Job 20:25
in Job 20It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; Yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall: Terrors are upon him.
KJV
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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This verse in Job 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseVer. 25. He is drawn and cometh out of his sheath, yea, lightening in his bitterness. 31. This wicked man lays plots in arts of robbery on his neighbours. And whilst he is plotting mischief in the thoughts of his heart, it is as if 'the sword were still in its sheath;' but when he wickedly executes the mischief, which he has contrived, he 'cometh out of his sheath,' in that he is brought out to view, from the secresy of his thoughts, in the wickedness of evil doing.
This site's exposition
flees from an iron weapon
on Job 20:24-25
Escape from one danger delivers him to another. The Hebrew behind "liver" is the gall, which Clarke reads as continuing the poison figure of verses 14 and 16. "Terrors come over him" closes the couplet with the state Zophar has built toward across the whole speech.
This site's exposition
It is drawn out of his back
Wesley and Gill take it as the arrow of verse 24, drawn from the body too late to save him. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read a sword drawn by God, its gleaming point an image of lightning. Terrors of death follow.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
He consequently develops the image of this bronze bow saying, "drawn and coming out of its sheath." (Understand: "Will be that bow") For as long as the bow is in its sheath, it does not strike down. In the same way, the revenge of future …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is drawn, and cometh out of the body,.... That is, the arrow with which a wicked man is stricken through; either it is drawn, and comes out of the quiver, as Broughton; or rather is drawn out of the body of a wicked man, being shot into it, and that in order that he may be cured of his wound if possible, but to no purpose, since it follows: yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall; being thrust into it, which being pierced and poured out, is certain and immediate death, see Job 16:
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
It - The arrow, which had entered into his body, and now was drawn out of it either by himself or some other person; having in general said, that it came out of his body, he determines also the part of the body, the gall; which shews that the wound was both deep and deadly. Terrors - The terrors of death; because he perceived his wound was incurable.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
It is drawn - Or rather, “he draws” - that is, he draws out the arrow that has been shot at him; or it may mean, as Prof. Lee supposes, that he draws, that is, “someone” draws the arrow from its quiver, or the sword from its sheath, in order to smite him. The object is to describe his death, and to show that he should be certainly overtaken with calamity. Zophar, therefore, goes through the process by which he would be shot down, or shows that he could not escape.
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
It is drawn--Rather, "He (God) draweth (the sword, Jos 5:13) and (no sooner has He done so, than) it cometh out of (that is, passes right through) the (sinner's) body" (De 32:41, 42; The glittering sword is a happy image for lightning. gall--that is, his life (Job 16:13).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
It is drawn, and cometh out - This refers to archery: The arrow is drawn out of the sheaf or quiver, and discharged from the bow against its mark, and pierces the vitals, and passes through the body. So Coverdale - The arowe shal be taken forth, and go out at his backe.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שָׁלַף֮ | shalaf | he will draw [it] out | H8025 → | |
| וַיֵּצֵ֪א | vaiyetze' | and it came out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִגֵּ֫וָ֥ה | migevah | from [the] back | H1465 → | |
| וּ֭בָרָק | uvarok | and lightning | H1300 → | |
| מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹ | mimerorato | from gall-bladder his | H4846 → | 4 times |
| יַהֲלֹ֗ךְ | yahalokh | it will come | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עָלָ֥יו | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֵמִֽים׃ | ʾemim | terrors | H367 → | 17 times |
שָׁלַף֮he will draw [it] out
shalafH8025 →
וַיֵּצֵ֪אand it came out
vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times
מִגֵּ֫וָ֥הfrom [the] back
migevahH1465 →
וּ֭בָרָקand lightning
uvarokH1300 →
מִֽמְּרֹרָת֥וֹfrom gall-bladder his
mimeroratoH4846 →4 times
יַהֲלֹ֗ךְit will come
yahalokhH1980 →1546 times
עָלָ֥יוon him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
אֵמִֽים׃terrors
ʾemimH367 →17 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
Job 15:21Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
it leads to
- Leviticus 26:36
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 18:11
Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
- Leviticus 26:36
Through
Psalms 7:12If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow.
it leads to
- Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
- Matthew 3:10
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Isaiah 55:6–7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Acts 3:19
Through
Job 18:11Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
it leads to
- Job 15:21
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
- Jeremiah 6:25
Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road. For the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side.
- Job 15:21
About Job
This page draws on 9 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 (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 Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.