Job 22 · Verse 20

Job 22:20

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Job 22:20, King James Version

Job 22:20 in other translations

BSB‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
WEBsaying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
ASVSaying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
YLT‘Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'
DARBYIs not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
BBESaying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
WebsterWhereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

What does Job 22:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. The triumphant speech of the pious. If "substance" be retained, translate, rather as the Septuagint, "Has not their substance been taken away, and ... ?" But the Hebrew is rather, "Truly our adversary is cut down" [Gesenius]. The same opposition exists between the godly and ungodly seed as between the unfallen and restored Adam and Satan (adversary); this forms the groundwork of the book (Job 1:1-2:13; Ge 3:15). remnant--all that "is left" of the sinner; repeated from Job 20:26, which makes Umbreit's rendering "glory" (Margin), "excellency," less probable. fire--alluding to Job (Job 1:16; 15:34; 18:15). First is mentioned destruction by water (Job 22:16); here, by fire (2Pe 3:5-7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Whereas our substance is not cut down - We, who fear the Lord, still continue in health and peace; whereas they who have departed from him are destroyed even to their very remnant. Mr. Good thinks that קימנו kimanu, which we translate our substance, is the same as the Arabic (Arabic) our people or tribe; and hence he translates the clause thus: "For our tribe is not cut off; while even the remnant of these a conflagration consumed." The reference here is supposed to be to the destruction of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah. A judgment by a flood took off the world of the ungodly in the days of Noah. Their remnant, those who lived in the same ungodly way, were taken off by a judgment of fire, in the days of Lot. Eliphaz introduces these two examples in order to terrify Job into a compliance with the exhortation which immediately follows.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 22:15-20

Eliphaz would have Job mark the old way that wicked men have trodden, and see what the end of their way was. It is good for us to mark it, that we may not walk therein. But if others are consumed, and we are not, instead of blaming them, and lifting up ourselves, as Eliphaz does here, we ought to be thankful to God, and take it for a warning.

Read the full comment on Job 22:15-20 →

Job 22:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-ifH518
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
נִכְחַ֣דnikh.Chadhe has been destroyedH3582
קִימָ֑נוּki.Ma.nuadversary ourH7009
וְ֝יִתְרָ֗םve.yit.Ramand abundance theirH3499
אָ֣כְלָה'A.khe.lahit has consumedH398
אֵֽשׁ\׃'EshfireH784

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 22:20

  • Job 1:16

    While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

  • Genesis 19:24

    Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;

  • 2 Peter 2:6-7

    And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

  • Job 20:26

    All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

  • Job 15:5-6

    For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

  • Job 20:18-19

    That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

  • Luke 17:29-30

    But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

  • Luke 13:1-5

    There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? …

  • Job 15:30

    He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

  • Job 4:7

    Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

  • Job 8:3-4

    Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

  • Job 21:27-28

    Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
our substance. or, our estate.
4:7; 8:3,4; 15:5,6; 20:18,19; 21:27,28; Lu 13:1-5
the remnant. or, their excellency. the fire.
1:16; 20:26; Ge 19:24; Lu 17:29,30; 2Pe 2:6,7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 22:19

    The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

  • Job 22:20

    Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

  • Job 22:21

    Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Read all of Job 22

Job 22:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Fué cortada nuestra sustancia, habiendo consumido el fuego el resto de ellos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui qui s’élevait contre nous n’a-t-il pas été retranché, et le feu n’a-t-il pas dévoré leur abondance?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sind nicht unsere Gegner vertilgt, und hat nicht Feuer ihren Überfluß gefressen?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		nonne succisa est erectio eorum? et reliquias eorum devoravit ignis?