His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse powerfully reveals that true wealth isn't what you accumulate, but what you unjustly take; the oppressor's children won't inherit riches, but will be forced to return what was stolen, and even beg from those they once despised. It's a stark reminder that ill-gotten gains never truly belong to us, and the consequences often fall on those we love.
His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Zophar's fierce accusation against Job, painting a grim picture of the wicked person's inevitable downfall. Zophar is detailing the consequences that will befall not just the wicked man himself, but also his offspring and his ill-gotten wealth. The verse describes how his children will be reduced to begging from the very poor they or their father oppressed, and how the wealth he hoarded will be forcefully reclaimed.
Imagine a world turned upside down: the very people you oppressed now hold the power. Job 20:10 paints a stark picture of this reversal.
This verse describes a dramatic shift in fortunes, a consequence of a wicked person's actions.
A Humiliating Reversal
Instead of their father's wealth providing comfort and influence, his children are depicted as desperately seeking the 'favor of the poor.' This isn't about earning respect; it's a plea for basic sustenance or even just to be left alone by those their father wronged. The original Hebrew suggests a deeply humiliating situation where they might have to beg from those who themselves have very little.
Restitution as Inevitable
What happens to ill-gotten gains? The text is clear: they must be returned. This verse highlights a divine principle of accountability.
The second part of Job 20:10 speaks directly to the fate of wealth acquired through injustice.
Forced Repayment
While the first part of the verse focuses on the children's plight, the latter half, 'his hands will give back his wealth,' often refers to the wicked person himself being compelled to make restitution. This isn't a voluntary act of generosity but a forced repayment, likely through legal judgments or the crushing weight of divine justice.
The Cycle of Iniquity
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This restitution isn't just about returning money; it's about undoing the wrong. The wealth that was gained by oppressing the poor must be returned to them. It's a powerful image of justice seeking to balance the scales, ensuring that what was taken unjustly is ultimately relinquished.
Understand the original words
ben · Hebrew Noun
Referring to descendants or offspring; in wisdom literature, this often highlights the generational consequences of a person's life and the legacy left behind.
dal · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Often used to describe those who are socially or economically oppressed or in a state of humble need, frequently highlighting their position under God's protection or the contrast between their state and the prideful.
chayil · Hebrew Noun
Refers to material possessions, gain, or property. Biblically, this often carries the warning that wealth gained unrighteously cannot be held permanently and is subject to divine restitution.
This verse speaks to the generational consequence of sin and injustice, echoing the idea that ill-gotten gains and the wrongs committed by a father will impact his children, just as the fathers' sins are visited upon the children.
Proverbs 28:3This proverb directly links poverty and the suffering of children to oppressive leadership, paralleling the imagery of the wicked man's children being brought low and potentially suffering at the hands of those their father wronged.
Luke 16:19-31The parable of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates a dramatic reversal of fortune where the rich, self-indulgent man suffers in death, while the poor beggar is comforted, reflecting the theme of judgment and the consequences of earthly prosperity built on the suffering of others.
Matthew 5:3-5Jesus declares 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' and 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,' presenting a counter-cultural perspective where humility and poverty (in spirit and often in earthly possessions) are blessed, contrasting with the downfall of the oppressive rich man.
barnesJob 20:10: "His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods."
His children shall seek to please the poor - Margin, or, "the poor shall oppress his children." The idea in the Hebrew seems to be, that his sons shall be reduced to the humiliating condition of asking the aid of the most needy and abject. Instead of being in a situation to assist others, and to indulge in a liberal hospitality, they themselves shall be reduced to the necessity of applying to the p…
bensonJob 20:10: "His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods."
Job 20:10 . His children shall seek to please the poor — Either, 1st, To get some small relief from them in their extreme necessity. Or, rather, 2d, Lest they should revenge themselves on them for the great and many injuries which their father did them, or should seek to the magistrate for reparation. His hands shall restore their goods — By the sentence of the judge, to whom the oppressed poor wil…
This verse powerfully reveals that true wealth isn't what you accumulate, but what you unjustly take; the oppressor's children won't inherit riches, but will be forced to return what was stolen, and even beg from those they once despised. It's a stark reminder that ill-gotten gains never truly belong to us, and the consequences often fall on those we love.
This passage is part of Zophar's fierce accusation against Job, painting a grim picture of the wicked person's inevitable downfall. Zophar is detailing the consequences that will befall not just the wicked man himself, but also his offspring and his ill-gotten wealth. The verse describes how his children will be reduced to begging from the very poor they or their father oppressed, and how the wealth he hoarded will be forcefully reclaimed.
This passage is part of Zophar's fierce accusation against Job, painting a grim picture of the wicked person's inevitable downfall. Zophar is detailing the consequences that will befall not just the wicked man himself, but also his offspring and his ill-gotten wealth. The verse describes how his children will be reduced to begging from the very poor they or their father oppressed, and how the wealth he hoarded will be forcefully reclaimed.
"His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will give back his wealth." — This verse powerfully reveals that true wealth isn't what you accumulate, but what you unjustly take; the oppressor's children won't inherit riches, but will be forced to return what was stolen, and…
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Last reviewed October 2026