Job 20:15
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Original Language Analysis
חַ֣יִל
riches
H2428
חַ֣יִל
riches
Strong's:
H2428
Word #:
1 of 6
probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength
בָּ֭לַע
He hath swallowed down
H1104
בָּ֭לַע
He hath swallowed down
Strong's:
H1104
Word #:
2 of 6
to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy
מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ
of his belly
H990
מִ֝בִּטְנ֗וֹ
of his belly
Strong's:
H990
Word #:
4 of 6
the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything
Historical Context
Ancient peoples used bodily metaphors extensively. Zophar's vomiting imagery would be viscerally powerful, suggesting Job's wealth was toxic and his loss was God's necessary purging.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we distinguish between God's judgment of injustice and testing of the righteous?
- What dangers exist in assuming all loss indicates divine purging of ill-gotten gain?
Analysis & Commentary
'He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.' Zophar's grotesque imagery: ill-gotten riches 'swallowed down' (בָּלַע, bala) must be 'vomited up' (יְקִיאֶנּוּ, yeqiennu), and God will 'cast them out' (יוֹרִישֶׁנּוּ, yorishenu) of his 'belly' (מִבִּטְנוֹ, mibbitno). The digestive metaphor portrays wealth as poison requiring expulsion. Proverbs 23:8 uses similar imagery. The point: unjustly gained wealth cannot be retained. This is theologically sound (Jeremiah 17:11, Luke 12:20). Applied to Job, it's cruel—implying Job's wealth was ill-gotten and his loss is divine purging. Job's wealth was legitimate, his loss part of testing, not judgment. Zophar weaponizes truth against innocence.