Job 20 2

Job 20:2 kjv

Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

Job 20:2 nkjv

"Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer, Because of the turmoil within me.

Job 20:2 niv

"My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed.

Job 20:2 esv

"Therefore my thoughts answer me, because of my haste within me.

Job 20:2 nlt

"I must reply
because I am greatly disturbed.

Job 20 verses

Job 20 2 Meaning

Zophar of Naamah declares that his inner "thoughts" (deep, disturbing mental activity) are compelling him to respond to Job. He feels driven by an intense, urgent "hastening" or agitation deep "within him." This verse immediately reveals the agitated and emotionally charged state from which Zophar is speaking, rather than from a calm, compassionate, or truly discerning spirit.

Job 20 2 Context

Job 20 initiates Zophar’s second and final speech within the ongoing dialogue of Job. It directly follows Job’s profound and agonizing lament in Job 19, where Job expressed extreme despair over his condition, his sense of being forsaken by God and alienated by others, while also articulating a profound hope in a future Redeemer. Zophar, a staunch advocate of retribution theology (the belief that suffering directly correlates with sin and that the wicked are swiftly punished), interprets Job's prolonged suffering as irrefutable evidence of hidden sin. He views Job’s protests of innocence and his appeals to God as impudence or blasphemy, fundamentally challenging Zophar's established worldview. Job 20:2 therefore sets the tone for Zophar's ensuing, accusatory discourse, revealing his deep personal frustration and impatience with Job's perceived recalcitrance and theological error. He feels an immediate, overwhelming compulsion to decisively correct Job and reaffirm the principle of divine justice as he understands it.

Job 20 2 Word analysis

• "Therefore" (לָכֵן - lākēn): This conjunctive adverb introduces a logical consequence or a concluding statement, indicating that what follows is a result of something preceding it—namely, Zophar's internal state.
• "my thoughts" (שַׂעְפַּי - sa‘p̄pay): Derived from sa‘aph, this word conveys more than mere intellectual concepts; it signifies "branching," "division," "perplexing," or "disturbing thoughts." It implies internal agitation, vexation, or even anxious considerations, suggesting that Zophar's mind is troubled and uneasy, not calmly reasoned.
• "make me answer" (יְשִׁיבֻנִי - yĕšîḇunî): This is a Hiphil imperfect form of shuv, meaning "to return" or "to reply." The Hiphil conjugation indicates a causative action, meaning Zophar is made to answer, feeling an inner compulsion rather than a measured, considered choice to speak.
• "because of" (וּבַעֲבוּר - ûḇa‘ăḇûr): A causal conjunction meaning "and for the sake of," or "because of." It functions to emphasize the reason or cause for his compelled response.
• "my hastening" (חוּשִׁי - ḥûšî): From the verb ḥūsh, meaning "to hasten," "make haste," "be eager," or "feel urgency." It describes an intense internal drive, an almost impulsive pressure to speak quickly and without delay, perhaps driven by indignation.
• "within me" (בִּקִרְבִּי - biqirbî): From qerev, signifying "inwards," "midst," or the "inner part." This phrase emphasizes that the source of Zophar’s agitation is deep-seated and personal, originating from his innermost being.

Word-group analysis

• "my thoughts make me answer": This phrase highlights that Zophar’s impending discourse is not born of a serene spirit or detached contemplation. Instead, his agitated mental state is the primary catalyst for his response, suggesting an immediate and perhaps defensive reaction rather than empathetic engagement with Job.
• "because of my hastening within me": This explains the nature of Zophar’s internal disquiet. It is a rapid, pressing, and urgent inner compulsion to speak, stemming from his very core. This deep-seated impatience and need to respond points to his words being driven more by a perceived necessity to correct theological error (and thereby uphold his own understanding of divine justice) than by a genuine desire to comfort or understand Job’s profound suffering. It suggests a fixed mindset and an eagerness to silence dissent.

Job 20 2 Bonus section

• The ancient Greek Septuagint (LXX) translation offers an interpretative nuance: it translates Zophar's "thoughts" (sa‘p̄pay) as "spiritual intelligence" (nous) and his "hastening" (ḥūšî) as "anger" or "indignation" (thumos). This suggests that early interpreters understood Zophar's internal state as encompassing not only mental agitation but also a strong emotional element, perhaps even self-righteous anger.
• Zophar's opening here serves as a powerful illustration of how not to engage with someone in deep distress. His focus remains entirely on his own internal turmoil and the compulsion to speak, rather than on genuinely listening to or empathizing with the anguish of the sufferer.
• The nature of Zophar's compelled speech contrasts sharply with that of true prophets of God (e.g., Jeremiah 20:9), who also felt an inner fire or divine compulsion to speak. However, the source of their compulsion was divine truth and a righteous mandate, not human indignation, impatience, or the need to defend a personal theological construct against a suffering individual.

Job 20 2 Commentary

Job 20:2 opens Zophar's second and last speech with a declaration of his internal agitation, setting a distinctly confrontational and uncompassionate tone. He admits his words are driven not by calm reason or divine insight, but by profound disquiet and a rapid "hastening" deep within himself. This "hastening" signifies an intense impatience and an urgent need to react to Job’s perceived errors and lamentations. Zophar, bound by a rigid retribution theology, sees Job's suffering and his protestations of innocence as a direct challenge to the very nature of God's justice. His "thoughts" are not clear reflections, but a troubled mental state, possibly even indignation, that compels him to respond swiftly and decisively. His words become less about listening or offering comfort, and more about defending his fixed theological framework against Job’s challenging reality. This initial statement immediately reveals Zophar's mindset: his primary concern is to quickly assert what he believes to be divine truth, even if it comes at the expense of compassion and genuine understanding for his suffering friend.