Job 20:19
New International Version
For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build.

New Living Translation
For they oppressed the poor and left them destitute. They foreclosed on their homes.

English Standard Version
For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build.

Berean Standard Bible
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.

King James Bible
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

New King James Version
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build.

New American Standard Bible
“For he has oppressed and neglected the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

NASB 1995
“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

NASB 1977
“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

Legacy Standard Bible
For he has crushed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.

Amplified Bible
“For he has oppressed and neglected the poor; He has violently taken away houses which he did not build.

Christian Standard Bible
For he oppressed and abandoned the poor; he seized a house he did not build.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For he oppressed and abandoned the poor; he seized a house he did not build.

American Standard Version
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Contemporary English Version
because they cheated the poor and took their homes.

English Revised Version
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; he hath violently taken away an house, and he shall not build it up.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
because he crushed and abandoned the poor. He has taken by force a house that he didn't build.

Good News Translation
because they oppressed and neglected the poor and seized houses someone else had built.

International Standard Version
because he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he didn't build.

Majority Standard Bible
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build.

NET Bible
For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build.

New Heart English Bible
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Webster's Bible Translation
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.

World English Bible
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For he oppressed—he forsook the poor, "" He has taken a house away violently, "" And he does not build it.

Young's Literal Translation
For he oppressed -- he forsook the poor, A house he hath taken violently away, And he doth not build it.

Smith's Literal Translation
For he oppressed, forsaking the poor; he stripped the house and he will not build it up.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Because he broke in and stripped the poor: he hath violently taken away a house which he did not build.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For, having broken in, he stripped the poor. He has quickly stolen away a house he did not build.

New American Bible
Because he has oppressed and neglected the poor, and stolen a house he did not build;

New Revised Standard Version
For they have crushed and abandoned the poor, they have seized a house that they did not build.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Because he has thought to forsake the poor; because he has violently taken away a house which he did not build.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For he thought to forsake the poor, and a house of violence will not be built up
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For he hath oppressed and forsaken the poor; He hath violently taken away a house, and he shall not build it up.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built it not.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Zophar: Destruction Awaits the Wicked
18He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading. 19For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; he has seized houses he did not build. 20Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.…

Cross References
James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...

Proverbs 22:16
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.

Amos 8:4-6
Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

Micah 2:1-2
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. / They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.

Isaiah 3:14-15
The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. / Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.

Habakkuk 2:6-9
Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’ / Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. / Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers. ...

Jeremiah 22:13-17
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages, / who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. / Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him. ...

Luke 16:19-25
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores / and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. ...

Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Psalm 10:2-9
In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. / For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. / In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Because he has oppressed and has forsaken the poor; because he has violently taken away an house which he built not;

Because

Job 21:27,28
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me…

Job 22:6
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

Job 24:2-12
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof

oppressed.

Deuteronomy 28:33
The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

Lamentations 3:34
To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

he hath violently

Job 18:15
It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

Job 24:2
Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

1 Kings 21:19
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

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Abandoned Build Builded Built Cruel Crushed Destitute Force Forsaken Forsook House Houses Oppressed Poor Seized Trouble Turning Violently
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Abandoned Build Builded Built Cruel Crushed Destitute Force Forsaken Forsook House Houses Oppressed Poor Seized Trouble Turning Violently
Job 20
1. Zophar shows the state and portion of the wicked














For he has oppressed
The Hebrew word for "oppressed" is "עָשַׁק" (ashaq), which conveys a sense of defrauding or exploiting others. In the context of Job, this word highlights the moral failing of taking advantage of those who are vulnerable. Historically, oppression was a common sin condemned by the prophets, as it violated the covenantal laws that called for justice and care for the marginalized. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's heart for justice and the protection of the poor, emphasizing that true righteousness involves defending the rights of the oppressed.

and forsaken the poor
The term "forsaken" comes from the Hebrew "עָזַב" (azab), meaning to abandon or leave behind. The "poor" refers to those who are economically disadvantaged and socially marginalized. In ancient Israel, the poor were often left without support or protection, contrary to the Mosaic Law, which commanded care for the needy. This phrase underscores the moral decay of those who neglect their duty to support the less fortunate, highlighting a failure to embody the compassion and mercy that God desires from His people.

he has seized houses
"Seized" is translated from the Hebrew "גָּזַל" (gazal), which means to rob or take by force. This action is a direct violation of the commandment against stealing and reflects a heart of greed and injustice. The reference to "houses" symbolizes not just physical structures but the security and livelihood of individuals and families. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a house was a place of refuge and identity, making its unlawful seizure a grave injustice.

he did not build
The phrase "he did not build" emphasizes the illegitimacy of the acquisition. It reflects a disregard for the labor and effort of others, taking what one has not earned. This highlights a broader biblical principle that God values honest work and integrity. The act of taking what one did not build is a metaphor for living off the efforts of others without contributing, which is condemned throughout Scripture. It serves as a warning against the temptation to gain wealth or status through unrighteous means, reminding believers of the importance of integrity and stewardship.

(19) Because he hath oppressed and forsaken . . .--For these insinuations there was not a vestige of ground, but Job formally rebuts them in Job 31

Verse 19. - Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor. These charges are now for the first time insinuated against Job; later on, they are openly brought by Eliphaz (Job 22:5-9). Job denies them categorically in Job 29:11-17. They seem to have been pure calumnies, without an atom of foundation. Because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not. Another calumny, doubtless. Something like it was insinuated by Eliphaz in Job 15:28.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he has oppressed
רִ֭צַּץ (riṣ·ṣaṣ)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7533: To crack in pieces

[and] forsaken
עָזַ֣ב (‘ā·zaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

the poor;
דַּלִּ֑ים (dal·lîm)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1800: Dangling, weak, thin

he has seized
גָּ֝זַ֗ל (gā·zal)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1497: To pluck off, to flay, strip, rob

houses
בַּ֥יִת (ba·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

he did not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

build.
יִבֶנֵֽהוּ׃ (yi·ḇe·nê·hū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1129: To build


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OT Poetry: Job 20:19 For he has oppressed and forsaken (Jb)
Job 20:18
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