Job 11:20 - Exposition

Had Zophar ended with Job 11:19 Job might possibly have taken some comfort from his speech, holding out, as it did, a hope of restoration to God's favour and a return to happiness. But, as if to accentuate the unfavourable view which he takes of Job's conduct and character, he will not end with words of good omen, but appends a passage which has a ring of malice, menace, and condemnation. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail ; or, waste away ' grew weary, i.e. ' of looking for a help that does not come, and a deliverer who does not make his appearance. And they shall not escape; literally, their refuge is perished from them. And their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost; rather, shall be the giving up of the ghost. They shall have no other hope but death—a manifest allusion to Job's repeated declarations that he looks for death, longs for it, and has no expectation of any other deliverance (see Job 3:21 , Job 3:22 ; Job 6:7 , Job 6:8 ; Job 7:15 ; Job 10:1 , Job 10:18 . etc.). Such, says Zophar, is always the final condition of the wicked.