Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
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.
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
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.
He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
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.
The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
Job 20 delves into the age-old question of why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. Zophar, seemingly angered by Job's previous statements, launches into a passionate, albeit flawed, defense of divine justice. He aims to demonstrate that the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting and inevitably followed by severe judgment. While there's a kernel of truth in his assertion, Zophar's rigid application of this principle to Job's situation reveals a lack of empathy and a misunderstanding of God's complex dealings with humanity.
Zophar's Offense and Accusation (Job 20:1-3)
Zophar's response is immediate and emotional. He feels stung by Job's words, taking them as a personal affront. The phrase "my thoughts urge me to answer" (Job 20:2) suggests a deep agitation. This emotional reaction colors his entire discourse, preventing him from offering genuine comfort or wise counsel. Instead, he's driven by a need to defend his theological position and, perhaps unconsciously, to put Job in his place.
The Fleeting Nature of Wicked Prosperity (Job 20:4-11)
Zophar argues that, since the beginning of humankind ("from the time a human was placed on earth," Job 20:4), the triumph of the wicked has always been short-lived. He asserts that their joy is momentary, their arrogance short-sighted, and their ultimate fate is destruction. "The mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment" (Job 20:5). He paints a picture of the wicked reaching great heights, only to be brought crashing down by God's judgment. Their evil deeds will eventually catch up with them, and they will lose everything they gained through injustice.
The Bitter End of Ill-Gotten Gains (Job 20:12-19)
Zophar vividly describes the eventual consequences of wickedness. He emphasizes that the sweet taste of sin eventually turns bitter in the stomach. The wealth they greedily devoured will be vomited up, signifying the loss of everything they acquired through dishonest means. "He will vomit up the wealth he swallowed; God will force it from his stomach" (Job 20:15). He even implies that Job himself acquired his wealth illegitimately, accusing him of oppressing the poor: "Because he has oppressed and abandoned the poor; he has seized houses he did not build" (Job 20:19). This accusation, whether intentional or not, adds insult to injury, further compounding Job's suffering.
The Inheritance of Fire (Job 20:20-29)
Zophar concludes with a grim depiction of the wicked's ultimate destiny. He suggests that their insatiable greed and love of wealth will ultimately lead to their ruin. They will find no relief from their suffering, and God's wrath will consume them like fire. "Such is the fate of the wicked, such is the inheritance God appoints for them" (Job 20:29). The imagery of fire is particularly striking, symbolizing the consuming power of God's judgment. Zophar essentially tells Job that his "inheritance" from God is not blessing, but a fiery destruction.
Kingdom Perspective
Zophar's speech serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a kingdom perspective. While it is true that wickedness ultimately leads to destruction, it is crucial to remember that God's timing is not always our timing. The prosperity of the wicked can sometimes seem long and uninterrupted, which can tempt us to chase after earthly things rather than living for eternity. We must trust in God's justice, even when it is not immediately apparent, and focus on building treasures in heaven that will never fade away.
Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.
He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
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.
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
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.
He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
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.
The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
Job 20 delves into the age-old question of why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. Zophar, seemingly angered by Job's previous statements, launches into a passionate, albeit flawed, defense of divine justice. He aims to demonstrate that the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting and inevitably followed by severe judgment. While there's a kernel of truth in his assertion, Zophar's rigid application of this principle to Job's situation reveals a lack of empathy and a misunderstanding of God's complex dealings with humanity.
Zophar's Offense and Accusation (Job 20:1-3)
Zophar's response is immediate and emotional. He feels stung by Job's words, taking them as a personal affront. The phrase "my thoughts urge me to answer" (Job 20:2) suggests a deep agitation. This emotional reaction colors his entire discourse, preventing him from offering genuine comfort or wise counsel. Instead, he's driven by a need to defend his theological position and, perhaps unconsciously, to put Job in his place.
The Fleeting Nature of Wicked Prosperity (Job 20:4-11)
Zophar argues that, since the beginning of humankind ("from the time a human was placed on earth," Job 20:4), the triumph of the wicked has always been short-lived. He asserts that their joy is momentary, their arrogance short-sighted, and their ultimate fate is destruction. "The mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment" (Job 20:5). He paints a picture of the wicked reaching great heights, only to be brought crashing down by God's judgment. Their evil deeds will eventually catch up with them, and they will lose everything they gained through injustice.
The Bitter End of Ill-Gotten Gains (Job 20:12-19)
Zophar vividly describes the eventual consequences of wickedness. He emphasizes that the sweet taste of sin eventually turns bitter in the stomach. The wealth they greedily devoured will be vomited up, signifying the loss of everything they acquired through dishonest means. "He will vomit up the wealth he swallowed; God will force it from his stomach" (Job 20:15). He even implies that Job himself acquired his wealth illegitimately, accusing him of oppressing the poor: "Because he has oppressed and abandoned the poor; he has seized houses he did not build" (Job 20:19). This accusation, whether intentional or not, adds insult to injury, further compounding Job's suffering.
The Inheritance of Fire (Job 20:20-29)
Zophar concludes with a grim depiction of the wicked's ultimate destiny. He suggests that their insatiable greed and love of wealth will ultimately lead to their ruin. They will find no relief from their suffering, and God's wrath will consume them like fire. "Such is the fate of the wicked, such is the inheritance God appoints for them" (Job 20:29). The imagery of fire is particularly striking, symbolizing the consuming power of God's judgment. Zophar essentially tells Job that his "inheritance" from God is not blessing, but a fiery destruction.
Kingdom Perspective
Zophar's speech serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a kingdom perspective. While it is true that wickedness ultimately leads to destruction, it is crucial to remember that God's timing is not always our timing. The prosperity of the wicked can sometimes seem long and uninterrupted, which can tempt us to chase after earthly things rather than living for eternity. We must trust in God's justice, even when it is not immediately apparent, and focus on building treasures in heaven that will never fade away.