Job—Part 2

(Job 2:11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
(Job 2:12) And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
(Job 2:13) So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Then Job began to speak. He expressed deep feelings of anguish and wished he were never born (Job 3). Then Eliphaz spoke (Job 4-5). In his words he claimed that Job's suffering was due to sin. Among others, Eliphaz said the following. "Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?" (Job 4:7). "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty" (Job 5:17). "Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good" (Job 5:27). Then Job answered (Job 6-7). He wished God would take his life (Job 6:8-9). He also said "To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty" (Job 6:14). Now, literally, the ending of Job 6:14 is " ... and he will forsake the fear of the Almighty", where "fear" could be understood as the emotion of terror. That is, Job 6:14 could be understood as saying that when a despairing man is comforted and encouraged by his friend, he abandons fears and worries. Thus, "fear" in Job 6:14 is not interpreted here as "reverence" but as the emotion of terror. Job also told his friends "For now are ye nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid." (Job 6:21). Now, in this translation of Job 6:21 the word for "not" is rendered "nothing", just as some related words are often translated "nothing" in Dan 4:35 and Job 24:25. A literal translation that does not assume that "not" means "nothing" is "For now ye are here, ye do not see terror, and ye are afraid". There was no terror, and yet they were afraid. The reason they were afraid could be inferred from what Job said next. He said "Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance? Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?" (Job 6:22-23). He implied that his friends were afraid of what he might ask of them. He also defended himself. He said "cause me to understand wherein I have erred" (Job 6:24). Then Job complained. In his pain, Job's perception of God was wrong, for he implied that God was against him and tormented him (Job 7:11-21).

"Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, How long wilt thou speak these things? ... Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?" (Job 8:1-3). "Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers" (Job 8:20). "Then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?" (Job 9:1-2). He stated that there was no way to contend with God and prevail, since God knows so much and is so powerful. Thus, a man would not be able to appeal and change his circumstances if God would afflict him without a cause. In his suffering, Job thought that God could afflict one without a cause (Job 9:17). "If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me" (Job 9:30-31). "This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked" (Job 9:22). Then he arrived to another wrong conclusion: "I have been condemned; why then should I labor in vain?" (Job 9:29)MKJV. Thus, he questioned the effort to live a life that pleases the Lord. Job's reasoning so far did not explain the origin of his great suffering. So he said to God "Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me" (Job 10:2). Clearly, he did not seem to think that God was dealing rightly with him (Job 10:3-6).

Zophar was not convinced by Job's words. In his eyes Job's suffering was a punishment for sins. Thus, he invited him to repent. "For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes. But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee ... Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth" (Job 11:4-6). "If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles" (Job 11:14). Then Job defended his wisdom (Job 12), for iniquity in him would have testified against his wisdom. "What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you" (Job 13:2). Since his friends claimed he had done great sins, Job said "ye are forgers of lies" (Job 13:4). "Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?" (Job 13:7). After rebuking them, he prayed (Job 13:20-14:22). He said "How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin" (Job 13:23).

Eliphaz was not convinced either by Job. He said "thou choosest the tongue of the crafty" (Job 15:5). "Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee" (Job 15:6). Then he went on by talking about the punishment of the wicked (Job 15:20-35). "Then Job answered and said ... I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you" (Job 16:1, 4). Then Job complained (Job 16:7-17:16). But Bildad answered and spoke about the troubles of the wicked (Job 18:5-21). He implied that Job did not know God (Job 18:21). Then Job continued to complain (Job 19:6-22). He desired his words to be recorded (Job 19:23-24) and he looked forward to the resurrection of the dead (Job 19:25-27). However, Zophar spoke again about the punishment of the wicked (Job 20). So Job himself spoke about the punishment of the wicked, perhaps in order to show that he was very familiar with the topic (Job 21). He added "How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?" (Job 21:34). Thus, Job continued to declare his innocence and to say that his friends were speaking falsely against him.

Then Zophar said "Will He reprove you because of your reverence, or enter into judgment with you? Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without measure?" (Job 22:4-5)MKJV. Then he mentioned a number of specific sins that he thought Job might have done (Job 22). Then Job continued to complain and declare his innocence (Job 23). He also spoke about the punishment of those committing some specific sins (Job 24) and concluded "who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?" (Job 24:25). Then Bildad briefly spoke about the majesty of God and said "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?" (Job 25:4). Perhaps he meant that there must have been some serious sins that Job was unaware of. So Job spoke also about the majesty of God (Job 26:5-14), perhaps in order to show that he was well aware of it. He spoke again about the fate of the wicked (Job 27) and about wisdom (Job 28). He complained of his situation (Job 30) which was so unlike to his former condition (Job 29). Then he defended his innocence by referring specifically to common areas of sin (Job 31).

(Job 32:1) So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

The three friends of Job were wrong when they implied that major suffering can only come as retribution for sins. They were condemning Job without a reason (Job 32:3). Job was not right either, for he "justified himself rather than God" (Job 32:2).

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