Job 20:10
in Job 20His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
His children shall seek the favor of the poor, And his hands shall give back his wealth.
KJV
His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
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This verse in Job 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseVer. 10. His children shall be wasted with poverty. 9. It is written, For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter [Wisd. 1, 4]; and it is declared by the Psalmist, The rich have lacked and been a hungred [Ps. 34, 10]. For if their want and hunger were spoken of outward starving, then surely they would be any thing but rich, who were in want of the bread of the body.
This site's exposition
fly away like a dream
on Job 20:8-11
The wicked man's end is pictured as a dream that leaves no trace: "he will be chased away like a vision in the night". His sons "will seek the favor of the poor", for "his own hands must return his wealth", restoring what he took from them.
This site's exposition
His sons will seek the favor of the poor
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown cite De Wette: the sons make amends to the poor, returning the wealth their father seized. Barnes reads the sons as humbled to seek favor from the most needy. Either way his hands must return the wealth.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
This means that their ruin comes suddenly, so that you may not believe that their calamity comes from a natural condition but that it is in accordance with a divine and extraordinary power. Moreover, this concerns not only their crimes but also their sacrifices. If they offer any, they turn out to be useless. "Let his inferiors," Zophar says, "destroy his children." This sentence also demonstrates clearly that the blow comes from God, because inferior people prevail on those who are stronger, and those who are outcast prevail on those who have power.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Not only will he himself be cast aside, passing away in his own person and be taken away from the eyes of men never to be restored to his own place, but his sons will also be punished for his sin. So the text continues, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? 6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
His children shall seek to please the poor,.... In this and some following verses the miserable state of a wicked man is described, and which begins with his children, who are often visited in wrath for their parents' sins, especially when they tread in their steps, and follow their example; and it is an affliction to parents to see their children in distress, and particularly on their account, and even to be threatened with it.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
His children shall seek to please the poor - They shall be reduced to the lowest degree of poverty and want, so as to be obliged to become servants to the poor. Cursed be Ham, a servant of servants shall he be. There are cases where the poor actually serve the poor; and this is the lowest or most abject state of poverty. His hands shall restore their goods - He shall be obliged to restore the goods that he has taken by violence.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
seek to please--"Atone to the poor" (by restoring the property of which they had been robbed by the father) [DE WETTE]. Better than English Version, "The children" are reduced to the humiliating condition of "seeking the favor of those very poor," whom the father had oppressed.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
His children shall seek to please the poor - Margin, or, “the poor shall oppress his children.” The idea in the Hebrew seems to be, that his sons shall be reduced to the humiliating condition of asking the aid of the most needy and abject. Instead of being in a situation to assist others, and to indulge in a liberal hospitality, they themselves shall be reduced to the necessity of applying to the poor for the means of subsistence. There is great strength in this expression. It is usually regarded as humiliating to be compelled to ask aid at all; but the idea here is, that they would be reduced to the necessity of asking it of those who themselves needed it, “or would be beggars of beggars.” And his hands shall restore their goods - Noyes renders this, “And their hands shall give back his wealth.” Rosenmuller supposes it means, “And their hands shall restore his iniquity;” that is, what their father took unjustly away. There can be but little doubt that this refers to his “sons,” and not to himself - though the singular suffix in the word (ידיו yâdāŷ), “his hands” is used. But the singular is sometimes used instead of the plural. The word rendered “goods” (און 'ôn), means “strength, power, and then wealth;” and the idea here is, that the hands of his sons would be compelled to give back the property which the father had unjustly acquired. Instead of retaining and enjoying it, they would be compelled to make restitution, and thus be reduced to penury and want.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
His sons will placate the poor This reply was stated in reference to the people of Sodom, who were robbers and were cruel to the poor.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בָּ֭נָיו | banav | children his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יְרַצּ֣וּ | yeratzu | they will seek [the] favor of | H7521 → | 56 times |
| דַלִּ֑ים | dalim | poor [people] | H1800 → | 47 times |
| וְ֝יָדָ֗יו | veyadav | and own hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָה | tashevenah | they will give back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| אוֹנֽוֹ׃ | ʾono | wealth his | H202 → | 13 times |
בָּ֭נָיוchildren his
banavH1121 →4930 times
יְרַצּ֣וּthey will seek [the] favor of
yeratzuH7521 →56 times
דַלִּ֑יםpoor [people]
dalimH1800 →47 times
וְ֝יָדָ֗יוand own hands his
veyadavH3027 →1618 times
תָּשֵׁ֥בְנָהthey will give back
tashevenahH7725 →1056 times
אוֹנֽוֹ׃wealth his
ʾonoH202 →13 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 19:8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
- Numbers 5:7
and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.
- Luke 18:22–23
On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
- Leviticus 6:1–6
And the LORD said to Moses,
- 2 Samuel 12:6
Through
Exodus 12:36And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.
it leads to
- Genesis 15:14
But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions.
- Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
- Psalms 105:37
He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.
- Genesis 15:14
About Job
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XV; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 8:10; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.