Job 20

Job 20:1-29 . REPLY OF ZOPHAR.

2. Therefore--Rather, the more excited I feel by Job's speech, the more for that very reason shall my reply be supplied by my calm consideration. Literally, "Notwithstanding; my calm thoughts (as in Job 4:13 ) shall furnish my answer, because of the excitement (haste) within me" [UMBREIT].

3. check of my reproach--that is, the castigation intended as a reproach (literally, "shame") to me.
spirit of . . . understanding--my rational spirit; answering to "calm thoughts" ( Job 20:2 ). In spite of thy reproach urging me to "hastiness." I will answer in calm reason.

5. the hypocrite--literally, "the ungodly" ( Psalms 37:35 Psalms 37:36 ).

6. ( Isaiah 14:13 , Obadiah 1:3 Obadiah 1:4 ).

7. dung--in contrast to the haughtiness of the sinner ( Job 20:6 ); this strong term expresses disgust and the lowest degradation ( Psalms 83:10 , 1 Kings 14:10 ).

8. ( Psalms 73:20 ).

9. Rather "the eye followeth him, but can discern him no more." A sharp-looking is meant ( Job 28:7 , Job 7:10 ).

10. seek to please--"Atone to the poor" (by restoring the property of which they had been robbed by the father) [DE WETTE]. Better than English Version, "The children" are reduced to the humiliating condition of "seeking the favor of those very poor," whom the father had oppressed. But UMBREIT translates as Margin.
his hands--rather, "their (the children's) hands."
their goods--the goods of the poor. Righteous retribution! ( Exodus 20:5 ).

11. ( Psalms 25:7 ), so Vulgate. GESENIUS has "full of youth"; namely, in the fulness of his youthful strength he shall be laid in the dust. But "bones" plainly alludes to Job's disease, probably to Job's own words ( Job 19:20 ). UMBREIT translates, "full of his secret sins," as in Psalms 90:8 ; his secret guilt in his time of seeming righteousness, like secret poison, at last lays him in the dust. The English Version is best. Zophar alludes to Job's own words ( Job 17:16 ).
with him--His sin had so pervaded his nature that it accompanies him to the grave: for eternity the sinner cannot get rid of it ( Revelation 22:11 ).

12. be--"taste sweet." Sin's fascination is like poison sweet to the taste, but at last deadly to the vital organs ( Proverbs 20:17 , Job 9:17 Job 9:18 ).
hide . . . tongue--seek to prolong the enjoyment by keeping the sweet morsel long in the mouth (so Job 20:13 ).

14. turned--Hebrew denotes a total change into a disagreeable contrary ( Jeremiah 2:21 ; compare Revelation 10:9 Revelation 10:10 ).
gall--in which the poison of the asp was thought to lie. It rather is contained in a sack in the mouth. Scripture uses popular language, where no moral truth is thereby endangered.

15. He is forced to disgorge his ill-gotten wealth.

16. shall suck--It shall turn out that he has sucked the poison, &c.

17. floods--literally, "stream of floods," plentiful streams flowing with milk, &c. ( Job 29:6 , Exodus 3:17 ). Honey and butter are more fluid in the East than with us and are poured out from jars. These "rivers" or water brooks are in the sultry East emblems of prosperity.