JOB 20 : 1 à 29 *** +
1 ¶ Tsophar de Naama prit la parole et dit:
20:1-29
Tsophar, égal à lui-même, attrista Job avec son second et dernier discours (cf. #Job 11:1-20), où il l’enjoignit de nouveau de réfléchir au sort réservé aux méchants.
2 Mes pensées me forcent à répondre, Et mon agitation ne peut se contenir.
3 J’ai entendu des reproches qui m’outragent ; Le souffle de mon intelligence donnera la réplique.
4 Ne sais-tu pas que, de tout temps, Depuis que l’homme a été placé sur la terre,
5 Le triomphe des méchants a été court, Et la joie de l’impie momentanée ?
20:5-6
méchants … impie. Les propos de Tsophar visaient évidemment Job, qu’il considérait comme méchant, orgueilleux et impie. Comme tout autre homme faisant preuve d’une telle méchanceté, il devait, selon lui, subir le châtiment de ses péchés (vv. #Job 20:7-29).
6 Quand il s’élèverait jusqu’aux cieux, Et que sa tête toucherait aux nues,
7 Il périra pour toujours comme son ordure, Et ceux qui le voyaient diront : Où est-il ?
8 Il s’envolera comme un songe, et on ne le trouvera plus ; Il disparaîtra comme une vision nocturne ;
9 L’œil qui le regardait ne le regardera plus, Le lieu qu’il habitait ne l’apercevra plus.
10 ¶ Ses fils seront assaillis par les pauvres, Et ses mains restitueront ce qu’il a pris par violence.
11 La vigueur de la jeunesse, qui remplissait ses membres, Aura sa couche avec lui dans la poussière.
Affirmation que les méchants meurent jeunes.
12 Le mal était doux à sa bouche, Il le cachait sous sa langue,
20:12-22
En soulignant que le mal supprime toute joie de la vie de celui qui s’y livre, Tsophar affirmait que si Job était malheureux, c’était à cause de ses péchés (dont il donna un exemple au v. 19).
13 Il le savourait sans l’abandonner, Il le retenait au milieu de son palais ;
14 Mais sa nourriture se transformera dans ses entrailles, Elle deviendra dans son corps un venin d’aspic.
15 Il a englouti des richesses, il les vomira ; Dieu les chassera de son ventre.
16 Il a sucé du venin d’aspic, La langue de la vipère le tuera.
17 Il ne reposera plus ses regards sur les ruisseaux, Sur les torrents, sur les fleuves de miel et de lait.
18 Il rendra ce qu’il a gagné, et n’en profitera plus ; Il restituera tout ce qu’il a pris, et n’en jouira plus.
19 Car il a opprimé, délaissé les pauvres, Il a ruiné des maisons et ne les a pas rétablies.
20 Son avidité n’a point connu de bornes ; Mais il ne sauvera pas ce qu’il avait de plus cher.
21 Rien n’échappait à sa voracité ; Mais son bien-être ne durera pas.
22 Au milieu de l’abondance il sera dans la détresse ; La main de tous les misérables se lèvera sur lui.
23 ¶ Et voici, pour lui remplir le ventre, Dieu enverra sur lui le feu de sa colère, Et le rassasiera par une pluie de traits.
20:23-29
Non seulement les méchants perdent toute joie de vivre à cause de leur péché, mais ils s’exposent aussi à la fureur divine qui se déchaîne immanquablement contre eux, conclut Tsophar.
24 S’il échappe aux armes de fer, L’arc d’airain le transpercera.
25 Il arrache de son corps le trait, Qui étincelle au sortir de ses entrailles, Et il est en proie aux terreurs de la mort.
26 Toutes les calamités sont réservées à ses trésors ; Il sera consumé par un feu que n’allumera point l’homme, Et ce qui restera dans sa tente en deviendra la pâture.
27 Les cieux dévoileront son iniquité, Et la terre s’élèvera contre lui.
28 Les revenus de sa maison seront emportés, Ils disparaîtront au jour de la colère de Dieu.
29 Telle est la part que Dieu réserve au méchant, Tel est l’héritage que Dieu lui destine.
JOB 20 : 1 to 29 + NOTES TO JOHN MACARTHUR
1 ¶ Zophar of Naama answered and said,
20: 1-29
Tsophar, equal to himself, saddened Job with his second and last speech (cf. #Job 11: 1-20), where he again enjoined him to reflect on the fate of the wicked.
2 My thoughts compel me to answer, And my restlessness can not be restrained.
3 I have heard reproaches that reproach me; The breath of my intelligence will give the answer.
4 Do you not know that from time immemorial, since man was placed on the earth,
5 The triumph of the wicked was short, and the joy of the momentary godless?
20: 5-6
Wicked ... impious. The words of Zophar evidently aimed at Job, whom he regarded as wicked, proud, and impious. Like any other man who showed such wickedness, he must, according to him, suffer the punishment of his sins (vv. # 20: 7-29).
6 When he went up to heaven, and his head touched the clouds,
7 He shall perish forever as his filth, and they that see him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall fly away like a dream, and it shall not be found; It will disappear like a nocturnal vision;
9 The eye that looked upon him will no longer look at him, and the place where he lived shall not see him.
10 ¶ And his sons shall be troubled by the poor, and his hands shall restore that which he hath taken by violence.
11 The vigor of youth, which filled his limbs, shall lie with him in the dust.
Affirmation that the wicked die young.
12 The evil was sweet in his mouth, and he hid it under his tongue,
20: 12-22
By emphasizing that evil suppresses all joy in the life of the person who gives it, Zophar asserted that if Job were unhappy, it was because of his sins (of which he gave an example in verse 19).
13 He relished it without leaving it, and kept it in the midst of his palace;
14 But his food will be transformed in his bowels, and it will become a venom of aspic in his body.
15 He swallowed up riches, and vomited them. God will drive them out of his belly.
16 He sucked aspic venom, The tongue of the viper will kill him.
17 He will no longer rest his gaze on the streams, On the torrents, on the rivers of honey and milk.
18 He will give back what he has gained, and will no longer profit from it; He will restore all that he has taken, and will not enjoy any more.
19 For he oppressed and forsaken the poor, and ruined houses, and did not restore them.
20 His avarice knew no boundary; But he will not save his dearest.
Nothing escaped his voracity; But his well-being will not last.
22 In the midst of abundance shall he be in distress; The hand of all the wretches will rise upon him.
23 ¶ And, behold, to fill his belly with him, God shall send upon him the fire of his wrath, and shall satisfy him with a rain of strokes.
20: 23-29
Not only do the wicked lose all joy of life because of their sin, but they also expose themselves to the divine fury that unfolds unfailingly against them, concludes Zophar.
24 If he escape the weapons of iron, the brass bow will pierce it.
25 He plucks out of his body the stroke, which sparkles out of his bowels, and he is a prey to the terrors of death.
26 All calamities are reserved for his treasures; He shall be consumed by a fire that the man shall not kindle, and that which shall remain in his tent shall become his pasture.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The revenues of his house shall be carried away, and they shall perish in the day of God's wrath.
29 This is the portion God reserves for the wicked. Such is the inheritance that God has for him.
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