Job 20:4

Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

Knowest {H3045} thou not this of old {H5703}, since man {H120} was placed {H7760} upon earth {H776},

"Don't you know that ever since time began, ever since humans were placed on earth,

Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,

Knowest thou notthis of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,

Commentary on Job 20:4 KJV

Job 20:4 is part of Zophar the Naamathite's second and final speech to Job. In this verse, Zophar challenges Job's understanding by appealing to ancient, established wisdom regarding the fate of the wicked. He asserts that this truth has been known and evident since the very beginning of human history.

Context

Zophar, like Job's other friends, operates under the conventional wisdom of his time: suffering is a direct consequence of sin, and prosperity is a sign of God's favor. Job, however, vehemently denies that his immense suffering is due to any specific transgression. Frustrated by Job's insistence on his innocence, Zophar launches into a passionate argument in Job chapter 20, detailing the brief and ultimately destructive triumph of the wicked. This opening verse, "Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth," serves as a rhetorical question, implying that Job is foolish for questioning such a fundamental and universally acknowledged principle.

Key Themes

  • Ancient Wisdom and Tradition: Zophar bases his argument on what he considers to be an undeniable, long-standing truth passed down through generations. He believes this principle is as old as humanity itself.
  • The Fleeting Nature of Wicked Prosperity: This verse sets the stage for Zophar's core message in the rest of the chapter, which is that any success enjoyed by the wicked is temporary and inevitably leads to ruin and judgment.
  • Divine Retribution: Underlying Zophar's assertion is the firm belief that God consistently punishes evil, and this pattern of justice has been evident throughout human history.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV's inclusion of "[not]" in brackets in "Knowest thou [not] this of old" indicates that it is supplied for clarity based on context or other textual traditions. Without the bracketed "not," the phrase could be read as a statement, "You know this of old." However, given the interrogative "Knowest thou...?" and Zophar's accusatory tone throughout his speeches, the rhetorical question "Do you not know this...?" is the intended meaning, implying Job's ignorance of a basic truth. The phrase "since man was placed upon earth" powerfully emphasizes the antiquity and universality of the principle Zophar is about to elaborate on, suggesting it is a truth established from the very dawn of human existence.

Practical Application

While Zophar's application of this principle to Job was flawed (as Job's suffering was not a direct result of sin), the verse touches on a profound human question: the problem of evil and suffering, and the apparent prosperity of the wicked. The Bible elsewhere affirms that the triumph of the wicked is often short-lived and their end is destruction, as seen in passages like Psalm 37:35-36. This verse reminds us that God's justice, though not always immediate or evident in our current circumstances, is constant and will ultimately prevail. It challenges us to look beyond immediate appearances and trust in God's overarching plan and righteous character, even when the world seems to defy our expectations of justice.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Job 8:8

    ¶ For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

  • Job 8:9

    (For we [are but of] yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth [are] a shadow:)

  • Genesis 1:28

    And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

  • Genesis 9:1

    ¶ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

  • Genesis 9:3

    Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

  • Job 32:7

    I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

  • Job 15:10

    With us [are] both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back