Job 20
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
3I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
10His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
11His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
12Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
13Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:
14Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
16He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
17He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
18That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.
19Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
20Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.
21There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.
22In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.
23When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
25It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
26All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.
27The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
28The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- לֹאlôʼH380811× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- עַלʻalH59216× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- כִּיkîyH35883× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- מָלֵאmâlêʼH43903× in this chapter
to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)
- שׁוּבshûwbH77253× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- בֶּטֶןbeṭenH9903× in this chapter
the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything
- בַּיִתbayithH10042× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- בָּלַעbâlaʻH11042× in this chapter
to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1202× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- גָּלָהgâlâhH15402× in this chapter
to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal
- דַּלdalH18002× in this chapter
properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thin
- חַיִלchayilH24282× in this chapter
probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
- יָדyâdH30272× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30452× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- כֹּלkôlH36052× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- כֵּןkênH36512× in this chapter
properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)
- לָשׁוֹןlâshôwnH39562× in this chapter
the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)
- אָכַלʼâkalH3982× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- אֵלʼêlH4102× in this chapter
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity)
- מִןminH44802× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- מְרֹרָהmᵉrôrâhH48462× in this chapter
properly, bitterness; concretely, a bitter thing; specifically bile; also venom (of a serpent)
- אִםʼimH5182× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- אָמַרʼâmarH5592× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- עָזַבʻâzabH58002× in this chapter
to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.
- עָנָהʻânâhH60302× in this chapter
properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
- אַףʼaphH6392× in this chapter
properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire
- פֶּתֶןpethenH66202× in this chapter
an asp (from its contortions)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72002× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- רָשָׁעrâshâʻH75632× in this chapter
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
- אֶרֶץʼeretsH7762× in this chapter
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
- שָׁמַיִםshâmayimH80642× in this chapter
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)
- שָׂרִידsârîydH83002× in this chapter
a survivor
- בֵּןbênH11211× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- בָּנָהbânâhH11291× in this chapter
to build (literally and figuratively)
- בַּרְזֶלbarzelH12701× in this chapter
iron (as cutting); by extension, an iron implement
- בָּרַחbârachH12721× in this chapter
to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenly
- בָּרָקbârâqH13001× in this chapter
lightning; by analogy, a gleam; concretely, a flashing sword
- גֵּוָהgêvâhH14651× in this chapter
the back, i.e. (by extensive) the person
- גָּזַלgâzalH14971× in this chapter
to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob
- גֵּלֶלgêlelH15611× in this chapter
dung (plural balls of dung)