Job 20:1-9 Meaning: Why Zophar Answered So Harshly
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
5that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.
3I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
4Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
4Knowest thou notthis of old time, Since man was placed upon earth,
5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, And his head reach unto the clouds;
7Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: They that have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him shall see him no more; Neither shall his place any more behold him.
1And Zophar the Naamathite answereth and saith: --
2Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, And because of my sensations in me.
3The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
4This hast thou known from antiquity? Since the placing of man on earth?
5That the singing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,
6Though his excellency go up to the heavens, And his head against a cloud he strike--
7As his own dung for ever he doth perish, His beholders say: `Where is he?'
8As a dream he fleeth, and they find him not, And he is driven away as a vision of the night,
9The eye hath not seen him, and addeth not. And not again doth his place behold him.
1And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,
2Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
3I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
4Knowest thou [not] this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,
5The exultation of the wicked is short, and the joy of the ungodly man but for a moment?
6Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds,
7Like his own dung doth he perish for ever; they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
8He flieth away as a dream, and is not found; and is chased away as a vision of the night.
9The eye which saw him shall [see him] not again; and his place beholdeth him no more.
Meaning in one sentence
Zophar’s angry speech in Job 20:1-9 shows how easy it is to use true principles to wound a hurting person instead of comfort them.
Context
Job is in deep pain. His friends came to comfort him, but their visits turned into arguments. Zophar, the third friend, is the most blunt. In chapter 20, he responds to Job’s cry of faith, the famous confession “I know my Redeemer lives”, with a stern lecture. Zophar insists that the wicked never truly prosper. Their joy is brief, like a dream that vanishes at dawn. He means to defend God’s justice. But he misses what Job really needs: not a theology lesson, but a friend who will sit with him in the dark.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give Zophar’s speech its punch. The first, rinnah, is a ringing cry of joy, the kind you hear at a victory celebration. Zophar says that joy, for the wicked, is over before the echo fades. The second word, chanef, describes someone who is godless, a hypocrite: they look right on the outside but are hollow inside. Zophar is sure this fits Job. The third word, avad, means to perish completely, to vanish like something that never existed. Together they form a terrifying picture: the hypocrite’s triumph evaporates. But here is the real trouble. Zophar’s theology is correct in general, but he misapplies it to Job’s specific case. Knowing these words reminds us that we can speak truth about sin and judgment in ways that wound the innocent.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians from many traditions see in this passage a warning about misapplied truth. Reformers like Matthew Henry observed that Zophar spoke from a “great heat” and missed Job’s integrity. Methodist commentator Adam Clarke called Zophar the “most inveterate” of the friends, pointing out that he set no bounds to his attack. Baptist commentator John Gill noted that Zophar’s principle, that the wicked perish like dung, is true in itself but falsely applied to Job. Anglican scholars in the Cambridge Bible highlight how Zophar’s description of the wicked’s fleeting joy echoes Psalms like 73:20. Across traditions, readers agree: Zophar speaks true things in a wrong way, reminding us that even correct doctrine can be used to crush the broken.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading takes Zophar’s claim, that the wicked always perish quickly, as a universal law God enforces in every case. In fact, the book of Job exists partly to challenge this very idea. Job’s suffering does not come from hidden sin. Zophar speaks truth about God’s ultimate justice, but he is wrong to apply it to Job. The verse asks us to hold general principles humbly, not wield them as weapons.
Living This Out
This passage asks you to examine how you speak to people who are suffering. Zophar had a correct belief: wickedness does not last. But he used it to silence a hurting man. This week, before you offer a spiritual explanation for someone’s pain, pause. Ask yourself: Am I trying to comfort, or am I trying to be right? Job 20:1-9 is a caution that even biblical truths can become cold when spoken without compassion. Instead, consider sitting with someone in their darkness, as Job’s friends did at first. Your presence may say more than your answers.
Main takeaway: Right belief spoken without love can wound the very people God calls us to comfort.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Zophar thought he knew why Job was hurting. But he forgot that we don’t always know why bad things happen. It’s okay to not have an answer.
For ages 9, 12
Zophar’s speech sounds true: people who do wrong don’t stay happy forever. But he made a big mistake. He assumed Job was hiding sin because Job was suffering. The Bible shows us that suffering can come to anyone, even to people who love God. This is why we must be careful not to judge others’ pain. Sometimes the best thing to do is just be with them.
Questions People Ask
Why is Zophar so angry in Job 20?
Zophar feels insulted by Job’s claim of innocence. He thinks Job has reproached the friends by implying they are wrong. Haste and turmoil drive his harsh response. He wants to defend the traditional belief that suffering always punishes sin.
What does “the triumphing of the wicked is short” mean?
Zophar means that the celebration and success of evil people do not last. The Hebrew word rinnah suggests a loud victory shout. He argues that even if the wicked rise high, they will suddenly vanish like a dream. It is a general truth about ultimate justice, but he misapplies it to Job.
Why does Zophar compare the wicked to “dung”?
The comparison is deliberately shocking. Dung is worthless and foul. Zophar uses this crude image to express disgust and utter destruction. The Cambridge Bible notes it shows his lack of refinement. It contrasts sharply with the lofty image of reaching the clouds in the previous verse.
Is Zophar’s speech in Job 20 correct theology?
In a general sense, yes: the Bible teaches that evil has no lasting victory. But Zophar is wrong to apply this directly to Job, who is not being punished for hidden sin. The book of Job as a whole corrects the oversimplified view that all suffering is divine punishment. So the words are true, but the application is false.
How does Job 20 fit into the book of Job?
Job 20 is Zophar’s second speech. It follows Job’s beautiful confession of faith in a Redeemer (Job 19:25-27). Zophar ignores Job’s hope and repeats the friends’ central argument: the wicked perish soon. This speech hardens the conflict. The book will later show that God’s ways are deeper than any human formula.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study