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Zophar's Second Speech
Your Words Are Disturbing
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1 Zophar from Naamah  r 20.1 Naamah: See the note at 2.11. said:
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20
  Chapter recording
List of all recordings of KJV
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
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2 Your words are disturbing;
now I must speak.
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2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. I make...: Heb. my haste is in me
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3 You have accused
and insulted me,
and reason requires a reply.
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3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
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4 Since the time of creation,
everyone has known
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4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
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5 that sinful people are happy
for only a while.
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5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? short: Heb. from near
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6 Though their pride and power
may reach to the sky,
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6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; clouds: Heb. cloud
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7 they will disappear like dust,
and those who knew them
will wonder what happened.
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7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
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8 They will be forgotten  20.8 Ws 5.14.
like a dream
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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.
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9 and vanish from the sight
of family and friends.
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9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.
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10 Their children will have to repay
what the parents took
from the poor.
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10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods. His children...: or, The poor shall oppress his children
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11 Indeed, the wicked will die
and go to their graves
in the prime of life.
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11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.
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Sinners Love the Taste of Sin
12 Sinners love the taste of sin;
they relish every bite
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12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;
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13 and swallow it slowly.
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13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: within...: Heb. in the midst of his palate
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14 But their food will turn sour
and poison their stomachs.
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14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
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15 Then God will make them lose
the wealth they gobbled down.
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15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
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16 They will die from the fangs
of poisonous snakes
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16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.
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17 and never enjoy rivers flowing
with milk and honey.
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17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter. the floods...: or, streaming brooks
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18 Their hard work will result
in nothing gained,
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18 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. his...: Heb. the substance of his exchange
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19 because they cheated the poor
and took their homes.
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19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; oppressed: Heb. crushed
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20 Greedy people want everything
and are never satisfied. s 20.20 are never satisfied: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
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20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. feel: Heb. know
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21 But when nothing remains
for them to grab,
they will be nothing.
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21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. none...: or, be none left for his meat
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22 Once they have everything,
distress and despair
will strike them down,
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22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. wicked: or, troublesome
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23 and God will make them swallow
his blazing anger. t 20.23 anger: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 23.
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23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
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24 While running from iron spears, 20.24 Ws 5.17
they will be killed
by arrows of bronze,
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24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
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25 whose shining tips go straight
through their bodies.
They will be trapped by terror,
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25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.
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26 and what they treasure most
will be lost in the dark.
God will send flames
to destroy them in their tents
with all their property.
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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.
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27 The heavens and the earth
will testify against them,
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27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.
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28 and all their possessions
will be dragged off
when God becomes angry.
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28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.
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29 This is what God has decided
for those who are evil.
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29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God. appointed...: Heb. of his decree from God
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© 1999 American Bible Society |
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