Job 20:22

22 When he is full-filled with riches, yet he shall be made strait in covetousness (Yea, even when he is filled full with riches, he shall still be in dire straits); he shall burn in it, and all sorrow shall fall in upon him.

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 And his womb was not yet [ful]filled; and when he hath that, that he coveted, he may not hold it in possession. (And his belly, or his appetite, was not yet satisfied; and even when he hath, what he desired, he cannot hold onto it.)
21 There (be) left nothing of his meat; and therefore nothing shall dwell of his goods. (Nothing shall remain of his food; and nothing shall remain of his goods.)
22 When he is full-filled with riches, yet he shall be made strait in covetousness (Yea, even when he is filled full with riches, he shall still be in dire straits); he shall burn in it, and all sorrow shall fall in upon him.
23 I would, that his womb be filled, that he send out into him the wrath of his strong vengeance, and rain his battle upon him. (I wish, that as his belly is filled, that God send upon him the anger of his strong vengeance, and rain down his battle upon him.)
24 He shall flee iron armours, and he shall fall into a brazen bow. (He shall flee from iron arms, or weapons, and he shall fall by a bronze bow.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.