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Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
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Amplified Bible

Job 20:3

"I have heard the reproof which insults me, But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- The Topic Concordance - Happiness/joy;   Hypocrisy;   Oppression;   Perishing;   Victory/overcoming;   Wickedness;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Check;   Zophar;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I have heard a rebuke that insults me,and my understanding makes me reply.
Hebrew Names Version
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; The spirit of my understanding answers me.
King James Version
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
English Standard Version
I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
New Century Version
You correct me and I am insulted, but I understand how to answer you.
New English Translation
When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer.
New American Standard Bible
"I listened to the reprimand which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
World English Bible
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; The spirit of my understanding answers me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
Legacy Standard Bible
I listened to the discipline which dishonors me,And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
Berean Standard Bible
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding demands a reply.
Contemporary English Version
You have accused and insulted me, and reason requires a reply.
Complete Jewish Bible
I have heard reproof that outrages me, but a spirit past my understanding gives me a reply.
Darby Translation
I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
Easy-to-Read Version
You insulted me with your answers! But I am wise and know how to answer you.
George Lamsa Translation
I will make you hear the instruction of my discipline, and the spirit of my understanding will cause me to answer.
Good News Translation
What you have said is an insult, but I know how to reply to you.
Lexham English Bible
I hear discipline that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
Literal Translation
I have heard the instruction of my chastisement; and the spirit from my understanding makes me reply.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue sufficiently herde the checkynge & reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make answere after my vnderstodinge.
American Standard Version
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
Bible in Basic English
I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answereth me.
King James Version (1611)
I haue heard the checke of my reproach, and the spirit of my vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I haue sufficiently heard the checking of my reproofe, therefore the spirite of myne vnderstanding causeth me to aunswere.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
English Revised Version
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.
Update Bible Version
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answers me.
Webster's Bible Translation
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
New King James Version
I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
New Living Translation
I've had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply.
New Life Bible
I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
New Revised Standard
I hear censure that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit - out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The doctrine with which thou reprovest me, I will hear, and the spirit of my understanding shall answer for me.
Revised Standard Version
I hear censure which insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
Young's Literal Translation
The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

Contextual Overview

1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said, 2"Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me answer, Because of the uneasiness that is within me. 3"I have heard the reproof which insults me, But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.4"Do you not know this from the old days, Since the time that man was placed on the earth, 5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless is only for a moment? 6"Though his pride reaches the heavens And his head touches the clouds, 7Yet he perishes forever like his own refuse; Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?' 8"He flies away like a dream and cannot be found; Yes, he is chased away like a vision of the night. 9"The eye which saw him sees him no longer, Neither does his [accustomed] place behold him any longer.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the check: Job 19:29

the spirit: Job 20:2, Job 27:11, Job 33:3, Psalms 49:3, Psalms 78:2-5

Reciprocal: Job 12:2 - ye are the people Job 16:3 - what emboldeneth Job 26:4 - whose spirit

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev (the South country), and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived temporarily in Gerar.
Genesis 20:7
"So now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her [to him], know that you shall die, you and all who are yours (your household)."
Genesis 20:12
"Besides, she actually is my [half] sister; she is the daughter of my father [Terah], but not of my mother; and she became my wife.
Genesis 20:13
"When God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This kindness and loyalty you can show me: at every place we stop, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
Genesis 20:14
Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him [as God commanded].
Genesis 20:15
So Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please."
Genesis 28:12
He dreamed that there was a ladder (stairway) placed on the earth, and the top of it reached [out of sight] toward heaven; and [he saw] the angels of God ascending and descending on it [going to and from heaven].
Genesis 31:24
God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, "Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob, either good or bad."
Genesis 37:5
Now Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more.
Genesis 37:9
But Joseph dreamed still another dream, and told it to his brothers [as well]. He said, "See here, I have again dreamed a dream, and lo, [this time I saw] eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowed down [in respect] to me!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I have heard the check of my reproach,.... He took it that Job had reproached him and his friends, by representing them as hardhearted men, and persecuting him wrongly in a violent manner; and he had observed the "check" or reproof given for it, by bidding them beware of the sword, and lest the punishment of it should be inflicted on them; and if that should not be the case, yet there was a righteous judgment they could not escape. Now Zophar heard this, but could not hear it with patience; be could not bear that he and his friends should be insulted, as he thought, in this manner; and therefore it was he was in such baste to return an answer; though some d think he here pretends to a divine oracle, like that which Eliphaz makes mention of in the beginning of this dispute, Job 4:12, c. which he had from God, and from which he had heard the "correction [of his] reproach" e, or a full confutation of the thing Job had reproached him with and being thus divinely furnished, he thought it his duty to deliver it:

and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer; or his rational spirit, his natural understanding, furnished him at once with an answer; he had such a clear insight into the controversy on foot, and such a full view of it, that he thought himself capable of speaking very particularly to the matter in hand, and to the conviction and confusion of Job; nay, his conscience, or the spirit of his conscience, as Mr. Broughton renders it, not only readily dictated to him what he should say, but obliged him to it; though some think he meant the Holy Spirit of God, by which he would be thought to be inspired; that he "out [of his] understanding" f, enlightened by him, caused him to answer, or would answer for him, or supply him with matter sufficient to qualify him for it; and this he might observe to Job, in order to raise his attention to what he was about to say.

d Schmidt. e מוסר כלמתי "correctionem ignominiae meae", Pagninus, Montanus; so Schmidt, Michaelis. f מבינתי "ex intelligentia mea", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Drusius, Schmidt, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I have heard the check of my reproach - I have heard your violent and severe language reproaching us. Probably he refers to what Job had said in the close of his speech Job 19:29, that they had occasion to dread the wrath of God, and that they might anticipate heavy judgments as the result of their opinions. Or it may be, as Schultens supposes, that he refers to what Job said in Job 19:2, and the rebuke that he had administered there. Or possibly, and still more probably, I think, he may refer to what Job had said in reply to the former speech of Zophar Job 12:2, where he tauntingly says that “they were the people, and that wisdom would die with them.” The Hebrew literally is, “the correction of my shame” (כלמה מוּסר mûsâr kelı̂mmâh), “the correction of my shame.” that is, the castigation or rebuke which tends to cover me with ignominy. The sense is, “you have accused me of that which is ignominious and shameful, and under the impetuous feelings caused by such a charge I cannot refrain from replying.”

And the spirit of my understanding - Meaning, perhaps, “the emotion of his mind.” The word “mind” or “soul” would better express the idea than the word “understanding;” and the word “spirit” here seems to be used in the sense of violent or agitating emotions - perhaps in allusion to the primary signification of the word (רוּח rûach), “mind.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 20:3. I have heard the check of my reproach — Some suppose that Zophar quotes the words of Job, and that some words should be supplied to indicate this meaning; e.g., "I have heard (sayest thou) the check or charge of my reproach?" Or it may refer to what Job says of Zophar and his companions, Job 19:2; Job 19:3: How long will ye vex may soul-these ten times have ye reproached me. Zophar therefore assumes his old ground, and retracts nothing of what he had said. Like many of his own complexion in the present day, he was determined to believe that his judgment was infallible, and that he could not err.


 
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