20:3 I have heard a the check of my reproach, and the spirit
of my understanding causeth me to answer.
(a) He declares that two things moved him to speak: that
is, because Job seemed to touch him, and because he
thought he had knowledge sufficient to confute him.
20:6 Though b his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his
head reach unto the clouds;
(b) His purpose is to prove Job to be a wicked man, and a
hypocrite, because God punished him, and changed his
prosperity into adversity.
20:10 His children shall c seek to please the poor, and his
hands shall d restore their goods.
(c) While the father through ambition and tyranny
oppressed the poor, the children through poverty and
misery will seek favour from the poor.
(d) So that the thing which he has taken away by violence
will be restored again by force.
20:11 His bones are full [of the sin] of his youth, which e
shall lie down with him in the dust.
(e) Meaning that he will carry nothing away with him but
his sin.
20:12 Though wickedness be f sweet in his mouth, [though] he
hide it under his tongue;
(f) As poison that is sweet in the mouth brings
destruction when it comes into the body: so all vice
at the first is pleasant, but God later turns it to
destruction.
20:16 He shall suck the g poison of asps: the viper's tongue
shall slay him.
(g) He compares ill-gotten goods to the venom of asps,
which is a dangerous serpent, noting that Jobs great
riches were not truly come by and therefore God
plagues him justly for the same.
20:17 He shall not see the h rivers, the floods, the brooks of
honey and butter.
(h) Though God gives all other abundance from his
blessings yet he will have no part of it.
20:18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not
swallow [it] down: according to [his] substance [shall]
the restitution [be], i and he shall not rejoice
[therein].
(i) That is these raveners and spoilers of the poor will
enjoy their theft but for a time for after God will
take it from them, and cause them to make restitution
so that it is only an exchange.
20:21 There shall none of his k meat be left; therefore shall
no man look for his goods.
(k) He will leave nothing to his posterity.
20:22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:
every hand l of the wicked shall come upon him.
(l) The wicked will never be in rest: for one wicked man
will seek to destroy another.
20:23 [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 was smitten with a scab.
20:25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the n body; yea, the
glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors [are]
upon him.
(n) Some read, of the quiver.
20:26o All darkness [shall be] hid in his secret places: a
fire not p blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with
him that is left in his tabernacle.
(o) All fear and sorrow will light on him when he thinks
to escape.
(p) That is, fire from heaven, or the fire of God's wrath.
20:28 The q increase of his house shall depart, [and his
goods] shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
(q) Meaning, the children of the wicked will flow away
like rivers and be dispersed in various places.
20:29 This [is] the portion of a wicked man from r God, and
the heritage appointed unto him by s God.
(r) Thus God will plague the wicked.
(s) Against God, thinking to excuse himself, and to escape
God's hand.
