Job 27:20-23

20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.
23 It claps its hands in derision and hisses him out of his place.”

Job 27:20-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 27

Though Job's friends were become silent, and dropped the controversy with him, he still continued his discourse in this and the four following chapters; in which he asserts his integrity; illustrates and confirms his former sentiments; gives further proof of his knowledge of things, natural and divine; takes notice of his former state of prosperity, and of his present distresses and afflictions, which came upon him, notwithstanding his piety, humanity, and beneficence, and his freedom from the grosser acts of sin, both with respect to God and men, all which he enlarges upon. In this chapter he gives his word and oath for it, that he would never belie himself, and own that he was an hypocrite, when he was not, but would continue to assert his integrity, and the righteousness of his cause, as long as he lived, Job 27:1-6; for to be an hypocrite, and to attempt to conceal his hypocrisy, would be of no advantage to him, either in life, or in death, Job 27:7-10; and was this his character and case, upon their principles, he could expect no other than to be a miserable man, as wicked men are, who have their blessings turned into curses, or taken away from them, and they removed out of the world in the most awful and terrible manner, and under manifest tokens of the wrath and displeasure of God, Job 27:11-23.

Cross References 11

  • 1. S Job 6:4
  • 2. S Job 15:21
  • 3. S Job 20:8
  • 4. Job 38:24; Jeremiah 13:24; Jeremiah 22:22
  • 5. Job 30:22
  • 6. S Job 7:10; Job 21:18
  • 7. Jeremiah 13:14; Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 24:14
  • 8. 2 Kings 7:15
  • 9. S Job 11:20
  • 10. S Numbers 24:10; Nahum 3:19
  • 11. S Job 7:10; Job 18:18
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.