Day 7, 7 January 2026



1) Job 20, Job 21, Job 22, Job 23



Job 20



Zophar Speaks: The Wicked Will Suffer



1 (Job 2:11)Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:

2 "Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer,

and for this I make haste.

3 I have heard the rebuke that disgraces me,

and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.

4 "Do you not know this of old,

since man was placed upon earth,

5 (Ps 37:35-36) that the triumphing of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?

6 ( Isa 14:13-14; Ob 1:3-4) Though his loftiness extends to the heavens,

and his head reaches to the clouds,

7 (1Ki 14:10; 2Ki 9:37) yet he will perish forever like his own excrement;

those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'

8 (Ps 73:20; 90:5) He will fly away like a dream and will not be found;

yes, he will be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 (Job 7:8; 7:10) The eye that saw him will see him no more;

nor will his place behold him anymore.

10 (Job 20:18) His children will seek favor from the poor,

and his hands will give back his wealth.

11 (Job 13:26; 21:26) His bones are full of his youthful vigor,

but it will lie down with him in the dust.

12 (Job 15:16; Ps 10:7) "Though evil is sweet in his mouth,

and he hides it under his tongue,

13 though he spares it and does not forsake it,

but keeps it in his mouth,

14 yet his food in his stomach turns sour;

it becomes the venom of cobras within him.

15 He has swallowed down riches,

and he will vomit them up again;

God will cast them out of his belly.

16He will suck the poison of cobras;

the viper's tongue will slay him.

17 (Dt 32:13-14; Job 29:6) He will not see the streams, the rivers,

the brooks of honey and butter.

18 (Job 20:10; 20:15) He will give back the produce of labor and will not swallow it down.

According to his wealth the restitution will be, and he will not rejoice in it;

19 (Job 35:9) because he has oppressed and has forsaken the poor.

He has violently taken away a house that he did not build.

20 (Ecc 5:13-14) "Because he knows no quietness in his belly,

he will not save anything he desired.

21 Nothing is left for him to eat;

therefore his prosperity will not endure.

22 In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress;

every hand of misery will come upon him.

23 (Ps 78:30-31; Nu 11:33) When he is about to fill his belly,

God will cast the fury of His wrath on him

and will rain it on him while he is eating.

24 (Isa 24:18; Am 5:19) He will flee from the iron weapon;

a bronze bow will pierce him through.

25 (Job 16:13; 18:11) It is drawn and comes out of the body;

yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.

Terrors are upon him.

26 (Ps 21:9) Total darkness is stored up for his treasures.

An unfanned fire will consume him;

what is left in his tent will be consumed.

27 (Job 16:18; Isa 26:21) The heavens will reveal his iniquity,

and the earth will rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house will depart,

and his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath.

29 (Job 27:13; 31:2-3) This is the wicked man's portion from God,

and the inheritance appointed to him by God."



(God will punish the wicked)



Job 20



Zophar's Speech



1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer,

And for this I make haste.

3 I have heard the check of my reproach,

And the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.

4 Knowest thou not this of old,

Since man was placed upon earth,

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,

And the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens,

And his head reach unto the clouds;

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung:

They which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found:

Yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more;

Neither shall his place any more behold him.

10 His children shall seek to please the poor,

And his hands shall restore their goods.

11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth,

Which shall lie down with him in the dust.

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth,

Though he hide it under his tongue;

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not;

But keep it still within his mouth:

14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned,

It is the gall of asps within him.

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again:

God shall cast them out of his belly.

16 He shall suck the poison of asps:

The viper's tongue shall slay him.

17 He shall not see the rivers,

The floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore,

And shall not swallow it down:

According to his substance shall the restitution be,

and he shall not rejoice therein.

19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor;

Because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly,

He shall not save of that which he desired.

21 There shall none of his meat be left;

Therefore shall no man look for his goods.

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits:

Every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

23 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.

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon,

And the bow of steel shall strike him through.

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body;

Yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall:

Terrors are upon him.

26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places:

A fire not blown shall consume him;

It shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity;

And the earth shall rise up against him.

28 The increase of his house shall depart,

And his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God,

And the heritage appointed unto him by God.



Job 21

Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper

1 But Job answered:

2 "Listen carefully to my speech,

and let this be your consolation.

3 (Job 16:10; 17:2) Bear with me that I may speak,

and after I have spoken, mock on.

4 "As for me, is my complaint against man?

And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

5 (Jdg 18:19; Job 29:9) Look at me and be astonished,

and put your hand over your mouth.

6 Even when I remember I am afraid,

and trembling takes hold of my body.

7 (Job 12:6; Ps 37:35) Why do the wicked live and become old;

yes, become mighty in power?

8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,

and their offspring before their eyes.

9 (Job 9:34; Ps 73:5) Their houses are safe from fear,

nor is the rod of God upon them.

10 (Ex 23:26) Their bull breeds without failure;

their cow gives calves without miscarriage.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,

and their children dance.

12 (Ge 4:21) They take up the tambourine and harp

and rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13 (Job 36:11) They spend their days in wealth,

and in a moment go down to Sheol.

14 (Job 22:17; Pr 1:29) Therefore they say to God, 'Depart from us,

for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15 (Job 34:9; Ex 5:2) Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?

And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?'

16 (Job 22:18; Ps 1:1) Indeed, their prosperity is not in their hand.

The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

17 (Job 18:5-6) How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?

How often does their destruction come upon them,

the sorrows God distributes in His anger?

18 (Job 13:25; Ps 1:4) They are like straw before the wind,

and like chaff that a storm carries away.

19 (Ex 20:5) God stores up their iniquity for their children;

let Him reward the people themselves, and they will know it.

20 (Isa 51:17; Rev 14:10) Let their eyes see their own destruction,

and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

21 (Job 14:5) For what do they care about their households after them,

when the number of their months is cut off?

22 (Ro 11:34; Isa 40:13-14) 'Can anyone teach God knowledge,

since He judges those who are on high?

23 One dies in his full strength,

being wholly at ease and secure.

24 (Pr 3:8) His pails are full of milk,

and the marrow of his bones is moist.

25 (Job 7:11) Another dies in the bitterness of his soul,

never having eaten with pleasure.

26 (Ecc 9:2; Isa 14:11) They will lie down alike in the dust,

and worms will cover them.

27 "Behold, I know your thoughts,

and the schemes with which you would wrong me.

28 (Job 8:22; 20:7) For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince?

And where are the dwelling places of the wicked?'

29 Have you not asked them who travel the road?

And do you not know their signs?

30 (Pr 16:4; Job 20:28) For the wicked are reserved for the day of destruction;

they will be brought forth on the day of wrath.

31 (Dt 7:10; Gal 2:11) Who will declare his way to his face?

And who will repay him for what he has done?

32 Yet will he be brought to the grave

and will remain in the tomb.

33 (Job 30:23; Heb 9:27) The clods of the valley will be sweet unto him;

and everyone will follow him,

as countless have gone before.

34 (Job 16:2) 'How then can you comfort me with emptiness,

since deceit remains in your answers?' "