Lexical Summary qim: "Rising," "standing," or "establishment." Original Word: קִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance substance From quwm; an opponent (as rising against one), i.e. (collectively) enemies -- substance. see HEBREW quwm NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qum Definition adversary NASB Translation adversaries (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [קִים] noun masculine adversary (properly uprising, insurgent [Köii. l, 60], compare √Qal 2); — suffix קִימָ֑נוּ (Köii. l, 442) Job 22:20, but probably corrupt; Ges§ 91f, Du קָמֵ(י)נוּ (Participle suffix) Me Bu יְקֻמָם, PerlesAnal. 59 קִנְיָנָם. Topical Lexicon Canonical Context The word appears in Job 22:20, within Eliphaz the Temanite’s third address to Job (Job 22:1-30). Eliphaz argues that the downfall of the ungodly is so thorough that even their remaining “surplus” is consumed: “Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their surplus” (Job 22:20). He cites this as proof that suffering is always punitive and urges Job to repent. Though Eliphaz misapplies the principle to a righteous sufferer, the statement itself reflects a recurring biblical theme of complete divine judgment. Imagery of Total Consumption Fire in Scripture often signifies God’s decisive, purifying wrath (Genesis 19:24; Leviticus 10:2; Numbers 16:35; Malachi 4:1). By reaching the “surplus,” the text stresses that no residue escapes when the Lord decrees judgment. Comparable images include Psalm 37:20, where the enemies of the LORD vanish “like smoke,” and Matthew 3:12, where unquenchable fire consumes the chaff. The single Old Testament use of קִים underscores the finality of such judgment. Historical Resonance Job is framed in the patriarchal period, and Eliphaz’s words likely evoke collective memories of catastrophic judgments—Sodom and Gomorrah, plagues in Egypt, or fiery acts at Sinai—events well known in ancient Near Eastern culture as markers of divine sovereignty. The “surplus” becomes a visible testimony that the gods of wealth and security have failed, leaving only smoldering ruins. Theological Emphases 1. Certainty of divine justice: God’s wrath can reach what seems beyond harm. Intertextual Links • Psalm 37:20 – the wicked will “fade like smoke.” These passages jointly affirm that God’s judgment leaves no remainder, echoing the completeness implicit in Job 22:20. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Preaching: Use the verse to warn against complacency in sin, highlighting that God’s justice reaches even hidden or excess treasures. Homiletical Outline Example 1. The Folly of Trusting Surplus (Job 22:20; Proverbs 18:11) Summary Strong’s Hebrew 7009 occurs once, yet its solitary appearance powerfully portrays the exhaustive nature of divine judgment: even the last vestige of the wicked’s abundance is consumed. The image strengthens biblical teaching on God’s unwavering justice, warns against misplaced trust in wealth, and ultimately drives readers to the only secure refuge—salvation in the Lord. Forms and Transliterations קִימָ֑נוּ קימנו kiManu qî·mā·nū qîmānūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 22:20 HEB: לֹ֣א נִכְחַ֣ד קִימָ֑נוּ וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם אָ֣כְלָה NAS: [Saying], 'Truly our adversaries are cut off, KJV: Whereas our substance is not cut down, INT: not are cut our adversaries and their abundance consumeth 1 Occurrence |
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