Job 20:8
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Job 20:8
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.
Chapter Context
Job 20 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of fellowship, love, creation. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-29: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it demonstrates God's faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 20:8
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.
Analysis
He shall fly away as a dream (יָעוּף כַּחֲלוֹם, ya'uph kachalom)—Zophar depicts the wicked vanishing like morning dreams that evaporate upon waking. The verb ya'uph means to fly or flee rapidly, suggesting sudden disappearance. Chased away as a vision of the night (יֻדַּד כְּחֶזְיוֹן לָיְלָה, yuddad kechezyown laylah) intensifies the image—nocturnal visions dissipate when light comes.
Zophar's theology is partially correct but misapplied. The wicked do sometimes vanish suddenly (Psalm 73:18-20), but he wrongly assumes Job's suffering proves wickedness. Ironically, Zophar himself speaks like a fleeting dream—confident assertions without substance. The NT affirms life's transience (James 4:14) but links it to universal mortality, not retributive justice against the wicked alone.
Historical Context
This is Zophar's second and final speech (Job 20), delivered in the second dialogue cycle. By this point, the friends have exhausted patience with Job, shifting from pastoral concern to harsh accusation. Ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature often used vivid natural imagery—dreams, shadows, vapor—to depict life's brevity. Zophar employs these poetic devices to paint the wicked person's fate, convinced he's describing Job's imminent end.
Reflection
- How can partially true theology become destructive when wrongly applied to specific situations?
- What is the difference between acknowledging life's brevity (biblical wisdom) and using it to judge others (Zophar's error)?
- How does the NT's teaching on life as vapor (James 4:14) differ from Zophar's retribution theology?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Psalms 73:20, 90:5