His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.
Parallel translations
- WEB His children shall seek the favor of the poor. His hands shall give back his wealth.
- KJV His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.
- NKJV His children will seek the favor of the poor, And his hands will restore his wealth.
- NASB “His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
- NLT Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Zophar says the wicked man's children must beg from the poor and his own hands give back his wealth. His ill-gotten gain is reversed.
Overview
The descendants of the wicked, far from inheriting riches, are reduced to seeking favor from the poor, while the man himself must restore what he plundered. The verse reflects the principle that unjust gain does not endure and must be repaid. It anticipates the biblical theme of restitution and the eventual undoing of every injustice under God's righteous rule.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Job 20:18He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
- 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.”
- Job 27:16–17Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
- Prov 6:31Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
- Exod 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.
- Exod 22:3But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft.
- Ps 109:10May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
- 2 Sam 12:6Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
- Prov 28:3A destitute leader who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
- Job 5:4His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
- Exod 9:2But if you continue to restrain them and refuse to let them go,
- Exod 22:1“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 20:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.