Job 5:20

20 when famine comes, he will keep you alive, and in war protect you from death.

Job 5:20 Meaning and Commentary

Job 5:20

In famine he shall redeem thee from death
In a time of extreme want of provisions, God so cares for his own dear people, that they shall not be starved to death by the famine; so in the famine in Egypt, which the Targum takes notice of, in the times of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and the patriarchs, there was food provided for them, so that they and their families were sustained, and perished not for lack of the necessaries of life: God sometimes goes out of his ordinary way, and works wonders for his poor and needy in distress, when they cry unto him; see ( Isaiah 41:17 Isaiah 41:18 ) ;

and in war from the power of the sword;
or, "from the hands of the sword" F6: from swords in hand, when drawn, and men are ready to push with them with all their force; as he delivered and preserved Abraham from the sword of the four kings, when he waged war with them, ( Genesis 14:20 ) ; and the Israelites, in the war of Amalek, in the times of Moses, ( Exodus 17:8-13 ) , which the Targum here refers to; and David from the harmful sword of Goliath, ( 1 Samuel 17:46 1 Samuel 17:47 ) , and others with whom he was concerned in war: and so the Lord covers the heads of his people in the day of battle oftentimes, when multitudes fall on their right hand and on their left.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 (brx ydym) "de manu gladii", V. L. "e manibus gladii", Pagninus & Montanus

Job 5:20 In-Context

18 God bandages the wounds he makes; his hand hurts you, and his hand heals.
19 Time after time he will save you from harm;
20 when famine comes, he will keep you alive, and in war protect you from death.
21 God will rescue you from slander; he will save you when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at violence and hunger and not be afraid of wild animals.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.