Job 20 23

Job 20:23 kjv

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.

Job 20:23 nkjv

When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast on him the fury of His wrath, And will rain it on him while he is eating.

Job 20:23 niv

When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him.

Job 20:23 esv

To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body.

Job 20:23 nlt

May God give them a bellyful of trouble.
May God rain down his anger upon them.

Job 20 verses

Job 20 23 Meaning

Zophar declares that precisely at the moment a wicked person achieves their full measure of desired prosperity and feels completely secure, God will swiftly and powerfully unleash the full intensity of His consuming wrath upon them. This judgment will descend like an inescapable downpour, specifically interrupting and nullifying their act of self-gratification or enjoyment.

Job 20 23 Context

Job chapter 20 presents Zophar's second, and ultimately final, speech in the book. It is characterized by his harsh, unyielding assertion of traditional retribution theology, directly challenging Job's cries of innocence. Zophar maintains that the prosperity of the wicked is always short-lived, despite their temporary flourishing. He elaborates on the dire consequences awaiting such individuals, portraying their eventual ruin as inescapable and sudden.

This verse (20:23) serves as the climactic point of Zophar's argument regarding the ultimate fate of the wicked. He vividly describes their destruction, contrasting their momentary triumph with immediate, divinely-orchestrated catastrophe. His pronouncements, while containing truths about divine judgment against sin, are tragically misapplied to Job, who is portrayed in the opening of the book as blameless and upright. Zophar's words reflect a common ancient Near Eastern belief that all suffering directly correlates with sin, a premise the entire book of Job seeks to profoundly challenge and deepen.

Job 20 23 Word Analysis

• When he is about to fill his belly:

  • When he is about to fill (בְּמַלְּאוֹת bᵉmallᵉʾōṯ): This prepositional phrase, often rendered "as he fills" or "when he is about to fill," indicates a critical moment. It suggests the zenith of one's acquisition, pleasure, or perceived success—the very point of complete satiation or culmination of desire.
  • his belly (בִּטְנוֹ biṭnō): Symbolically, "belly" extends beyond mere physical appetite. It represents the wicked person's ultimate desire, covetousness, and accumulated material possessions or worldly gratifications. This refers to the core of their selfish pursuits and the false security found in their earthly abundance.

• God will cast the fury of his wrath upon him:

  • God will cast (יְשַׁלַּח yᵉšallaḥ): "He will send forth," "release," or "unleash." This verb implies a decisive, active, and immediate divine intervention. It highlights God's sovereign initiative in judgment, emphasizing its inevitability and suddenness, not merely a natural consequence.
  • the fury of his wrath (חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ ḥārôn ʾappō): This is a strong, intensive double expression for divine anger. ḥārôn denotes fierce, burning rage or indignation, while ʾappō (literally "his nose/nostrils," a common Hebrew idiom for anger) refers to an intense, flaring wrath. Combined, it portrays an overwhelming, consuming, and irresistible divine indignation.

• and will rain it upon him:

  • and will rain it (וְיַמְטֵר vᵉyamṭēr): This vivid imagery likens the judgment to a deluge or torrential downpour. It emphasizes the copious, pervasive, and inescapable nature of the impending doom. It implies an overwhelming quantity and widespread impact, leaving no area unaffected.
  • upon him (עָלָיו ʿālāw): Direct and specific targeting. The judgment is precisely aimed at the wicked individual.

• while he is eating:

  • while he is eating (בְּלַחְמָתוֹ bᵉlaḥmāṯô or בִּלְחוּמָיו bi-lḥumaw in some traditions, "in his food/at his meal" or "in his mouthfuls/jaws"): This specifies the precise, immediate moment of divine intervention. It catches the wicked at the peak of their indulgence and self-satisfaction, disrupting the very act that symbolizes their false security and worldly gain. It underscores the ultimate futility and emptiness of their pursuits.

Words-group analysis:

• "When he is about to fill his belly": This phrase paints a picture of ultimate perceived triumph and satiety, representing the climax of the wicked person's self-indulgent life and the false security it brings.
• "God will cast the fury of his wrath upon him": This powerful statement asserts an active, intentional, and fierce divine response to wickedness. It underscores God's righteous indignation and swift, precise judgment.
• "and will rain it upon him while he is eating": This imagery combines overwhelming deluge with immediate, direct timing. It signifies the complete and inescapable destruction that strikes at the very instant of perceived comfort, revealing the sudden reversal of the wicked's fortunes.

Job 20 23 Bonus section

• Zophar's language, especially "rain it upon him," connects with biblical patterns of divine judgment expressed through natural phenomena, such as the destructive floods and fires God brought upon the earth in earlier narratives (Gen 7, Gen 19). This highlights God's sovereignty over creation in executing His will.
• This verse contributes to the dramatic tension within the Book of Job, showcasing the limited theological perspective of Job's friends. While asserting a truth about God's justice, their application of it becomes a central error, prompting deeper revelation about suffering and God's ways in later chapters.
• The phrase "while he is eating" not only signifies the precise timing of judgment but also implies the worthlessness of the wicked's pursuit of pleasure and sustenance. What they crave most will be interrupted and become a source of their undoing.

Job 20 23 Commentary

Job 20:23 captures Zophar's staunch adherence to the strict principle of immediate retributive justice. He confidently proclaims that God’s fierce and unbridled wrath will descend without warning upon the wicked precisely at the zenith of their worldly prosperity and self-satisfaction. The "filling of his belly" represents the culmination of all the wicked man's covetous desires and self-indulgent pursuits, signifying a moment of false security. The divine response, described as God "casting" and "raining" His "fury of wrath," paints a picture of an overwhelming, inescapable, and utterly decisive judgment. This swift action serves to utterly nullify and condemn the wicked’s transient joys, demonstrating that their supposed success is ultimately meaningless in the face of divine righteousness. Zophar's forceful declaration, though containing a general truth about God’s nature as judge, tragically misapplies this truth to Job, failing to account for the complexity of human suffering and divine wisdom.