Compare Job 20:20 with Proverbs 27:20 on human desires. What similarities exist? The Verses in Focus • Job 20:20 — “Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape with his treasure.” • Proverbs 27:20 — “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Textual Connection • Both verses use the phrase “never satisfied,” spotlighting an unending craving. • Job 20:20 zooms in on a specific person whose greed traps him. • Proverbs 27:20 broadens the scope, equating human eyes (desires) with death itself—both insatiable. Shared Themes • Insatiability – Human appetite (Job) and human eyes (Proverbs) share a limitless hunger. – Ecclesiastes 5:10 echoes this: “Whoever loves money is never satisfied with money.” • Futility of Greed – Job 20:20 shows the greedy man gaining treasure but finding no escape. – Proverbs 27:20 reminds us that desire swallows up contentment just as the grave swallows life. • Moral Consequence – Job 20 puts the insatiable man under judgment. – Proverbs 27 draws a parallel to Sheol, hinting that unchecked desire leads toward death (cf. Habakkuk 2:5). Illustrations from the Rest of Scripture • James 4:1-3 — Cravings wage war within and produce conflict. • 1 John 2:16 — “the lust of the eyes” is worldly, destined to pass away. • Isaiah 5:14 — Sheol enlarges its throat; desire opens the door to destruction. Practical Takeaways • Recognize Desire’s Bottomless Pit – If we chase possessions or experiences expecting fulfillment, we reenact Job 20:20. • Cultivate Contentment – Philippians 4:11-13 teaches learned contentment; Hebrews 13:5 commands, “Be content with what you have.” • Redirect the Eyes – Psalm 119:37: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” Satisfaction is found in God, not in endlessly acquiring. Summary Job 20:20 and Proverbs 27:20 join hands in affirming one truth: human desire, left unchecked, is a vacuum that can never be filled. Both verses warn that the pursuit of more—whether wealth or visual allure—leads only to bondage and, ultimately, to the grave. True freedom and fulfillment arise not from satisfying every craving, but from anchoring desires in the Lord who alone satisfies the longing soul (Psalm 107:9). |
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