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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Job 20:4

Verse Job 20:4. Knowest thou not this of old] This is a maxim as ancient as the world; it began with the first man: A wicked man shall triumph but a short time; God will destroy the proud doer.

Since man was placed upon earth] Literally, since ADAM was placed on the earth; that is, since the fall, wickedness and hypocrisy have existed; but they have never triumphed long. Thou hast lately been expressing confidence in reference to a general judgment; but such is thy character, that thou hast little reason to anticipate with any joy the decisions of that day.

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See also Job 20:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    KNOWEST THOU NOT THIS OF OLD - That is, dost thou not know that this has always happened from the beginning of the world, or that this is the invariable course of events. His purpose is to show that i...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE SECOND ADDRESS OF ZOPHAR _ 1. Zophar's swift reply (Job 20:1)_ 2. Another description of the life and fate of the wicked (Job 20:4) Job 20:1. Zophar, the twitterer, begins his reply t...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOB 20. SECOND SPEECH OF ZOPHAR. Zophar helps the return to the wider problem by appearing once more with a strong doctrine as to the shortness of the prosperity of the wicked. His theme is, Sin bring...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    KNOWEST THOU NOT THIS? This was Zophar's reply to Job in Job 19:25, implying that Job had no such hope. OF OLD. from of old. MAN. Hebrew. _'adam._ App-14....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The prosperity of the wicked is brief 4. _Knowest thou not this old_ i. e. knowest thou not this to be or to have been of old, lit. _from for ever_. "This" which is from of old and from the time man h...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 470 AGAINST HYPOCRISY Job 20:4. _Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? T...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    KNOWEST THOU NOT, &C.— The latter clause of Job 20:4 might as well have been rendered, _Since Adam was placed on the earth._ There is no reason to doubt but that this passage refers to the fall, and t...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    E. POWERLESSNESS OF PROSPERITYNO ULTIMATE SECURITYZOPHAR'S WARNING (Job 20:1-29) TEXT 20:1-29 THEN ANSWERED ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE, AND SAID, _2_ Therefore do my thoughts give answer to me, Even b...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _KNOWEST THOU NOT THIS OF OLD, SINCE MAN WAS PLACED UPON EARTH,_ Knowest thou not? From thy way of behaving, one would think thou didst not know....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ZOPHAR'S SECOND SPEECH Zophar ignores Job's conviction that God will one day establish his innocence, and proceeds to describe the short triumph of the wicked and his certain downfall and punishment...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    When Job lived, people respected older people and their ideas (Job 32:6-9). So the people believed that ancient wisdom was very important (Job 8:8-9)....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 20 ZOPHAR’S LAST SPEECH AN...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֲ זֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי ־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XVII. IGNORANT CRITICISM OF LIFE Job 20:1 ZOPHAR SPEAKS THE great saying that quickens our faith and carries thought into a higher world conveyed no Divine meaning to the man from Naamah. The autho...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “THE TRIUMPHING OF THE WICKED” Job 20:1 Zophar is the man who least of all understood Job. The rebuke which Job had just administered, Job 19:28, has vexed him, so that he speaks with impatience. Th...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    With evident haste, Zophar replied. His speech is introduced with an apology for his haste and a confession of his anger. He had heard the reproof, but he was not convinced; and the spirit of his unde...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _I know. Hebrew and Septuagint, "dost thou not know?"_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    KNOWEST THOU [NOT] THIS OF OLD,.... Or "from eternity" g, from the beginning of time, ever since the world was; as if he should say, if you are the knowing man you pretend to be, you must know this I...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth, Ver. 4. _Knowest thou not this of old_] Whether Zophar intended his own conscience or not before, he here appealeth to Job's; and secr...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Knowest thou not this_ Which I am now about to say; _of old _ From the experience of all former ages; _since man was placed upon the earth_ Since the world was made, and there were any men to observe...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, since earth was inhabited, as far as the accounts of men go back,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ZOPHAR STATES WHY HE MUST SPEAK...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WICKED MAN'S BRIEF TRIUMPH (vv.1-5) Zophar does not even consider the possibility that Job is not wicked, but again strongly condemns the wicked, making it evident that he is really speaking of...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "DO YOU KNOW THIS FROM OF OLD": Zophar argues that Job is so naïve that he is unaware of the most basic truths. From the beginning of time, from the first man, it has been clearly seen that the prosp...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 Zophar's discourse is upon the certain misery of the wicked. The triumph of the wicked and the joy of the hypocrite are fleeting. The pleasures and gains of sin bring disease and pain; they end in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    i.e. _This_ which I am now about to say. How canst thou, THOU, I say, who pretendest to such an exact and universal knowledge of men and things, be ignorant of so notorious a thing, which wicked men s...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 20:4 know H3045 (H8804) old H5703 man H120 placed H7760 (H8800) earth H776 thou not -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Zophar's second discourse on Job's case. CHARACTERS: God, Zophar, Job. CONCLUSION: Though wicked men may sometimes prosper, their joy is but for a moment and will quickly end in endless so...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 20:2. _I make haste_ to answer, for thou reproachest both God and us. Zophar had felt the point of Job's sword, in the preseding discourse; but the present chapter may well be considered as a most...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _That the triumphing of the wicked is short._ THE TRIUMPH OF THE WICKED The words of the text are indisputably true, though misapplied. In the world there is, alas! very often a triumphing of the wic...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 20:1 In his second response, Zophar expresses frustration at Job’s continued belief that God has brought about his suffering but will ultimately vindicate him (vv. Job 20:2). Zophar th...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _ZOPHAR’S SECOND SPEECH_ Produces nothing new; much more outspoken than before. Enlarges on the miseries overtaking the wicked, insinuating that Job was such. His argument,—like in condition, like in...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 20:1 Zophar's second speech is even more harsh than his first (Job 11:1.). He adds coarseness and rudeness to his former vehement hostility (Job 20:7,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Zophar, the third of the speakers, gives his second discourse. And again, he was the guy that was dealing with traditions earlier, and with wisdom and all, so he said to Job, Therefore do my thoug...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:1; Job 15:10; Job 32:7; Job 8:8;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    This — Which I am now about to say. Since — Since the world was made....

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