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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Job 20:3

You insulted me with your answers! But I am wise and know how to answer you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- The Topic Concordance - Happiness/joy;   Hypocrisy;   Oppression;   Perishing;   Victory/overcoming;   Wickedness;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Greatness of God;   Hypocrisy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Job, the Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Check;   Zophar;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I have heard a rebuke that insults me,and my understanding makes me reply.
Hebrew Names Version
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; The spirit of my understanding answers me.
King James Version
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
English Standard Version
I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
New Century Version
You correct me and I am insulted, but I understand how to answer you.
New English Translation
When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer.
Amplified Bible
"I have heard the reproof which insults me, But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
New American Standard Bible
"I listened to the reprimand which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
World English Bible
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; The spirit of my understanding answers me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I haue heard the correction of my reproch: therefore the spirite of mine vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
Legacy Standard Bible
I listened to the discipline which dishonors me,And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
Berean Standard Bible
I have heard a rebuke that insults me, and my understanding demands a reply.
Contemporary English Version
You have accused and insulted me, and reason requires a reply.
Complete Jewish Bible
I have heard reproof that outrages me, but a spirit past my understanding gives me a reply.
Darby Translation
I hear a reproof putting me to shame; and [my] spirit answereth me by mine understanding.
George Lamsa Translation
I will make you hear the instruction of my discipline, and the spirit of my understanding will cause me to answer.
Good News Translation
What you have said is an insult, but I know how to reply to you.
Lexham English Bible
I hear discipline that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
Literal Translation
I have heard the instruction of my chastisement; and the spirit from my understanding makes me reply.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I haue sufficiently herde the checkynge & reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make answere after my vnderstodinge.
American Standard Version
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
Bible in Basic English
I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, but out of my understanding my spirit answereth me.
King James Version (1611)
I haue heard the checke of my reproach, and the spirit of my vnderstanding causeth me to answere.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I haue sufficiently heard the checking of my reproofe, therefore the spirite of myne vnderstanding causeth me to aunswere.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
English Revised Version
I have heard the reproof which putteth me to shame, and the spirit of my understanding answereth me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.
Update Bible Version
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame; And the spirit of my understanding answers me.
Webster's Bible Translation
I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer.
New King James Version
I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, And the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer.
New Living Translation
I've had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply.
New Life Bible
I heard the strong words that take away my honor. The spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
New Revised Standard
I hear censure that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The correction meant to confound me, I must hear, but, the spirit - out of my understanding, will give me a reply.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The doctrine with which thou reprovest me, I will hear, and the spirit of my understanding shall answer for me.
Revised Standard Version
I hear censure which insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.
Young's Literal Translation
The chastisement of my shame I hear, And the spirit of mine understanding Doth cause me to answer:
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I listened to the reproof which insults me, And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.

Contextual Overview

1 Then Zophar from Naamah answered: 2 "You upset me, so I must answer you. I must tell you what I am thinking. 3 You insulted me with your answers! But I am wise and know how to answer you. 4"You know that the joy of the wicked does not last long. That has been true a long time, ever since Adam was put on earth. Those who don't know God are happy for only a short time. < 6 Maybe an evil man's pride will reach up to the sky, and his head will touch the clouds. 7 But he will be gone forever like his own body waste. People who knew him will say, ‘Where is he?' 8 Like a dream, he will fly away, never to be found. He will be chased away like a bad dream. 9 Those who knew him before will not see him again. His family will never again get to see him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the check: Job 19:29

the spirit: Job 20:2, Job 27:11, Job 33:3, Psalms 49:3, Psalms 78:2-5

Reciprocal: Job 12:2 - ye are the people Job 16:3 - what emboldeneth Job 26:4 - whose spirit

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
Abraham left that place and traveled to the Negev. He settled in the city of Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur. While in Gerar,
Genesis 20:7
So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you."
Genesis 20:12
She is my wife, but she is also my sister. She is the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother.
Genesis 20:13
God led me away from my father's house. He led me to wander to many different places. When that happened, I told Sarah, ‘Do something for me. Wherever we go, tell people you are my sister.'"
Genesis 20:14
So Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham. Abimelech also gave Abraham some sheep, cattle, and slaves.
Genesis 20:15
And Abimelech said, "Look all around you. This is my land. You may live any place you want."
Genesis 28:12
Jacob had a dream. He dreamed there was a ladder that was on the ground and reached up into heaven. He saw the angels of God going up and down the ladder.
Genesis 31:24
That night God came to Laban in a dream and said, "Be careful! Be careful of every word you say to Jacob."
Genesis 37:5
One time Joseph had a special dream. Later, he told his brothers about this dream, and after that his brothers hated him even more.
Genesis 37:9
Then Joseph had another dream, and he told his brothers about it. He said, "I had another dream. I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I have heard the check of my reproach,.... He took it that Job had reproached him and his friends, by representing them as hardhearted men, and persecuting him wrongly in a violent manner; and he had observed the "check" or reproof given for it, by bidding them beware of the sword, and lest the punishment of it should be inflicted on them; and if that should not be the case, yet there was a righteous judgment they could not escape. Now Zophar heard this, but could not hear it with patience; be could not bear that he and his friends should be insulted, as he thought, in this manner; and therefore it was he was in such baste to return an answer; though some d think he here pretends to a divine oracle, like that which Eliphaz makes mention of in the beginning of this dispute, Job 4:12, c. which he had from God, and from which he had heard the "correction [of his] reproach" e, or a full confutation of the thing Job had reproached him with and being thus divinely furnished, he thought it his duty to deliver it:

and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer; or his rational spirit, his natural understanding, furnished him at once with an answer; he had such a clear insight into the controversy on foot, and such a full view of it, that he thought himself capable of speaking very particularly to the matter in hand, and to the conviction and confusion of Job; nay, his conscience, or the spirit of his conscience, as Mr. Broughton renders it, not only readily dictated to him what he should say, but obliged him to it; though some think he meant the Holy Spirit of God, by which he would be thought to be inspired; that he "out [of his] understanding" f, enlightened by him, caused him to answer, or would answer for him, or supply him with matter sufficient to qualify him for it; and this he might observe to Job, in order to raise his attention to what he was about to say.

d Schmidt. e מוסר כלמתי "correctionem ignominiae meae", Pagninus, Montanus; so Schmidt, Michaelis. f מבינתי "ex intelligentia mea", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Drusius, Schmidt, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I have heard the check of my reproach - I have heard your violent and severe language reproaching us. Probably he refers to what Job had said in the close of his speech Job 19:29, that they had occasion to dread the wrath of God, and that they might anticipate heavy judgments as the result of their opinions. Or it may be, as Schultens supposes, that he refers to what Job said in Job 19:2, and the rebuke that he had administered there. Or possibly, and still more probably, I think, he may refer to what Job had said in reply to the former speech of Zophar Job 12:2, where he tauntingly says that “they were the people, and that wisdom would die with them.” The Hebrew literally is, “the correction of my shame” (כלמה מוּסר mûsâr kelı̂mmâh), “the correction of my shame.” that is, the castigation or rebuke which tends to cover me with ignominy. The sense is, “you have accused me of that which is ignominious and shameful, and under the impetuous feelings caused by such a charge I cannot refrain from replying.”

And the spirit of my understanding - Meaning, perhaps, “the emotion of his mind.” The word “mind” or “soul” would better express the idea than the word “understanding;” and the word “spirit” here seems to be used in the sense of violent or agitating emotions - perhaps in allusion to the primary signification of the word (רוּח rûach), “mind.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Job 20:3. I have heard the check of my reproach — Some suppose that Zophar quotes the words of Job, and that some words should be supplied to indicate this meaning; e.g., "I have heard (sayest thou) the check or charge of my reproach?" Or it may refer to what Job says of Zophar and his companions, Job 19:2; Job 19:3: How long will ye vex may soul-these ten times have ye reproached me. Zophar therefore assumes his old ground, and retracts nothing of what he had said. Like many of his own complexion in the present day, he was determined to believe that his judgment was infallible, and that he could not err.


 
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