Job 20:4

Job 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
• New International Version (NIV)“Surely you know how it has been from of old, ever since mankind was placed on the earth,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth,

Context of Job 20:4

2“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond, Even because of my inward agitation. 3I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer. Do you know this from of old, From the establishment of man on earth, 5That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the godless momentary? 6Though his loftiness reaches the heavens, And his head touches the clouds,

Job 20:4 word by word

הֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

• Do you knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• of oldעַד‛ad · perpetuityH5703
• From the establishmentשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• on earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Job 20:4

• Job 8:8“Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers.
• Job 15:10Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father.
• Job 32:7I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom.
• Genesis 1:28God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
• Genesis 9:1And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
• Psalms 115:16The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.

Commentaries on Job 20:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Knowest 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Knowest 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 it was the settled arrangement of Providence that the wicked would be overtaken with signal calamity. It was “so” settled that Job ought not to be surprised that it had occurred in “his” case. Zophar goes on to show that though a wicked man might rise high in…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-29SECOND SERIES. 2. Therefore--Rather, the more excited I feel by Job's speech, the more for that very reason shall my reply be supplied by my calm consideration. Literally, "Notwithstanding; my calm thoughts (as in Job 4:13) shall furnish my answer, because of the excitement (haste) within me" [Umbreit].Read the comment

Topics related to Job 20:4

• Death
• Hypocrisy
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

• Rain
• Short
• Adam in the Old Testament
• Zophar

Commentaries on Job 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings