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Job 20:23

When 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.

Rather, 'God shall cast (may God send) (Umbreit) upon him the fury of His wrath to fill his belly!' i:e., to satisfy his insatiable covetousness.

While eating - rather 'shall rain it upon him for his food!' Fiery rain - i:e., lightning (Psalms 11:6; alluding to John misfortune, Job 1:16). The force of the image is felt by picturing to one's self the opposite nature of a refreshing rain in the desert (Exodus 16:4; Psalms 68:9). His craving appetite, never satisfied, shall at least get enough of the kind of food which God shall send-fiery judgments rained upon him.

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See also Job 20:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 20:23. WHEN _HE IS ABOUT TO FILL HIS BELLY_] Here seems a plain allusion to the _lustings of the children of Israel in the desert_. God showered down _quails_ upon them, and showered down h...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHEN HE IS ABOUT TO FILL HIS BELLY - Or rather, “there shall be enough to fill his belly.” But what “kind” of food it should be, is indicated in the following part of the verse. “God” would fill him w...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE SECOND ADDRESS OF ZOPHAR _ 1. Zophar's swift reply (Job 20:1)_ 2. Another description of the life and fate of the wicked (Job 20:4) Job 20:1. Zophar, the twitterer, begins his reply t...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 20. SECOND SPEECH OF ZOPHAR. Zophar helps the return to the wider problem by appearing once more with a strong doctrine as to the shortness of the prosperity of the wicked. His theme is, Sin bring...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    His insatiable greed shall be satisfied at last. God shall fill him full of his judgments....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    His belly shall be filled! God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, And shall rain upon him his food. The food which the sinner shall be sated with is the terrible rain of judgments which God...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    E. POWERLESSNESS OF PROSPERITYNO ULTIMATE SECURITYZOPHAR'S WARNING (Job 20:1-29) TEXT 20:1-29 THEN ANSWERED ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE, AND SAID, _2_ Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even b...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    20:23 he (d-9) i.e. God. his (e-12) i.e God's. flesh. (f-25) Or 'as (or, with) his food.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ZOPHAR'S SECOND SPEECH Zophar ignores Job's conviction that God will one day establish his innocence, and proceeds to describe the short triumph of the wicked and his certain downfall and punishment...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 20 ZOPHAR’S LAST SPEECH AN...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God is a fair judge. He will punish a wicked man. A man might be able to escape from his enemies. But nobody can escape from God....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    יְהִ֤י ׀ לְ מַלֵּ֬א בִטְנֹ֗ו יְֽשַׁלַּח ־בֹּ֖ו...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVII. IGNORANT CRITICISM OF LIFE Job 20:1 ZOPHAR SPEAKS THE great saying that quickens our faith and carries thought into a higher world conveyed no Divine meaning to the man from Naamah. The autho...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE TRIUMPHING OF THE WICKED” Job 20:1 Zophar is the man who least of all understood Job. The rebuke which Job had just administered, Job 19:28, has vexed him, so that he speaks with impatience. Th...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    With evident haste, Zophar replied. His speech is introduced with an apology for his haste and a confession of his anger. He had heard the reproof, but he was not convinced; and the spirit of his unde...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    [When] he is about to fill his belly, [God] shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, (m) and shall rain [it] upon him while he is eating. (m) Some read, upon his flesh, alluding to Job, whose flesh...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _May. Hebrew, "And when he shall be about to fill his belly," like king Baltassar, death shall hurry him away. (Calmet) --- Rain. Septuagint, "hurl sorrows upon him," (Haydock) by an untimely death, f...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (4) Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, (5) That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? (6) Though his excellency mount up to...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    [WHEN] HE IS ABOUT TO FILL HIS BELLY,.... Either in a literal sense, when he is about to take an ordinary meal to satisfy nature; or in a figurative sense, when he is seeking to increase his worldly r...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Job 20:23 [When] 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. Ver. 23. _When he is about to fill his belly_] It app...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _When he is about to fill his belly_ That is, when he has enough to satisfy all his appetites, and shall design to indulge them in the pleasurable enjoyment of all his gains, and to spend his days in...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    When he is about to fill his belly, or, "That it may serve for the filling of his belly," that for once the wicked may have enough and more than enough, GOD SHALL CAST THE FURY OF HIS WRATH UPON HIM,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ZOPHAR PICTURES THE END OF THE UNGODLY...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WICKED MAN'S BRIEF TRIUMPH (vv.1-5) Zophar does not even consider the possibility that Job is not wicked, but again strongly condemns the wicked, making it evident that he is really speaking of...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "The wicked fills his belly with wealth, but God rains His anger into his bowels" _(p. 95)._...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    23-29 Zophar, having described the vexations which attend wicked practices, shows their ruin from God's wrath. There is no fence against this, but in Christ, who is the only Covert from the storm and...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WHEN HE IS ABOUT TO FILL HIS BELLY, i.e. when he hath enough and abundance to satisfy all his appetites, and shall design to take the pleasure of all his gains, and to spend his days in epicurism and...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 20:23 fill H4390 (H8763) stomach H990 cast H7971 (H8762) fury H2740 wrath H639 rain H4305 ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Zophar's second discourse on Job's case. CHARACTERS: God, Zophar, Job. CONCLUSION: Though wicked men may sometimes prosper, their joy is but for a moment and will quickly end in endless so...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 20:2. _I make haste_ to answer, for thou reproachest both God and us. Zophar had felt the point of Job's sword, in the preseding discourse; but the present chapter may well be considered as a most...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 20:1 In his second response, Zophar expresses frustration at Job’s continued belief that God has brought about his suffering but will ultimately vindicate him (vv. Job 20:2). Zophar th...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ Produces nothing new; much more outspoken than before. Enlarges on the miseries overtaking the wicked, insinuating that Job was such. His argument,—like in condition, like in...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 20:1 Zophar's second speech is even more harsh than his first (Job 11:1.). He adds coarseness and rudeness to his former vehement hostility (Job 20:7,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Zophar, the third of the speakers, gives his second discourse. And again, he was the guy that was dealing with traditions earlier, and with wisdom and all, so he said to Job, Therefore do my thoug...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 9:23; Genesis 19:24; Isaiah 21:4; Luke 12:17; Malachi 2:2;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Rain — This phrase denotes both the author of his plagues, God, and the nature and quality of them, that they shall come upon him like rain; with great vehemency, so that he cannot prevent or avoid it...

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