The Meaning of Job 20:20 Explained

Job 20:20

KJV: Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

YLT: For he hath not known ease in his belly. With his desirable thing he delivereth not himself.

Darby: Because he knew no rest in his craving, he shall save nought of what he most desired.

ASV: Because he knew no quietness within him, He shall not save aught of that wherein he delighteth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Surely he shall not feel  quietness  in his belly,  he shall not save  of that which he desired. 

What does Job 20:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 20:1-29 - "the Triumphing Of The Wicked"
Zophar is the man who least of all understood Job. The rebuke which Job had just administered, Job 19:28-29, has vexed him, so that he speaks with impatience.
The theme of Zophar's speech is the brevity of the prosperity of the wicked. He claims that this is an acknowledged principle, Job 20:4; then proceeds to show it by many striking metaphors.
Hypocrite, Job 20:5, is "godless" in the r.v.; and in describing the prosperity and speedy destruction of such, Job 20:5-11, he manifestly applies his words to Job. He refuses to pay any heed to Job's protestations of innocence. His theology was: God is righteous; he blesses and prospers the good, and destroys the wicked. Job was being destroyed; therefore Job was wicked. Thus often do we in our ignorance misunderstand God and cruelly misjudge man.
Zophar descends to more particulars. He describes the pleasure which the ungodly has in sin, Job 20:12-13; how his sin becomes his punishment, Job 20:14-22; and how terrible destruction at last visits him, Job 20:23-28, as his portion from God, Job 20:29. Though in all this Zophar was wrong in applying it to Job's case, and equally wrong in supposing that this life is the place of judgment for the wicked, yet it is important to remember that he was right in seeing a very real connection between sin and punishment. However sweet sin may be to the taste, it is sure to become bitter as the gall of asps ere long. The "pleasures of sin" are but for a season. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 20

1  Zophar shows the state and portion of the wicked

What do the individual words in Job 20:20 mean?

Because no he knows quietness in his heart anything he desires not He will save
כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־ יָדַ֣ע שָׁלֵ֣ו בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט

כִּ֤י ׀  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדַ֣ע  he  knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
שָׁלֵ֣ו  quietness 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵו  
Sense: quiet, at ease, prosperous.
בְּבִטְנ֑וֹ  in  his  heart 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּטֶן  
Sense: belly, womb, body.
בַּ֝חֲמוּד֗וֹ  anything  he  desires 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָמַד 
Sense: to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in.
יְמַלֵּֽט  He  will  save 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַט 
Sense: to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered.

What are the major concepts related to Job 20:20?

Loading Information...