2 Therefore do my thoughts give me an answer, and for this is my haste within me.
If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?
Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.
That ye may not say, We have found out wisdom; ùGod will make him yield, not man. Now he hath not directed [his] words against me; and I will not answer him with your speeches. ... They were amazed, they answered no more; words failed them. And I waited, for they spoke not, but stood still, and answered no more; -- I will answer, I also in my turn, I also will shew what I know: For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; like new flasks, it is ready to burst. I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
As for me, I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.
And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 20
Commentary on Job 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
One would have thought that such an excellent confession of faith as Job made, in the close of the foregoing chapter, would satisfy his friends, or at least mollify them; but they do not seem to have taken any notice of it, and therefore Zophar here takes his turn, enters the lists with Job, and attacks him with as much vehemence as before.
But the great mistake was, and (as bishop Patrick expresses it) all the flaw in his discourse (which was common to him with the rest), that he imagined God never varied from this method, and therefore Job was, without doubt, a very bad man, though it did not appear that he was, any other way than by his infelicity.
Job 20:1-9
Here,
Job 20:10-22
The instances here given of the miserable condition of the wicked man in this world are expressed with great fulness and fluency of language, and the same thing returned to again and repeated in other words. Let us therefore reduce the particulars to their proper heads, and observe,
Job 20:23-29
Zophar, having described the many embarrassments and vexations which commonly attend the wicked practices of oppressors and cruel men, here comes to show their utter ruin at last.