is described by the title of ‘lightning.’ He then who being placed in power does injury to others, is not unaptly entitled ‘lightening,’ in that from the same means whereby he is himself exalted against the good, as it were by the light of glory, the life of the good is made to feel torture. It goes on;
Terrible ones shall come and go over him.
33. Who are here called ‘terrible ones’ except evil spirits, who are to be feared and avoided by godly minds? And whereas those same evil spirits are to be believed to attach themselves severally to certain particular vices, when this wicked man seems to quit for a moment one set of faults, and begins to commit another, then surely ‘the terrible ones come and go over him,’ in that the soul of the bad man though one set of bad habits abandons, yet another takes possession of it. For you may often see the bad man, who is set in earthly power, agitated with furious passion, and executing all that his rage suggests; and when his fury is gone, then directly lust ravages his soul; when lust is stopped for a time, self-exaltation as on the ground of continency is immediately made to take its place in his heart, and that he may be feared by others, he aims to show himself as an object of terror. But when the occasion requires that he should say any thing with double-dealing, laying aside in a certain sort the terribleness of pride, he flatters with an easy address, and when he ceases to show himself proud, he does not dread to turn double-dealing. And so it is rightly said of him, in whose mind one vice continually takes the place of another, Terrible ones come and go upon him; since for all the evil habits that he is borne down with departing and taking each other’s place, his soul is as it were overrun by as many evil spirits going and returning. But it is these things which he does in act, that issue outwardly by parts and pieces, for on his soul he has all things bad tied fast at once and together.
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Summary
Job 20:25, a stark declaration from Zophar's second discourse, powerfully articulates the inevitable and agonizing judgment awaiting the wicked. Through vivid and disturbing imagery of a penetrating sword emerging from within and the accompanying psychological torment, the verse underscores Zophar's unwavering conviction that unrighteousness culminates in a swift, terrifying, and deeply personal demise, emphasizing a divine retribution that reaches into the very core of one's being, leaving no part untouched by its devastating consequences.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within Zophar the Naamathite's second and final speech, found in Job 20. Zophar, like his friends Eliphaz and Bildad, operates from a rigid framework of retribution theology, firmly believing that suffering is a direct and proportional consequence of sin. His discourse serves as a passionate, almost vitriolic, condemnation of the wicked, designed to persuade Job that his immense suffering must be due to unconfessed iniquity. Zophar meticulously paints a picture of the wicked's fleeting prosperity, followed by their sudden, inescapable, and utterly devastating downfall. Job 20:25 culminates this argument with a graphic description of internal torment and terror, serving as a climactic warning. While Zophar's argument contains elements of truth regarding God's ultimate justice, his application to Job is profoundly flawed, as Job's suffering is not a result of personal wickedness but part of a larger divine purpose.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a region where wisdom literature flourished, often exploring complex themes of divine justice, human suffering, and the nature of righteousness. The concept of divine retribution was a pervasive theological tenet across the ancient world, though the book of Job uniquely challenges its simplistic application. The vivid imagery employed in Job 20:25 draws from common cultural understandings of warfare and ancient physiological beliefs. The "sword" was a primary weapon, universally symbolizing swift, decisive, and often violent judgment or execution. The "gall" (Hebrew: מְרֵרָה, mᵉrôrâh), referring to the gallbladder or bile, was often associated with bitterness, poison, or vital internal organs in ancient physiology, signifying a deep, internal affliction or a source of profound distress. The "terrors" (Hebrew: אֵימָה, ʼêymâh) were a recognized psychological state of extreme dread, reflecting the mental and spiritual anguish accompanying such a severe fate, a common theme in ancient descriptions of divine wrath.
Key Themes
Job 20:25 powerfully contributes to several key themes within Zophar's discourse and the broader book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Retribution, portraying God as a righteous judge who metes out inescapable and often sudden punishment to the unrighteous. Zophar believes this judgment penetrates the very essence of a person, as illustrated by the wicked's fleeting prosperity. Secondly, the disturbing imagery of the "sword cometh out of his gall" highlights the Internal Consequences of Wickedness. This suggests a torment that is not merely external but originates from within, symbolizing the self-destructive nature of sin, the corrosive effects of guilt, or the profound internal agony of fear and spiritual decay. It implies that sin carries within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Finally, the "glittering sword" and accompanying "terrors" emphasize the Sudden and Terrifying Demise awaiting the wicked. This swift, sharp, and decisive strike, coupled with overwhelming dread, contrasts sharply with the peace and security of the righteous and underscores the precarious and fleeting nature of the wicked's apparent prosperity, aligning with the broader biblical principle that the way of the wicked will perish.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H4846, מְרוֹרָה) refers to bitterness, concretely a bitter thing, specifically bile, or venom. In this context, it signifies a deep, internal source of affliction or the very core of one's being, often associated with poison or intense bitterness. The sword coming out of the gall suggests an internal, self-inflicted wound, or a judgment that strikes at the most vulnerable and essential part of a person, leading to profound internal anguish and decay. It implies that the consequences of wickedness are not merely external but originate from within, poisoning the very life force.
The Hebrew word (H1300, בָּרָק) means lightning, and by analogy, a gleam or a flashing sword. When applied to a sword, it emphasizes the sudden, swift, and dazzling nature of the strike. This is not a slow, drawn-out process but an instantaneous, shocking, and decisive blow. The imagery evokes a divine, perhaps supernatural, swiftness and power behind the judgment, akin to a bolt of lightning, leaving no time for escape or preparation and highlighting the inescapable nature of the impending doom.
This term (H367, אֵימָה) denotes fright, dread, fear, or horror. It describes the profound psychological and spiritual distress that accompanies the judgment. The "terrors are upon him" suggests an overwhelming, inescapable wave of fear and despair that engulfs the wicked, signifying not just physical demise but a complete breakdown of inner peace and security, replacing it with utter horror. It speaks to the mental and spiritual anguish that is an integral part of their final state.
Verse Breakdown
"It is drawn, and cometh out of the body;"
This initial clause sets the stage for a violent, internal expulsion. The "it" refers to the instrument of judgment, which is about to be revealed as a "glittering sword." The phrase "cometh out of the body" suggests an agonizing internal rupture or a self-destructive force emerging from within the wicked person, indicating that their demise is not merely external but originates from their very being, perhaps as a consequence of their own accumulated sin and its corrosive effects.
"yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall:"
This clause clarifies and intensifies the preceding one. The "it" is identified as a "glittering sword," emphasizing its swift, sharp, and decisive nature. The specific location, "out of his gall," is highly significant. As discussed, the gall represents a vital, internal organ, often associated with bitterness or poison. The sword emerging from it powerfully symbolizes a judgment that is both internal and self-inflicted, or a divine judgment that strikes at the deepest, most vulnerable part of the wicked, causing immense internal pain and spiritual dissolution. It is a graphic depiction of the internal rot and self-destruction inherent in wickedness.
"terrors [are] upon him."
This final clause describes the profound psychological and spiritual aftermath of this internal assault. The "terrors" (אֵימָה, ʼêymâh) are overwhelming dread, fear, and nightmares. This signifies that the wicked not only suffer physical or internal destruction but are also consumed by profound mental and spiritual anguish. The judgment is complete, encompassing both body and soul, leaving the condemned in a state of utter despair and horror, stripped of any peace or security.
Literary Devices
Job 20:25 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid and disturbing picture of the wicked's downfall. The "glittering sword" evokes a sense of swift, decisive, and even divine judgment, while its emergence "out of his gall" creates a visceral image of internal corruption and agonizing self-destruction. The "terrors" complete this tableau, highlighting the overwhelming psychological torment. The phrase "the glittering sword cometh out of his gall" functions as a powerful Metaphor, where the sword represents the instrument of divine judgment or the destructive consequences of sin itself, and its origin from the gall symbolizes the internal, bitter fruit of wickedness. This is not a literal sword, but a symbolic representation of a deep, internal wound. There is also an element of Hyperbole in Zophar's description, as he uses exaggerated language to emphasize the severity and inescapability of the wicked's fate, aiming to shock Job into acknowledging his supposed sin. This dramatic language serves to underscore Zophar's rigid theological conviction about immediate and severe retribution.
Theological and Thematic Connections
While Zophar's application of this principle to Job was flawed, Job 20:25 nonetheless conveys a profound truth about the ultimate consequences of unrighteousness. It affirms that God is a righteous judge who will not allow wickedness to go unpunished indefinitely. The imagery of an internal, agonizing judgment suggests that sin carries within itself the seeds of its own destruction, leading to a profound spiritual and psychological decay that ultimately manifests as terror and dissolution. This verse serves as a stark reminder that true peace and security cannot be found in a life alienated from God, as the path of the wicked, though seemingly prosperous for a time, inevitably leads to a terrifying and inescapable encounter with divine justice and the bitter fruit of their own choices.
Reflection and Application
Job 20:25, though spoken by Zophar with a flawed understanding of Job's suffering, offers timeless insights into the nature of sin and its consequences. It serves as a sobering reminder that a life lived in persistent rebellion against God's ways carries inherent internal repercussions, even before any external judgment. The "sword" emerging from the "gall" vividly illustrates how unrighteousness can poison the very core of one's being, leading to internal turmoil, guilt, anxiety, and a profound lack of peace. The "terrors" that accompany this internal decay highlight the spiritual anguish that ultimately consumes those who reject God's path. This verse calls us to examine our own hearts, recognizing that true flourishing and lasting peace are found not in fleeting worldly prosperity, but in a right relationship with God, where the internal landscape is cultivated by righteousness and faith, rather than consumed by the bitter fruits of sin. It encourages us to embrace repentance and seek God's mercy, for only then can we escape the terrifying internal and external consequences of a life lived apart from Him, finding instead the profound peace that comes from His presence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean all suffering is a direct result of sin?
No, not necessarily. While Zophar and Job's other friends believed that all suffering was a direct consequence of personal sin, the book of Job as a whole challenges this simplistic retribution theology. Job's own suffering is explicitly shown to be not a result of his wickedness, but part of a divine test and a demonstration of God's sovereign purposes. Job 20:25 reflects Zophar's flawed perspective, which, while containing a partial truth about God's ultimate justice against persistent wickedness, fails to account for the complexities of human suffering and God's multifaceted ways. The verse primarily speaks to the eventual and internal consequences of a life characterized by unrighteousness, rather than providing a universal explanation for all suffering.
What is the significance of the 'gall' in this context?
The "gall" (Hebrew: מְרֵרָה, mᵉrôrâh) refers to bitterness, bile, or venom. In ancient understanding, it was often associated with vital internal organs and the source of bitter emotions or poisonous substances. Its significance in Job 20:25 is profound. For the "glittering sword" to come out of the gall suggests that the judgment or destruction of the wicked is not merely an external blow, but an internal, self-inflicted wound or a consequence that arises from the very core of their being. It symbolizes the bitter, poisonous fruit of their own wickedness turning inward, causing profound internal agony and dissolution. It highlights that sin corrupts from within, leading to a self-destructive process that culminates in terror and demise.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Job 20:25 vividly portrays the terrifying judgment awaiting the wicked, its ultimate fulfillment and transformation are found in Jesus Christ. The "glittering sword" of divine justice, meant to pierce the unrighteous, was instead turned upon the sinless Son of God. On the cross, Jesus became sin for us, bearing the full weight of God's wrath and the internal "terrors" that our wickedness deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21). He allowed the "sword" to come out of His own "gall"—His very being—experiencing the ultimate internal anguish and separation from God, crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" so that those who believe in Him might be spared. Through His sacrifice, Christ absorbed the bitter consequences of sin, offering an escape from the terrifying judgment and internal decay that Zophar describes. For those in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1), for the judgment has already fallen upon Him. He offers not the terrors of a guilty conscience and impending doom, but the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7), transforming the internal landscape from one of fear and bitterness to one of hope, righteousness, and eternal life (John 3:16).