Job 20:18
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New International Version (©1984)
What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He will give back what he earned without enjoying it. He will get no joy from the profits of his business

King James Bible
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

American King James Version
That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

American Standard Version
That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; According to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

Bible in Basic English
He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He shall be punished for all that he did, and yet shall not be consumed: according to the multitude of his devices so also shall he suffer.

Darby Bible Translation
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and not swallow down; its restitution shall be according to the value, and he shall not rejoice therein.

English Revised Version
That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down; according to the substance that he hath gotten, he shall not rejoice.

Webster's Bible Translation
That which he labored for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice in it.

World English Bible
That for which he labored he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down. According to the substance that he has gotten, he shall not rejoice.

Young's Literal Translation
He is giving back what he laboured for, And doth not consume it; As a bulwark is his exchange, and he exults not.

Geneva Study Bible

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, {i} and he shall not rejoice therein.

(i) That is these raveners and spoilers of the poor will enjoy their theft but for a time for after God will take it from them, and cause them to make restitution so that it is only an exchange.

Wesley's Notes

20:18 Swallow - So as to hold it. He shall not possess it long, nor to any considerable purpose. Yea, he shall be forced to part with his estate to make compensations for his wrongs. So that he shall not enjoy what he had gotten, because it shall be taken from him.

King James Translators' Notes

his...: Heb. the substance of his exchange

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

18. Image from food which is taken away from one before he can swallow it.

restitution-(So Pr 6:31). The parallelism favors the English Version rather than the translation of Gesenius, "As a possession to be restored in which he rejoices not."

he shall not rejoice-His enjoyment of his ill-gotten gains shall then be at an end (Job 20:5).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:10-22 The miserable condition of the wicked man in this world is fully set forth. The lusts of the flesh are here called the sins of his youth. His hiding it and keeping it under his tongue, denotes concealment of his beloved lust, and delight therein. But He who knows what is in the heart, knows what is under the tongue, and will discover it. The love of the world, and of the wealth of it, also is wickedness, and man sets his heart upon these. Also violence and injustice, these sins bring God's judgments upon nations and families. Observe the punishment of the wicked man for these things. Sin is turned into gall, than which nothing is more bitter; it will prove to him poison; so will all unlawful gains be. In his fulness he shall be in straits, through the anxieties of his own mind. To be led by the sanctifying grace of God to restore what was unjustly gotten, as Zaccheus was, is a great mercy. But to be forced to restore by the horrors of a despairing conscience, as Judas was, has no benefit and comfort attending it.


Job 20:10 "His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
Job 20:15 "He swallows riches, But will vomit them up; God will expel them from his belly. (NASB ©1995)

Attained Bulwark Consume Enjoy Enjoyment Exchange Exults Food Forced Fruit Gotten Labored Profit Rejoice Restitution Restore Returns Riches Substance Swallow Therein Toil Toiled Trading Work


That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

shall he restore. See on 10,15

swallow 5 Pr 1:12 Jer 51:34,44 La 2:16 Ho 8:7,8 Am 8:4 Mt 23:14,24

his substance. Heb. the substance of his exchange. and he shall 31:25,29 Isa 24:7-11 Jer 11:15,16 22:13,17 Eze 7:12 Ho 9:1 Jas 4:8,9

Bible Gateway: Job Chapter 20 Verse 18 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: And As attained back cannot enjoy even for from give has he his it must not of profit returns riches swallow the them to toiled trading uneaten What will

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