The big picture
Job 20 opens in verse 1 with “Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out…”, and closes in verse 29 with “This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by…” Repeated or prominent terms include belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Job · King James Version · 29Job 20:1-8
1–8: Answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Job 20:1–8 opens with “Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,” and reaches “He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 20 develops its own movement around belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps, with particular weight carried by answer, cause, causeth.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,” Naming Naamathite and Zophar keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Job 20:1-8
King James Version1Then 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.
Job 20:9-16
9–16: The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his…
Job 20:9–16 opens with “The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.” and reaches “He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 20 develops its own movement around belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps, with particular weight carried by asps, mouth, tongue.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Job 20:9-16
King James Version9The 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.
Job 20:17-24
17–24: He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.
Job 20:17–24 opens with “He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.” and reaches “He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 20 develops its own movement around belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps, with particular weight carried by belly, brooks, builded.
Context that brings the passage to life
“He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Job 20:17-24
King James Version17He 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.
Job 20:25-29
25–29: It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword…
Job 20:25–29 opens with “It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall…” and reaches “This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Job 20 develops its own movement around belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps, with particular weight carried by cometh, appointed, blown.
Context that brings the passage to life
“It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.” The line’s distinctive content terms include cometh, body, drawn. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.
Job 20:25-29
King James Version25It 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Job 20:1 begins with “Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,”
Where the chapter turns
Job 20:7 forms a natural hinge: “Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?”
The final note
Job 20:29 leaves the reader with “This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words belly, goods, wicked, answer, asps, cometh help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What assumption drives Abraham's deception?
He assumes there is no fear of God in the place and that he will be killed.
How does the chapter expose that assumption?
Abimelech responds seriously to God's warning and confronts Abraham about wrongdoing.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.