Bible Commentaries
Job 20

Verse 1

answered = spake again. See note on Job 4:1 .

Zophar. See note on Job 2:11 .

Verse 3

check = correction.

of = for: i.e. meant to confound me, referring to ch App-19 .

spirit of = spirit from. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

Verse 4

Knowest thou not this? This was Zophar's reply to Job in Job 19:25 , implying that Job had no such hope.

of old = from of old.

man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

Verse 5

wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

dung. See note on Isaiah 25:10 .

Verse 10

children = sons.

seek to please = pay court to.

poor = impoverished. Hebrew. dul. See note on Proverbs 6:11 .

Verse 12

wickedness. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

Verse 13

mouth = palate.

Verse 14

meat = bread; "bread" put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species) App-6 , for all kinds of food.

Verse 15

GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 .

Verse 17

rivers = divisions of water for irrigation, as in a garden. Hebrew. palgey mayim. See notes on Proverbs 21:1 , and Psalms 1:3 .

floods = rivers. Hebrew. nahar, ever flowing.

brooks = wadys. Hebrew. nahal, summer streams.

Verse 20

feel = know, or experience.

Verse 22

every hand of the wicked = all power of trouble.

hand. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the power exercised by it.

Verse 26

not blown. Not blown up, or produced by man.

tabernacle = tent.

Verse 28

flow away = melt away, disappear.

Verse 29

man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .