Job 20 27

Job 20:27 kjv

The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

Job 20:27 nkjv

The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:27 niv

The heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:27 esv

The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.

Job 20:27 nlt

The heavens will reveal their guilt,
and the earth will testify against them.

Job 20 verses

Job 20 27 Meaning

Job 20:27 declares the comprehensive and inescapable nature of divine judgment upon the wicked. It posits that all creation—both the heavens above and the earth below—will actively bear witness against the iniquities of a sinful person, ensuring that nothing remains hidden and that justice is meted out. This verse asserts the absolute certainty and universality of God's justice, where even the cosmic elements are agents in revealing and opposing wickedness.

Job 20 27 Context

This verse is found within Zophar's second, and final, speech to Job in chapter 20. Zophar, like Eliphaz and Bildad, argues vehemently from the traditional understanding of divine retribution: the wicked always suffer, and their suffering is proportional to their sins, while the righteous always prosper. Zophar's speech (Job 20:4-29) provides a vivid and graphic description of the wicked man's temporary prosperity and inevitable downfall. He portrays the wicked man's demise as comprehensive, involving financial ruin, physical illness, and ultimately, cosmic condemnation. Verse 27 serves as the climactic statement in this portrayal, emphasizing the inescapability and totalizing nature of God's judgment against such a person, asserting that even the natural world will participate in exposing their iniquity and rising up against them. The dramatic imagery aims to convince Job that his suffering must therefore be a direct consequence of hidden wickedness. This aligns with the friends' fundamental, though misapplied, theological position regarding Job.

Job 20 27 Word analysis

• The heaven (Hebrew: שָׁמַיִם - shamayim): A plural noun meaning "heavens" or "sky." In biblical thought, the heavens are often associated with God's dwelling place, divine authority, cosmic order, and the seat of omniscience. Here, shamayim signifies a universal, divine witness, transcending human perception, indicating that the judgment originates from above and is universally observed by celestial entities.
• shall reveal (Hebrew: יְגַלֶּה - yegalleh): A verb from the root galeh, meaning "to uncover," "to reveal," "to expose." It denotes an active, deliberate unveiling, not merely a passive state of knowing. It implies the removal of hiddenness or disguise, bringing to light what was concealed, making the iniquity manifest for all to see, or for judgment.
• his iniquity (Hebrew: עֲוֺנֹו - avonōw): A noun derived from ʿawōn, meaning "iniquity," "guilt," "punishment for sin." It often carries the sense of twistedness or perversion, a moral deviation from God's standard, and encompasses not just the act but the guilt and often the consequences. This refers to the full extent of a person's wrongdoing, especially what they thought was secret.
• and the earth (Hebrew: וָאָרֶץ - va'aretz): The conjunction "and" (vav) connects the two cosmic witnesses. ʾEretz refers to the ground, the land, the earth, the world. Juxtaposed with "heaven," it completes the scope of creation, indicating that the judgment is comprehensive—from the highest heavens to the lowest parts of the earth.
• shall rise up (Hebrew: תִּתְקוֹמָם - titqōmam): A verb from the root qum, meaning "to rise," "to stand up." The reflexive-intensive form (Hithpael) here suggests an active, deliberate, and even aggressive standing up "against." It implies personification—the very earth becomes an adversary, an agent in bringing judgment, making no place safe for the wicked to hide.
• against him (Hebrew: עָלָיו - ʿalāv): A preposition meaning "upon," "over," "against," combined with the pronominal suffix "him." It indicates direct opposition and confrontation, the target of the earth's uprising.

Words-group analysis:

• "The heaven shall reveal his iniquity": This phrase emphasizes divine omniscience and the cosmic nature of God's judgment. Sins committed in secret or hidden from human eyes are known to God and will be brought to light by the ultimate authority residing in the heavens. It speaks to the ultimate accountability before God, where nothing remains concealed.
• "and the earth shall rise up against him": This complements the first part, showing the terrestrial manifestation of this divine judgment. It conveys the idea that there is no hiding place for the wicked on earth; even the very ground he stands upon or from which he derives his sustenance will turn against him. This hyperbolic expression underscores the completeness of the judgment and the pervasive nature of God's justice, where creation itself serves as an executor of divine decree.

Job 20 27 Bonus section

• Polemics against false security: The verse stands as a strong polemic against the mindset that one can commit wickedness secretly and escape consequences. It directly challenges the illusion of security and hiddenness that the unrighteous might harbor.
• Anthropomorphic language: The language of the heaven "revealing" and the earth "rising up" against a person uses anthropomorphism to vividly illustrate the active role creation plays in God's plan of judgment. It highlights the cosmic solidarity with divine justice.
• True principle, misapplied context: While Zophar misapplies this truth to Job, suggesting Job's suffering is a direct result of hidden sin, the underlying principle—that God's ultimate justice is unavoidable and that all things are exposed before Him—remains a core biblical truth throughout Scripture. The book of Job ultimately shows that the timing and immediate manifestation of judgment are complex and not always as simply explained as Zophar suggests.
• Universal accountability: The comprehensive nature of the judgment (heavens and earth) speaks to the universal accountability of humanity before God, irrespective of time, place, or societal status.

Job 20 27 Commentary

Job 20:27 is a powerful declaration by Zophar concerning the certain and all-encompassing judgment of the wicked. In his traditional, rigid view of divine justice, Zophar asserts that even if human judgment fails, the heavens and the earth will act as witnesses and instruments of God's perfect justice. "The heaven shall reveal his iniquity" implies that no sin, no matter how secretly committed, escapes divine notice and that the celestial realm itself will bear witness to and unveil hidden transgressions. This points to God's omniscient nature; He sees and knows all. The accompanying phrase, "and the earth shall rise up against him," adds a layer of terrestrial inescapable judgment. This personifies the earth as an active antagonist against the wicked, signifying that every corner of creation will turn against the individual who has defied God's moral order. There will be no refuge, no escape, no place to hide from the consequences of one's wickedness. This serves as a warning that one cannot outrun or outwit divine justice, for creation itself is aligned with God's moral purpose and will participate in the just reckoning.