2 Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
Hath one tried a word with thee? -- Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?
Who `is' he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.
Lest ye say, We have found wisdom, God doth thrust him away, not man. And he hath not set in array words for me, And with your sayings I do not answer him. (They have broken down, They have not answered again, They removed from themselves words. And I have waited, but they do not speak, For they have stood still, They have not answered any more.) I answer, even I -- my share, I shew my opinion -- even I. For I have been full of words, Distressed me hath the spirit of my breast, Lo, my breast `is' as wine not opened, Like new bottles it is broken up. I speak, and there is refreshment to me, I open my lips and answer.
And I -- I have said in my haste, `I have been cut off from before Thine eyes,' But Thou hast heard the voice of my supplications, In my crying unto Thee.
Whoso is slow to anger `is' of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
And I said, `I do not mention Him, Nor do I speak any more in His name,' And it hath been in my heart As a burning fire shut up in my bones, And I have been weary of containing, And I am not able.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 20
Commentary on Job 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
One would have thought that such an excellent confession of faith as Job made, in the close of the foregoing chapter, would satisfy his friends, or at least mollify them; but they do not seem to have taken any notice of it, and therefore Zophar here takes his turn, enters the lists with Job, and attacks him with as much vehemence as before.
But the great mistake was, and (as bishop Patrick expresses it) all the flaw in his discourse (which was common to him with the rest), that he imagined God never varied from this method, and therefore Job was, without doubt, a very bad man, though it did not appear that he was, any other way than by his infelicity.
Job 20:1-9
Here,
Job 20:10-22
The instances here given of the miserable condition of the wicked man in this world are expressed with great fulness and fluency of language, and the same thing returned to again and repeated in other words. Let us therefore reduce the particulars to their proper heads, and observe,
Job 20:23-29
Zophar, having described the many embarrassments and vexations which commonly attend the wicked practices of oppressors and cruel men, here comes to show their utter ruin at last.