Job 20:22

22 “In the midst of plenty, they will run into trouble and be overcome by misery.

Job 20:22 Meaning and Commentary

Job 20:22

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits
For though he may not only have a sufficient competency to live upon, but even a fulness of temporal blessings, have as much as heart can wish, or more, even good things, and plenty of them laid up for many years; yet amidst it all shall be reduced to the utmost straits and difficulties, either through fear of losing what he has, insomuch that his abundance will not suffer him to sleep in the night, nor to enjoy an hour's pleasure in the day; or being so narrow spirited, notwithstanding his fulness, that he cannot allow himself to eat of the fruit of his labours, and rejoice therein; or fearing, notwithstanding all his plenty, that he shall come to want and poverty; or rather while he is in the most flourishing circumstances, and in the height of his prosperity, he is suddenly, as Nebuchadnezzar was, dispossessed of all, and reduced to the utmost extremity, ( Daniel 4:31-33 ) ; the Targum is,

``when his measure is filled, he shall take vengeance on him:''

every hand of the wicked shall come upon him:
or of the labourer, as the Targum, the hire of whose labour he has detained, or has taken away from him that which he laboured for; and so Broughton,

``the hand of the injured or grieved;''

such as he had been injurious to, and had grieved by his oppressions of them; or rather every troublesome wicked man, the hand of every thief or robber; respect seems to be had to the hand of the Sabeans and Chaldeans, that had been on Job and his substance.

Job 20:22 In-Context

20 They were always greedy and never satisfied. Nothing remains of all the things they dreamed about.
21 Nothing is left after they finish gorging themselves. Therefore, their prosperity will not endure.
22 “In the midst of plenty, they will run into trouble and be overcome by misery.
23 May God give them a bellyful of trouble. May God rain down his anger upon them.
24 When they try to escape an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce them.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.