Job 20:15 (KJV)

What does Job 20:15 mean?

Job 20:15 says that someone who greedily takes in wealth will be forced to give it up, because God will make sure those riches do not stay with him. The verse uses the image of swallowing and vomiting to show that ill-gotten gains will not last, but will be taken away by God's action.

In this verse, Zophar is speaking to Job, warning that the wicked may seem to prosper for a time but will ultimately lose everything they have gained dishonestly. The verse is part of Zophar’s speech, where he insists that God’s justice will catch up with those who do wrong, and that their apparent success is only temporary.

The Hebrew behind Job 20:15

• "down" (בָּלַע, balaʿ): This word means to swallow or gulp down, often with the sense of greed or haste. Here, it paints a vivid picture of someone consuming riches quickly and selfishly.
• "riches" (חַיִל, ḥayil): This word can mean wealth, strength, or resources. In this context, it refers to material riches or possessions, emphasizing that what is being swallowed is valuable.
• "God" (אֵל, ʾel): This is a general Hebrew word for God, showing that it is God Himself who will act to remove the riches from the wicked person.
• "out" (יָרַשׁ, yarash): This verb usually means to dispossess or drive out. The use here suggests that God will forcefully remove the riches from the person, not just passively allow them to slip away.
• "belly" (בֶּטֶן, beten): This word means belly or stomach, reinforcing the image of swallowing and vomiting, and making the metaphor more concrete and physical.

Why Job 20:15 matters

• Job 20:15 clarifies that the loss of riches is not just a natural consequence, but something God actively causes, highlighting divine justice.
• The verse connects to the larger argument in Job, where Job’s friends insist that suffering and loss are always the result of personal wrongdoing, even though the book as a whole challenges this idea.
• The vivid imagery of eating and vomiting makes the warning memorable and emphasizes how temporary and unsatisfying ill-gotten wealth can be.