Job 20:19 · Bible study
Job 20:19 Commentary: Oppressing the Poor and Losing the House
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Job 20:19: Zophar's charge against the wicked for crushing the poor and seizing houses, with the consequence of never rebuilding.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked man oppresses the poor and will not enjoy the property he seizes.
- Key words: ratsats (crush), 'azav (forsake), ga'zal (seize/plunder), banah (build/establish).
- Main debate: Whether the oppression is violent robbery (Clarke, Gill) or legal exploitation (Barnes).
- Theological theme: Retributive justice: unjust gain does not endure under God's judgment.
- Best use: Teaching on economic ethics, the danger of greed, and the certainty of divine justice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
KJV King James Version 1769
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For he oppressed--he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For he hath oppressed, hath forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away a house that he did not build.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Because he broke in and stripped the poor: he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por cuanto quebrantó y desamparó á los pobres, robó casas, y no las edificó;
Pois oprimiu e desamparou aos pobres; roubou a casa que não edificou;
Car il a opprimé, délaissé les pauvres,
Denn er hat unterdrückt und verlassen den Armen; er hat Häuser an sich gerissen, die er nicht erbaut hat.
Omdat hij onderdrukt heeft, de armen verlaten heeft, een huis geroofd heeft, dat hij niet opgebouwd had;
Perché ha oppresso e abbandonato il povero, s’è impadronito di case che non avea costruite;
Bo ubogich dręczył i opuszczał, złupił dom, którego nie budował; przetoż nic spokojnego nie poczuje w żywocie swoim,
Ибо он угнетал, отсылал бедных; захватывал домы, которых не строил;
他欺壓 窮人，且又離棄；強取 非 自己所蓋 的房屋（或譯：強取房屋不得再建造）。
Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 20:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Job 20:19 describes the wicked man's harsh treatment of the poor. The Hebrew verb רִצַּץ (ratsats) means to crush or break in pieces, as Adam Clarke notes. The following verb 'forsook' indicates leaving the poor helpless after oppressing them. Barnes emphasizes that Zophar is not describing a thief, but a man who takes advantage of the poor's needs to seize their property. Gill adds that the wicked man does not leave the poor until he has oppressed and crushed them. The consequence, 'he will not build it up,' is taken by most interpreters to mean that the house he took will not be enjoyed, either because it will be destroyed, or because he will die before completing it. Keil and Delitzsch render it: 'He shall not, in case he hath seized a house, finish building it.' The consensus is that this verse teaches the principle of retributive justice: ill-gotten gain does not last.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Violent robbery: Hebrew verb ga`zal means to plunder by force; 'crushed' (ratsats) suggests physical violence.
- Legal exploitation: Barnes argues Zophar describes a man using debt and legal means to take property; the phrase 'oppressed and forsaken' fits economic oppression.
- Metaphorical building: The verb banah can mean to establish a family; 'he will not build it up' may mean his family line will not continue (Gill alludes to this sense).
What is clear: The wicked man oppresses the poor and will not ultimately benefit from his unjust gain. God's justice stands against such oppression.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the oppression | The wicked man oppresses and forsakes the poor. | Whether this refers to violent robbery (Clarke, Gill) or legal exploitation through loans and foreclosure (Barnes). |
| Meaning of 'he will not build it up' | The wicked man will not enjoy the house he seized. | Some see it as literal (he will not rebuild), others as metaphorical (he will not establish his family or legacy). |
| Zophar's application to Job | Zophar uses the general principle to accuse Job. | Whether this is a valid application of the retribution principle; Job himself denies wrongdoing (Job 21:27, 28). |
| Certainty of judgment | God will judge the oppressor. | Whether this judgment is always in this life (as Zophar argues) or may be in the afterlife (as later revelation clarifies). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Job 20 is Zophar the Naamathite's second speech in the debate with Job. His theme is the certain punishment of the wicked. He describes a wealthy oppressor who swallows riches but must vomit them up (v. 15), and who will lose everything. Verse 19 fits into a series of accusations: the wicked man crushes the poor, leaves them destitute, and seizes houses he did not build.
In the ancient Near East, 'building a house' could mean either constructing a physical dwelling or establishing a family line. The Hebrew בָּנָה covers both meanings. Land grabbing was a common social evil, condemned by prophets like Isaiah (Isa 5:8) and Micah (Mic 2:2), as the Cambridge Bible notes. Zophar's description may reflect wealthy landowners using debt or force to take over small holdings. The consequence 'he will not build it up' echoes covenant curses such as Deuteronomy 28:30: 'You will build a house, and not inhabit it.'
Both legal exploitation and outright robbery are in view. Barnes argues for the former; Clarke for the latter. The verse thus warns that unjust gain will not bring lasting enjoyment, a theme consistent with wisdom teaching. Zophar applies this general truth specifically to Job, implying Job's suffering proves he has committed such sins. The historical setting shows a society where the poor were vulnerable, but Zophar insists that God will ultimately balance the scales.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries and sources note no significant textual variants for Job 20:19. The Hebrew text is well-attested.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have consistently used this verse to condemn exploitation of the poor. Matthew Henry (18th century) reads it as part of the general misery of the wicked. Albert Barnes (19th century) applies it to wealthy landowners who take advantage of the poor through foreclosures. The Geneva Bible notes also highlight the destruction of the oppressor's house. The verse has been cited in preaching on economic justice and the temporary nature of ill-gotten gains. Across traditions, the emphasis falls on God's justice against those who crush the vulnerable.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The wicked's sin is personal and oppressive. He crushes, forsakes, and seizes from the poor. (v. 19a)
- The wicked's gain is temporary and hollow. The house he took will not be built up. (v. 19b)
- God's justice is certain, even when delayed. Zophar insists that the oppressor will not enjoy his plunder.
Five-point outline
- Nature of oppression: The Hebrew verb ratsats means to crush the vulnerable.
- Attitude: He forsakes those he has harmed, no compassion remains.
- Action: He violently seizes houses he did not build, whether by fraud or force.
- Outcome: He will not build it up, his project remains unfinished, his legacy undone.
- Warning: God sees and judges; no unjust gain is safe.
Illustration hooks
- A family loses their home to a predatory lender who then goes bankrupt himself, leaving the house abandoned.
- A business owner cuts corners and cheats workers, only to see his own company collapse in a scandal.
- The empty mansion of a wealthy swindler never becomes a home, it is repossessed or stands as a monument to greed.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do the wicked sometimes prosper for so long?
- Is it wrong to be wealthy if you earned it fairly, even if others are poor?
- How can we ensure we are not taking advantage of others, even in small ways?
Leading a Discussion
This verse appears in Zophar's speech accusing Job. It raises questions about how we view suffering and justice. Begin by reading Job 20:19 in context (v. 15, 29). Then work through the questions below.
Discussion questions
- What do the Hebrew verbs 'crushed' and 'seized' tell us about the wicked man's actions? How do they make you feel?
- Barnes argues Zophar describes legal exploitation, not violent robbery. How does that interpretation change the way you understand the oppression?
- Why does Zophar use 'he will not build it up' as a punishment? What does that say about the purpose of wealth?
- How does this verse relate to Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself?
- What comfort does this verse offer to someone who has been taken advantage of financially?
- How can we guard our own hearts against the temptation to put profit ahead of people?
- If someone in your group has experienced or witnessed oppression, how does this passage speak to that situation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 28:33 | A nation which you don’t know will eat the fruit of your ground and all of your work. You will only be oppressed and crushed always, |
| I Samuel 12:3 | Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” |
| I Samuel 12:4 | They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.” |
| I Kings 21:19 | You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.”’” |
| Job 18:15 | There will dwell in his tent that which is none of his. Sulfur will be scattered on his habitation. |
| Job 21:27 | “Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me. |
| Job 21:28 | For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’ |
| Job 22:6 | For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Job allowed the poor orphans to die of hunger so he could keep his own house standing. He believes this shows Job chose his property over saving those in need.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the sin described is not violent robbery but systematic exploitation of the poor. A rich man takes advantage of their need, acquiring property for far less than it is worth through mortgages and foreclosures. This is a subtle but severe form of robbery that demands divine punishment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the wicked person abandons the poor after harming them. He will not enjoy the houses he has taken because those houses will remain empty and destroyed.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the wicked person's pattern of destroying many lives, abandoning the poor, and plundering homes he never built. The emphasis falls on how he takes what others labored to create, showing that oppression is not just greed but ruinous injustice.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that the rich man is oppressed and left helpless while his house becomes a shelter for the poor. This shows he failed to help those in need as he should have.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that verse 19 describes a conditional outcome, not a past event. The wicked man crushes the poor and leaves them helpless; if he steals a house, he will not finish building it up. The emphasis falls on the curse of incomplete gain.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that Zophar's graphic description of the wicked man's ruin is theologically sound, but it becomes a fearful lie when applied to Job. The truth is twisted into a weapon of unjust accusation, and Zophar's aim is to crush rather than comfort.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry says the wicked person will return all he stole to the poor people he harmed. He also states his bones will hold the memory of his sins when he dies.