Job Chapter 20

What is the meaning of Job 20?

Introduction to Job 20

In Job 20, we encounter one of the most impassioned speeches from Zophar the Naamathite, the youngest and perhaps most volatile of Job’s three friends. This chapter represents his second and final discourse in the book, where he delivers a scathing description of the fate of the wicked. The significance of this chapter lies in its vivid portrayal of traditional wisdom regarding divine retribution, while simultaneously demonstrating the dangerous oversimplification of God’s ways when human wisdom attempts to fit divine justice into neat, predictable patterns.

Zophar’s speech, triggered by what he perceives as Job’s irreverent defiance, presents a detailed portrait of the inevitable downfall of the wicked. However, the irony of his words becomes apparent when we realize that his supposedly righteous defense of God’s justice actually misrepresents both God’s character and Job’s situation, making this chapter a crucial study in the limitations of human wisdom when attempting to understand divine purposes.

Context of Job 20

Within the immediate context of the book of Job, chapter 20 marks the beginning of the third cycle of speeches between Job and his friends. It follows Job’s powerful declaration of faith in chapter 19, where he proclaimed his belief in a future Redeemer (Job 19:25-27). The stark contrast between Job’s hope-filled confession and Zophar’s harsh response highlights the growing tension in their dialogue.

This chapter fits into the larger framework of wisdom literature in Scripture, exemplifying the traditional view of retributive justice – that the wicked always suffer and the righteous always prosper. However, the book of Job as a whole challenges this oversimplified theology. In the broader biblical narrative, this chapter serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of rigid theological systems that attempt to confine God’s sovereignty within human understanding.

The position of this chapter within the final cycle of speeches is particularly significant, as it represents the last time Zophar speaks in the book. His silence in the expected third round of speeches may suggest that the friends’ arguments have begun to exhaust themselves, leading to the eventual divine intervention in chapters 38-41.

Ancient Key Word Study

• רָשָׁע (rasha) – “wicked”: This term appears multiple times in the chapter and carries the connotation of active rebellion against divine order, not merely moral failing. In Biblical Hebrew, it describes someone who is fundamentally opposed to God’s righteousness, making it particularly harsh when misapplied to Job.
• שִׂמְחָה (simchah) – “joy”: Used ironically in verse 5 to describe the fleeting nature of the wicked person’s happiness. The root connects to the concept of brightness or radiance, emphasizing how quickly apparent prosperity can fade.
• בֶּטֶן (beten) – “belly”: Appears in verses 15 and 20, literally meaning “womb” or “belly” but used metaphorically to represent the seat of pleasure and consumption. The word choice suggests that ill-gotten gains become a source of internal torment.
• רֹאשׁ (rosh) – “venom”: In verse 16, this word can mean both “head” and “poison,” creating a powerful double meaning that links the pride of the wicked (head) with their eventual destruction (poison).
• חָלַץ (chalats) – “plunder”: Used in verse 15, this verb carries the idea of “drawing out” or “stripping away,” painting a picture of divine justice forcibly removing what was wrongfully acquired.
• חֵיל (chayil) – “wealth”: Appearing multiple times in the chapter, this term usually denotes strength or military might but is used here to describe material prosperity, suggesting that worldly power is temporary.
• חֹשֶׁךְ (choshek) – “darkness”: Used symbolically in verse 26, this word represents both physical darkness and spiritual judgment, carrying echoes of the primordial darkness before creation in Genesis 1:2.
• יָרַשׁ (yarash) – “inherit”: Found in verse 28, this term normally describes taking possession of the Promised Land but is used ironically here to describe the wicked person’s “inheritance” of judgment.
• אֵשׁ (esh) – “fire”: Mentioned in verse 26, this word often associates with divine judgment throughout Scripture, connecting to the concept of God as a consuming fire.
• זַעַם (za’am) – “wrath”: Used in verse 23, this term specifically refers to divine indignation, distinct from human anger, emphasizing the supernatural nature of the judgment described.

Compare & Contrast

• Verse 5: “The triumph of the wicked is short” uses קָרוֹב (qarov – “near/short”) rather than מְעַט (me’at – “little”), emphasizing the temporal proximity of judgment rather than just its brief duration. This choice creates a sense of impending doom rather than merely describing a brief pleasure.
• Verse 8: “He will fly away like a dream” employs יָעוּף (ya’uf) rather than יָלֵךְ (yalek – “go away”), creating a more dramatic image of sudden disappearance rather than gradual departure. The choice reflects ancient Near Eastern dream imagery where visions dissolve instantly upon waking.
• Verse 14: The phrase “food in his stomach” uses מְעָיו (me’av) rather than קֶרֶב (qerev), specifically targeting the digestive organs rather than the general inner being, making the metaphor of judgment more visceral and specific.
• Verse 17: “Rivers of honey and cream” employs נַהֲרֵי (naharei) rather than פַּלְגֵי (palgei – “streams”), suggesting massive abundance that makes the deprivation more striking. This connects to ancient Near Eastern royal imagery of prosperity.
• Verse 23: “God will send His fierce anger” uses חֲרוֹן (charon) rather than אַף (af), emphasizing the burning quality of divine wrath rather than just anger, connecting to themes of purifying judgment.
• Verse 26: “Total darkness” combines חֹשֶׁךְ (choshek) with טָמוּן (tamun – “hidden”), creating a more complete image of darkness as both absence of light and active concealment.
• Verse 29: The phrase “heritage appointed” uses נַחֲלַת (nachalat) rather than חֵלֶק (cheleq), emphasizing divine designation rather than mere portion or share, making the judgment more definitively ordained.

Job 20 Unique Insights

The structure of Zophar’s speech follows an ancient Hebrew poetic form known as “step parallelism,” where each successive image builds upon the previous one, creating a mounting sense of inevitable doom. This literary technique, also found in Ugaritic poetry, would have given Zophar’s words additional rhetorical force to his original audience, even as it reveals the calculated nature of his argument.

Ancient Jewish commentators, particularly the Targum to Job, note interesting parallels between the imagery of consumed wealth in verses 15-18 and the manna in the wilderness. Just as the Israelites couldn’t hoard manna (Exodus 16:20), the wicked cannot retain their ill-gotten gains. This connection suggests a deeper theological point about daily dependence on God’s provision versus attempting to secure one’s own future through unjust means.

The description of darkness “hidden away” for the wicked (verse 26) uses terminology that echoes the creation narrative, suggesting that God reserves primordial chaos as a judgment against those who disorder His creation through wickedness. Early rabbinic sources connected this to the concept of “measure for measure” (middah k’neged middah), seeing poetic justice in how the judgment fits the crime.

The metaphor of the wicked person vomiting up riches (verses 15-16) has particular significance in ancient Near Eastern covenant contexts, where treaty violations were often described in terms of the land “vomiting out” those who broke covenant obligations. This imagery would have connected Zophar’s speech to broader themes of covenant faithfulness familiar to the original audience.

The heavens revealing iniquity (verse 27) draws on ancient concepts of the sky as God’s scroll or record book, an idea that appears in both Mesopotamian and Egyptian sources. This adds depth to the notion of creation itself testifying against wickedness, though Zophar misapplies this truth to Job’s situation.

Job 20 Connections to Yeshua

The vivid descriptions of temporary prosperity followed by complete ruin paradoxically point to the Messiah’s teaching about gaining the whole world but losing one’s soul (Mark 8:36). While Zophar misapplies these principles to Job, the underlying truth about the temporal nature of worldly success versus eternal values aligns with Yeshua’s teachings.

Furthermore, the chapter’s emphasis on divine justice and judgment anticipates the ultimate role of the Messiah as righteous judge. However, where Zophar sees only immediate retribution, Yeshua reveals God’s patience in judgment, allowing time for repentance while maintaining the certainty of final justice. This tension between immediate and delayed judgment finds its resolution in the Messiah’s first and second comings – mercy now available through His sacrifice, with final judgment still to come.

Job 20 Scriptural Echoes

This chapter resonates with several key biblical themes and passages:

The description of the wicked’s prosperity being temporary echoes Psalm 73, where Asaph struggles with similar questions about divine justice. Both texts ultimately point to God’s final vindication of righteousness.

The imagery of darkness preserved for judgment (verse 26) connects to Jude’s description of false teachers (Jude 1:13) and Peter’s warnings about divine judgment (2 Peter 2:17).

The concept of heaven and earth bearing witness (verse 27) appears throughout Scripture, from Moses’ call in Deuteronomy 30:19 to the prophets’ appeals to creation in Isaiah 1:2.

Job 20 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to examine our own tendencies to make quick judgments about others’ circumstances. Like Zophar, we can sometimes mistake our limited understanding for divine wisdom, causing hurt rather than bringing healing. The text invites us to cultivate humility in our theological assertions and compassion in our responses to others’ suffering.

While Zophar’s words about the temporary nature of worldly success contain truth, his failure to apply these principles with wisdom and love serves as a warning. We’re called to hold truth and mercy together, just as our Messiah perfectly demonstrated. This chapter reminds us that being right isn’t enough – we must also be righteous in how we handle truth.

Did You Know?

• The name Zophar (צוֹפַר) likely derives from a root meaning “to chirp” or “to skip about,” possibly suggesting his quick, bird-like jumps to conclusions or his chattering speech pattern.
• The description of wealth turning to poison in the stomach (verses 14-16) parallels ancient Egyptian execration texts, where curse formulas often involved similar imagery of food becoming deadly in the body.
• The phrase “inherit this portion from God” (verse 29) uses legal terminology from ancient property disputes, suggesting Zophar is casting divine judgment in terms of a legal verdict.
• The reference to “fire not blown” (verse 26) may allude to ancient metalworking practices where some furnaces used natural drafts rather than bellows, suggesting a supernatural rather than human source of judgment.
• The description of darkness as a “hidden” treasure (verse 26) uses terminology normally associated with valuable storage, creating a bitter irony about judgment being “stored up” like precious goods.
• The image of the wicked being chased away by terrors (verse 8) employs vocabulary from ancient hunting scenes, portraying divine justice as an inexorable pursuer.
• The reference to “poison of cobras” (verse 16) uses terminology specifically associated with royal Egyptian imagery, possibly suggesting that even pharaoh-like power offers no protection against divine judgment.
• The concept of children restoring ill-gotten gains (verse 10) reflects ancient Near Eastern debt laws where family members could be held liable for unpaid obligations.
• The phrase “stones of darkness” (verse 26) uses terminology associated with precious gems in ancient texts, again employing irony by making instruments of judgment parallel valuable treasures.