THE BOOK OF
JOB

Title

As with other books of the Bible, Job bears the name of the narrative’s primary character. This name might have been derived from the Hebrew word for persecution, thus meaning “persecuted one,” or from an Arabic word meaning “repent,” thus bearing the name “repentant one.” The author recounts an era in the life of Job, in which he was tested and the character of God was revealed. New Testament writers directly quote Job two times (Rom. 11:35; 1 Cor. 3:19), plus Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and James 5:11 show that Job was a real person.

Author and Date

The book does not name its author. Job is an unlikely candidate because the book’s message rests on Job’s ignorance of the events that occurred in heaven as they related to his ordeal. One talmudic tradition suggests Moses as author since the land of Uz (1:1) was adjacent to Midian where Moses lived for forty years, and he could have obtained a record of the story there. Solomon is also a good possibility due to the similarity of content with parts of the Book of Ecclesiastes, as well as the fact that Solomon wrote the other wisdom books (except Psalms, although he did author Pss. 72; 127). Even though he lived long after Job, Solomon could have written about events that occurred long before his own time, in much the same manner as Moses was guided by the Holy Spirit to write about Adam and Eve. Elihu, Isaiah, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, and Ezra have also been suggested as possible authors, but without support.

The date of the book’s writing may be much later than the events recorded in Job. This real possibility is based on: (1) Job’s age (42:16); (2) his life span of nearly 200 years (42:16) which fits the patriarchal period (Abraham lived 175 years; Gen. 25:7); (3) the social unit being the patriarchal family; (4) the Chaldeans who murdered Job’s servants (1:17) were nomads and had not yet become city dwellers; (5) Job’s wealth being measured in livestock rather than gold and silver (1:3; 42:12); (6) Job’s priestly functions within his family (1:4, 5); and (7) a basic silence on matters such as the covenant of Abraham, Israel, the Exodus, and the Law of Moses.

The events of Job’s odyssey appear to be patriarchal. Job, on the other hand, seemed to know about Adam (31:33) and the Noahic flood (12:15). These cultural/historical features found in the book appear to place the events chronologically at a time probably after Babel (Gen. 11:1–9), but before or contemporaneous with Abraham (Gen. 11:27ff.).

Background and Setting

This book begins with a scene in heaven that explains everything to the reader (1:6–2:10). Job was suffering because God was contesting with Satan. Job never knew that, nor did any of his friends; so they all struggled to explain suffering from the perspective of their ignorance, until finally Job rested in nothing but faith in God’s goodness and the hope of His redemption. That God vindicated his trust is the culminating message of the book. When there are no rational or, even, theological explanations for disaster and pain, trust God.

Historical and Theological Themes

The occasion and events that follow Job’s sufferings present significant questions for the faith of believers in all ages. Why does Job serve God? Job is heralded for his righteousness, being compared with Noah and Daniel (Ezek. 14:14–20), and for his spiritual endurance (James 5:11). Several other questions are alluded to throughout Job’s ordeal, for instance, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Though an answer to that question may seem important, the book does not set forth such a response. Job never knew the reasons for his suffering and neither did his friends.

The righteous sufferer does not appear to learn about any of the heavenly court debates between God and Satan that precipitated his pain. In fact, when finally confronted by the Lord of the universe, Job put his hand over his mouth and said nothing. Job’s silent response in no way trivialized the intense pain and loss he had endured. It merely underscored the importance of trusting God’s purposes in the midst of suffering, because suffering—like all other human experiences—is directed by perfect divine wisdom. In the end, the lesson learned was that a person may never know the specific reason for his suffering, but he must trust in the sovereign God. That is the real answer to suffering.

The book treats two major themes and many other minor ones, both in the narrative framework of the prologue (chs. 1; 2) and epilogue (42:7–17), and in the poetic account of Job’s torment that lies in between (3:1–42:6). A key to understanding the first theme of the book is to notice the debate between God and Satan in heaven and how it connects with the three cycles of earthly debates between Job and his friends. God wanted to prove the character of believers to Satan and to all demons, angels, and people. The accusations are by Satan, who indicted God’s claims of Job’s righteousness as being untested, if not questionable. Satan accused the righteous of being faithful to God only for what they could get in return. Since Job did not serve God with pure motives, according to Satan, the whole relationship between Job and God was a sham.

Satan’s confidence that he could turn Job against God came, no doubt, from the fact that he had led the holy angels to rebel with him (see note on Rev. 12:4 ). Satan thought he could destroy Job’s faith in God by inflicting suffering on him, thus showing in principle that saving faith could be shattered. God released Satan to make his point if he could, but he failed, as true faith in God proved unbreakable. Even Job’s wife told him to curse God (2:9), but he refused; his faith in God never failed (see 13:15).

Satan tried to do the same to Peter (see Luke 22:31–34) and was unsuccessful in destroying Peter’s faith (see John 21:15–19). When Satan has unleashed all that he can do to destroy saving faith, it stands firm (cf. Rom. 8:31–39). In the end, God proved His point with Satan that saving faith can’t be destroyed, no matter how much trouble a saint suffers or how incomprehensible and undeserved it seems.

A second and related theme concerns proving the character of God to men. Does this sort of ordeal, in which God and His opponent Satan square off, with righteous Job as the test case, suggest that God is lacking in compassion and mercy toward Job? Not at all. As James says, “You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (James 5:11). It was to prove the very opposite (42:10–17). Job says, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (2:10).

God’s servant does not deny that he has suffered. He does deny that his suffering is a result of serious, habitual sin. Nor does he understand why he suffers. Job simply commits his ordeal with a devout heart of worship and humility (42:5, 6) to a sovereign and perfectly wise Creator—and that was what God wanted him to learn in this conflict with Satan. In the end, God flooded Job with more blessings than he had ever known.

The major reality of the book is the inscrutable mystery of innocent suffering. God ordains that His children walk in sorrow and pain, sometimes because of sin (cf. Num. 12:10–12), sometimes for chastening (cf. Heb. 12:5–12), sometimes for strengthening (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7–10; 1 Pet. 5:10), and sometimes to give opportunity to reveal His comfort and grace (2 Cor. 1:3–7). But there are times when the compelling issue in the suffering of the saints is unknowable because it is for a heavenly purpose that those on earth can’t discern (cf. Ex. 4:11; John 9:1–3).

Job and his friends wanted to analyze the suffering and look for causes and solutions. Using all of their sound theology and insight into the situation, they searched for answers, but found only useless and wrong ideas, for which God eventually rebuked them (42:7). They couldn’t know why Job suffered because what happened in heaven between God and Satan was unknown to them. They thought they knew all the answers, but they only intensified the dilemma by their insistent ignorance.

By spreading out some of the elements of this great theme, we can see the following truths in Job’s experience:

1. There are matters going on in heaven with God that believers know nothing about; yet, they dramatically affect their lives.

2. Even the best effort at explaining the issues of life can be useless.

3. God’s people do suffer. Bad things happen all the time to good people, so one cannot judge a person’s spirituality by his painful circumstances or successes.

4. Even though God seems far away, perseverance in faith is a most noble virtue since God is good and one can safely leave his life in His hands.

5. The believer in the midst of suffering should not abandon God, but draw near to Him, so out of the fellowship can come the comfort—even without the explanation.

6. Suffering may be intense, but it will ultimately end for the righteous and God will bless abundantly.

Interpretive Challenges

The most critical interpretive challenge involves the book’s primary message. Although often thought to be the pressing issue of the book, the question of why Job suffers is never revealed to Job, though the reader knows that it involves God’s proving a point to Satan—a matter that completely transcends Job’s ability to understand. James’s commentary on Job’s case (5:11) draws the conclusion that it was to show God’s compassion and mercy, but without apology, offers no explanation for Job’s specific ordeal. Readers find themselves putting their proverbial hands over their mouths, with no right to question or accuse the all-wise and all-powerful Creator, who will do as He pleases, and in so doing, both proves His points in the spiritual realm to angels and demons and defines His compassion and mercy on earth.

Engaging in “theodicy,” i.e., man’s attempt to defend God’s involvement in calamity and suffering, is shown to be appropriate in these circumstances; though in the end, it is apparent that God does not need or want a human advocate. The Book of Job poignantly illustrates Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God.”

The nature of Job’s guilt and innocence raises perplexing questions. God declared Job perfect and upright, fearing Him and shunning evil (1:1). But Job’s comforters raised a critical question based on Job’s ordeal: Had not Job sinned? On several occasions, Job readily admitted to having sinned (7:21; 13:26). But Job questioned the extent of his sin as compared to the severity of his suffering. God eventually rebuked Job for his demands to be vindicated of the comforters’ accusations (chs. 38–41). But He also declared that what Job said was correct and what the comforters said was wrong (42:7).

Another challenge comes in keeping separate the preunderstandings that Job and his comforters brought to Job’s ordeal. At the outset, all agreed that God punishes evil, rewards obedience, and does so without exception. Job, due to his suffering innocently, was forced to conclude, however, that exceptions are possible in that the righteous also suffer. He also observed that the wicked prosper. These are more than small exceptions to the rule, thus forcing Job to rethink his simple understanding about God’s sovereign interaction with His people. The type of wisdom Job comes to embrace was not dependent merely on the promise of reward or punishment.

The long, peevish disputes between Job and his accusers were attempts to reconcile the perceived inequities of God’s retribution in Job’s experiences. Such an empirical method is dangerous. In the end, God offered no explanation to Job, but He called all parties to a deeper level of trust in the Creator, who rules over a sin-confused world with power and authority directed by perfect wisdom and mercy. See notes on Psalm 73.

Understanding this book requires (1) understanding the nature of wisdom, particularly the difference between man’s wisdom and God’s, and (2) admitting that Job and his friends lacked the divine wisdom and heavenly circumstances to interpret Job’s circumstances accurately, though his friends kept trying while Job learned to be content in God’s sovereignty and mercy. The turning point or resolution for this matter is found in Job 28 where the character of divine wisdom is explained: divine wisdom is rare and priceless; man cannot hope to purchase it; and God possesses it all. One may not know what is going on in heaven or what God’s purposes are, but one must trust Him. Because of this, the matter of believers suffering takes a back seat to the matter of divine wisdom.

I. THE DILEMMA (1:1–2:13)

1:1–2:13 This section identifies the main persons and sets the stage for the drama to follow.

A. Introduction of Job (1:1–5)

1:1 Uz. Job’s home was a walled city with gates (29:7, 8), where he had earned a position of great respect. The city was in the land of Uz in northern Arabia, adjacent to Midian, where Moses lived for forty years (Ex. 2:15). Job. The story begins on earth with Job as the central figure. He was a rich man with seven sons and three daughters, in his middle years with a grown family, but still young enough to father ten more children (see 42:13). He was good, a family man, rich, and widely known. blameless . . . upright . . . feared God . . . shunned evil. Cf. 1:8. Job was not perfect or without sin (cf. 6:24; 7:21; 9:20); however, it appears from the language that he had put his trust in God for redemption and faithfully lived a God-honoring, sincere life of integrity and consistency—personally, maritally (2:10), and parentally (1:4, 5).

1:3 sheep . . . camels . . . oxen . . . female donkeys. As was typical in the ancient Near East, Job’s wealth was not measured in money or land holdings, but in his numerous livestock, like the patriarchs (cf. Gen. 13:1–7). greatest . . . of the East. This is a major claim by any standard. Solomon gained a similar reputation, “Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East” (1 Kin. 4:30). The east denotes those people living east of Palestine, as the people of the northern Arabian desert did (cf. Judg. 6:3; Ezek. 25:4).

1:4 on his appointed day. Each of the seven sons had an appointed day of the week. This reference to the main meal of each day of the week, which moved from house to house, implies the love and harmony of the family members. The sisters are especially noted to show these were cared for with love.

1:5 send and sanctify. At the end of every week, Job would offer up as many burnt offerings as he had sons (see Lev. 1:4), officiating weekly (“regularly”) as family priest in a time before the Aaronic priesthood was established. These offerings were to cover any sin that his children may have committed that week, indicating the depth of his spiritual devotion. This record is included to demonstrate the righteousness and virtue of Job and his family, which made his suffering all the more amazing. burnt offerings. This kind of offering was known as early as Noah (Gen. 8:20).

B. Divine Debates with Satan (1:6–2:10)

1:6 sons of God. Job’s life is about to be caught up in heavenly strategies as the scene moves from earth to heaven where God is holding council with His heavenly court. It is significant to note that neither Job nor his friends ever knew about this. All of their discussions were conducted without the benefit of knowing about this heavenly dimension. The angelic host (cf. 38:7; Pss. 29:1; 89:7; Dan. 3:25) came to God’s throne to render account of their ministry throughout the earth and heaven (cf. 1 Kin. 22:19–22). Like a Judas among the apostles, Satan was with the angels. Satan. Emboldened by the success he had with the unfallen Adam in paradise (Gen. 3:6–12, 17–19), he was confident that the fear of God in Job, one of a fallen race, would not stand his tests, for he had fallen himself (see Is. 14:12). In contrast to a personal name, Satan as a title means “adversary,” used in either a personal or judicial sense. This arch-demon is the ultimate spiritual adversary of all time and has been accusing the righteous throughout the ages (see Rev. 12:10). In a courtroom setting, the adversary usually stood to the right of the accused. This location is reported when Satan in heaven accused Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:1). That he is still unsuccessful is the thesis of Romans 8:31–39.

1:7 And the LORD said. Lest there be any question about God’s role in this ordeal, it was He who initiated the dialogue. The adversary was not presiding. If anything, Satan raised the penetrating question that might well be asked by anyone, perhaps even Job himself: Does Job serve God with pure motives, or is he in it only as long as the blessings flow? Spiritually speaking, is Job merely a “fair weather” believer in God?

1:7, 8 to and fro on the earth. The picture is of haste. No angel, fallen or holy, is an omnipresent creature, but they move rapidly. In Satan’s case, as prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and ruler of demons (Matt. 9:34; 12:24), the earth is his domain where he prowls like a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). God gave him Job to test.

1:9–11 Satan asserted that true believers are only faithful as long as they prosper. Take away their prosperity, he claims, and they will reject God. He wanted to prove that salvation is not permanent, that saving faith can be broken and those who were God’s could become his. That is the first of the two major themes of this book (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). Satan repeated this affront with Jesus (see Matt. 4), Peter (see Luke 22:31), and Paul (see 2 Cor. 12:7). The OT has many promises from God in which He pledges to sustain the faith of His children. Cf. Psalms 37:23, 28; 97:10; 121:4–7. For NT texts, cf. Luke 22:31, 32; Jude 24.

1:12 power. God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith by attacking “all that he has.” With God’s sovereign permission, Satan was allowed to move on Job, except that he could not attack Job physically.

1:13–19 With four rapid-fire disasters, Satan destroyed or removed Job’s livestock, servants, and children. Only the four messengers survived.

1:15 Sabeans. Lit. “Sheba,” part of Arabia. These people were terrorizing robbers, who had descended from Ham (Gen. 10:6, 7) and/or Shem (Gen. 10:21, 28).

1:16 fire of God . . . heaven. This probably refers to severe lightning.

1:17 Chaldeans. A semi-nomadic people of the Arabian desert, experienced in marauding and war (cf. Hab. 1:6–8).

1:19 great wind. Most likely, this refers to a tornado-type wind. Cf. Isaiah 21:1; Hosea 13:15.

1:20, 21 worshiped. Job heard the other messages calmly, but on hearing about the death of his children, he expressed all the symbols of grief (cf. Gen. 37:34; Jer. 41:5; Mic. 1:16), but also worshiped God in the manner of verse 21. Instead of cursing, he blessed the name of Jehovah. Job’s submissive response disproved the adversary’s accusations (1:9–11). So far, Job was what God claimed him to be, a true believer with faith that cannot be broken (v. 8).

1:22 did not sin nor charge God with wrong. This is better rendered, “sin by charging God with wrong.” Hasty words against God in the midst of grief are foolish and wicked. Christians are to submit to trials and still worship God, not because they see the reasons for them, but because God wills them and has His own reasons which believers are to trust (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7–18).

2:1–3a The scene changes again to the heavenly court, where the angels came before the Lord, and Satan was also present, having been again searching the earth for victims to assault. See notes on 1:6–8.

2:3 still he holds fast to his integrity. God affirmed that Job had won round one. without cause. God uses the same expression the adversary used in Job 1 “for nothing (1:9) . . . without cause (2:3).” The message behind God’s turn of words is that the adversary is the guilty party in this case, not Job who had suffered all the disaster without any personal cause. He had done nothing to incur the pain and loss, though it was massive. The issue was purely a matter of conflict between God and Satan. This is a crucial statement, because when Job’s friends tried to explain why all the disasters had befallen him, they always put the blame on Job. Grasping this assessment from God—that Job had not been punished for something, but suffered for nothing related to him personally—is a crucial key to understanding Job. Sometimes suffering is caused by divine purposes unknowable to us (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes).

2:4, 5 Skin for skin. Satan contended that what he had done to Job so far was just touching the skin, scratching the surface. Job endured the loss of all that he had, even the lives of his children, but would not endure the loss of his own well-being. If God allowed Satan to make the disaster a personal matter of his own physical body, the Adversary contended, Job’s faith would fail.

2:6 spare his life. The Lord sovereignly limited the Adversary, although death seemed preferable. Job believed that to be the case (cf. 7:15), as did his wife (2:9).

2:7 Satan . . . struck Job. This appears to be an exceptional case with no other exact parallel in Scripture. In the Gospels, demons caused physical problems when they dwelled within people (cf. 13:11, 16), but that is not the case here. God’s permissive will operated for purposes Job cannot know; God was hidden from him along with the reasons for his suffering. painful boils. Although the nature of Job’s affliction cannot be diagnosed exactly, it produced extreme physical trauma (cf. 2:13; 3:24; 7:5, 14; 13:28; 16:8; 19:17; 30:17, 30; 33:21). One cannot fully understand Job’s conversations throughout the book without considering the extraordinary physical distress he endured in a day without medicine or pain relief. His boils would have been similar to those of the Egyptians (Ex. 9:8–11) and Hezekiah (2 Kin. 20:7).

2:8 potsherd . . . ashes. Suffering terribly, Job took himself to where the lepers go: the ash heap outside the city where he scraped at his sores with a piece of broken pottery, perhaps breaking them open to release the pressure and infection.

2:9 your integrity. Through all this, Job’s faith remained strong in the confusion, so that his wife could not accuse him of insincerity as Satan had. Her argument in effect was “let go of your piety and curse God; then He will end your life for blaspheming,” (i.e., death under these conditions would be preferable to living). She added temptation to affliction because she advised Job to sin.

2:10 foolish. Not meaning silly or ridiculous, but acting as one who rejects God or God’s revealed will. The word is used of the unwise in the Psalms (14:1; 53:1) and in Proverbs (30:22). Job’s wife is not seen or heard of again in this book, except indirectly in 42:13–15. accept. Job lived out and explained Deuteronomy 29:29. His words and deeds demonstrated his confidence in God and vindicated God’s confidence in him.

C. Arrival of Friends (2:11–13)

2:11–13 Here is one of the most moving scenes in the whole story, as Job’s friends came to comfort and commiserate with him in his pain. They expressed all the traditional gestures of grief.

2:11 Temanite. Most likely, Teman was a city of Edom (cf. Gen. 36:4, 11; Jer. 49:7, 20; Ezek. 25:13; Amos 1:12; Obad. 8, 9). Shuhite. The Shuhites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Gen. 25:2, 6). Naamathite. A resident of an unknown location probably in Edom or Arabia, although some have suggested Naamah on the Edomite border (cf. Josh. 15:41).

2:13 his grief was very great. The expression actually meant that Job’s disease produced pain that was still increasing. The agony was so great that his friends were speechless for a week.

3:1–42:6 This whole section is poetry—a dramatic poem of speeches attempting to understand Job’s suffering.

II. THE DEBATES (3:1–37:24)

3:1–37:24 This section covers the cycles of speeches between Job and his well-meaning friends, including Elihu (chs. 32–37).

A. The First Cycle (3:1–14:22)

3:1–14:22 The first cycle of speeches given by Job and his three friends begins. Job was the first to break the week-long silence with a lament (3:1–26).

1. Job’s first speech (3:1–26)

3:1–10 Job began his first speech by cursing the day of his birth, which should have been a day of great rejoicing, and welcomed the day he would finally die. In short, Job says “I wish I’d never been born.” See 3; 6; 7; 9; 10; 12–14; 16; 17; 19; 21; 23; 24; 26–31; 40:3–5; 42:1–6 for Job’s speeches.

3:1 cursed the day of his birth. Job was in deep pain and despair. What God was allowing hurt desperately; but while Job did not curse God (cf. 2:8), he did curse his birth (vv. 10, 11). He wished he had never been conceived (v. 3) or born because the joys of his life were not worth all the pain. He felt it would have been better to have never lived than to suffer like that; better to have never had wealth than to lose it; better to have never had children than to have them all killed. He never wanted his birthday remembered, and wished it had been obliterated from the calendar (vv. 4–7).

3:8 who curse . . . Leviathan. Job refers to those who pronounce the most powerful curses, even to arousing the destructive sea monster (see note on 41:1; cf. Pss. 74:14; 104:26; Is. 27:1).

3:11–26 Job left the matter of never having been born (vv. 1–10) and moved to a desire to have been stillborn (vv. 11–19), then to a desire for the “light” of life to be extinguished in death (vv. 20–23). There is no hint that Job wanted to take his own life, since there was nothing stopping him. Job still trusted God for His sovereign hand in the matter of death, but he did consider the many ways in which death would be a perceived improvement to the present situation because of his pain.

3:23 hedged in. Satan spoke of a hedge of protection and blessing (1:10), whereas Job spoke of this hedge as a prison of living death.

3:24 sighing . . . groanings. These destroyed any appetite Job might have had.

3:25, 26 the thing I greatly feared. Not a particular thing but a generic classification of suffering. The very worst fear that anyone could have was coming to pass in Job’s life, and he is experiencing severe anxiety, fearing more.

2. Eliphaz’s first speech (4:1–5:27)

4:1–5:27 Eliphaz. Eliphaz’s first speech. See chapters 15; 22 for Eliphaz’s other speeches. He spoke profoundly and gently, but knew nothing of the scene in heaven that had produced the suffering of Job.

4:2–6 Job’s friend finally spoke after seven days of silence and began kindly by acknowledging that Job was recognized for being a wise man. Unfortunately, with the opening of their mouths for the first speech and those that followed, all the wisdom of their silence departed.

4:7 who ever perished being innocent? Eliphaz, recognizing Job’s “reverence” and “integrity” (v. 6), was likely encouraging Job at the outset by saying he wouldn’t die because he was innocent of any deadly iniquity, but must be guilty of some serious sin because he was reaping such anger from God. This was a moral universe and moral order was at work, he thought. He had oversimplified God’s pattern of retribution. This simple axiom, “the righteous will prosper and the wicked will suffer,” does not always hold up in human experience during one’s life on earth. It is true that plowing and sowing iniquity reaps judgment, so Eliphaz was partially right (cf. Gal. 6:7–9; 1 Pet. 3:12). But not everything we reap in life is the result of something we have sown (see notes on 2 Cor. 12:7–10 ). Eliphaz was replacing theology with simplistic logic. To say that wherever there is suffering, it is the result of sowing sin is wrong (cf. Ex. 4:11; John 9:1–3).

4:10, 11 Wanting to demonstrate that wicked people experience calamities in spite of their strength and resources, Eliphaz illustrated his point by the destruction that comes on lions in spite of their prowess. Five Hebrew words were used here for lion, emphasizing the various characters of wicked people, all of whom can be broken and perish.

4:12–16 a word was secretly brought to me. Eliphaz spoke of a mysterious messenger in a vision, eerie fantasy, or a dream. He claimed to have had divine revelation to bolster his viewpoint.

4:17 Here is the conclusion of Eliphaz’s revelation—that Job suffered because he was not holy enough, not righteous enough.

4:17–21 This is the content of Eliphaz’s message which is, in effect, that God judges sin and sinners among men (described in v. 19 as “houses of clay”) as He did among angels (v. 18; cf. Rev. 12:3, 4).

5:1 holy ones. Angelic beings (cf. 4:18) are in view. Job was told that not even the angels could help him. He must recognize his mortality and sin, if he would be healed.

5:2–6 Job was told not to be a fool or simpleton, but to recognize that sin is judged, wrath kills, envy slays, foolishness is cursed (vv. 2–5); this wasn’t merely a physical matter (v. 6), but it came from man’s sin. Sin is inevitable in man; so is trouble (v. 7).

5:7 sparks. Lit. “the sons of Resheph,” an expression which describes all sorts of firelike movement (cf. Deut. 32:24; Ps. 78:48; Song 8:6).

5:8 Job’s solution was to go to God and repent, his friend thought.

5:9–16 The whole of Eliphaz’s argument is based on the moral perfection of God, so he extolled God’s greatness and goodness. However, it lacks the needed perspective of Scripture’s special revelation.

5:13 Paul used this line from Eliphaz in 1 Corinthians 3:19 to prove the foolishness of man’s wisdom before God.

5:17 happy is the man whom God corrects. Eliphaz put a positive spin on his advice by telling Job that enviable or desirable is the situation of the person whom God cares enough about to chasten. “If only Job admitted his sin, he could be happy again” was his advice.

5:18–27 The language of this section, promising blessing for penitence, was strongly reminiscent of Leviticus 26, which elaborated on the blessing of a faithful covenant relationship with God. If Job confessed, he would have prosperity, security, a family, and a rich life.

5:23 covenant . . . peace. Even the created order will be in harmony with the person whose relationship with God is corrected through God’s disciplinary process.

3. Job’s reply to Eliphaz (6:1–7:21)

6:1–7:21 Job’s response to Eliphaz was recorded. On top of his physical misery and his tempting wife, he had to respond to ignorance and insensitivity from his friend, by expressing his frustration.

6:2, 3 The heaviness of Job’s burden (physical, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) caused the rashness of his words.

6:4 the arrows of the Almighty . . . terrors of God. Here are figures of speech picturing the trials as coming from God, indicating that Job believed these were God’s judgments.

6:5–7 These are all illustrations of the fact that Job complained because he believed that he had reason. Even animals expect palatable food.

6:8, 9 my request. Job’s request was that God would finish whatever process He began. Death was desirable for no other reason than it would bring relief from the inevitable course of events (see ch. 3).

6:9 cut me off. This is a metaphor from a weaver, who cuts off the excess thread on the loom (cf. Is. 38:12).

6:10 the words of the Holy One. Job had not been avoiding the revelation of God that he had received. The commands of the Holy One were precious to him and he had lived by them. This was confusing to him, as he could not find any sinful source for his suffering. He would rejoice in his pain if he knew it would soon lead to death, but he could not see any hope for death or deliverance in himself (vv. 11–13).

6:14 kindness . . . even though. Job rebuked his friends with sage words. Even if a man has forsaken God (which he had not), should not his friends still show kindness to him? How can Eliphaz be so unkind as to continually indict him?

6:15–23 Job described his friends as being about as useful with their counsel as a dry river bed in summer. “You are no help,” he said in effect (v. 21), “although all I asked for was a little sympathy, not some great gift or deliverance” (vv. 22, 23).

6:19 Tema . . . Sheba. Tema in the north, named for the son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:15; Is. 21:14), and Sheba in the south (Jer. 6:20) were part of the Arabian desert, where water was precious.

6:24–30 Teach me . . . Cause me to understand wherein I have erred. Job was not admitting to having sinned. Rather, he challenged his accusers, “If I’ve sinned, show me where!” The sufferer indicted his friends for their insensitivity; and while not claiming sinlessness, he was convinced there was no sin in his life that led directly to such suffering.

7:1–21 After having directed his words at his friends in chapter 6, Job then directed them at God. Throughout this section, he used words and arguments that sounded much like Solomon in Ecclesiastes, i.e., “futile labor,” “vanity,” “trouble,” and “breath.”

7:1–10 a time of hard service. Job felt like a slave under the tyranny of his master, longing for relief and reward (vv. 1, 2); he was sleepless (vv. 3, 4); he was loathsome because of worms and scabs, dried filth, and running sores (v. 5); he was like a weaver’s shuttle, tossed back and forth (v. 6); and he was like a breath or cloud that comes and goes on its way to death (vv. 7–10). In this discourse, Job attempted to reconcile in his own mind what God was doing.

7:11 Therefore. On the basis of all he had said in verses 1–10, Job felt he had a right to express his complaint.

7:12 sea, or a sea serpent. The sea and the whale are two threatening forces that must be watched and curbed because of their destructive force. Job was not like that.

7:13, 14 Even when Job slept, he had terrifying dreams so that he longed for death (vv. 15, 16).

7:17, 18 Why is he so important, Job wonders, that God would spend all this attention on him? Why did God cause all this misery to a person so insignificant as he?

7:19 till I swallow my saliva? This strange statement was an Arabic proverb, indicating a brief moment. Job was asking for a moment “to catch his breath,” or in the case of the proverb, “to swallow his saliva.”

7:21 not pardon my transgression. Job conceded the argument of Eliphaz that he must have sinned, not because he was convinced, but because he seemed to find no other explanation (cf. 6:24).

4. Bildad’s first speech (8:1–22)

8:1–22 The second, friendly accuser, Bildad, now offered his wisdom to Job. Bildad, also absolutely certain that Job had sinned and should repent, was ruthless in the charges he raised against God’s servant. See Job 18; 25 for Bildad’s other speeches.

8:2–7 Bildad accused Job of defending his innocence with a lot of hot air and reasoned that Job’s circumstances were God’s judgment on his sins and those of his family. Again, this is logical, based on the principle that God punishes sin, but it failed to account for the mystery of the heavenly debate between God and Satan (see chs. 1; 2). He was sure something was wrong in Job’s relationship with God, thus his call for repentance, with the confidence that when Job repented he would be blessed (vv. 6, 7).

8:3 does the Almighty pervert justice? Bildad took Job’s claims for innocence and applied them to his simplistic notion of retribution. He concluded that Job was accusing God of injustice when God must be meting out justice. Job tried to avoid outright accusations of this sort, but the evidence led Bildad to this conclusion because he had no knowledge of the heavenly facts.

8:7 In fact, this was Job’s outcome (cf. 42:10–17), not because Job repented of some specific sin, but because he humbled himself before the sovereign, inscrutable will of God.

8:8–10 Here, Bildad appealed to past authorities, i.e., godly ancestors who taught the same principle—that where there is suffering, there must be sin. So he actually had history as a witness to his misjudgment.

8:11–19 Bildad further supported his simple logic of cause and effect by illustrations from nature. Again, he accused Job of sin, but surely he had forgotten God as well (v. 13).

8:20 God will not cast away the blameless. This comment contains a veiled offer of hope. Job could laugh again, but he must take steps to become blameless. But Bildad, like Job, was unaware of the dialogue between the sovereign Judge and Satan the accuser in the opening chapters of the book and unaware that God had already pronounced Job “blameless” twice to heavenly beings (1:8; 2:3), as had the writer (1:1). Cf. Psalms 1:6; 126:2; 132:18.

5. Job’s response to Bildad (9:1–10:22)

9:1–10:22 Job, in a mood of deep despair, responded to Bildad’s accusations with arguments surrounding God’s nature, also raised by Bildad, and started to rationalize something about which he would later admit he knew dangerously little. Job concluded that God is holy, wise, and strong (vv. 4–10); but he wondered if He is fair (v. 22) and why He wouldn’t make Himself known to him. Before the mighty God, Job felt only despair. If God is not fair, all is hopeless, he thought.

9:3 contend with Him. Job referred to disputing one’s innocence or guilt before God as a useless endeavor. Psalm 130:3 illustrates the point, “If You . . . should mark iniquities (keep records of sin), . . . who could stand (innocently in judgment)?”

9:6 pillars tremble. In the figurative language of the day, this phrase described the supporting power that secured the position of the earth in the universe.

9:9 Bear, Orion . . . Pleiades. Three stellar constellations (cf. Job 38:31, 32). the chambers of the south. These were other constellations in the southern hemisphere, unseen by those who could see and name the three in the northern skies.

9:13 the proud. Lit. “Rahab.” This is symbolic of the ancient mythological sea monster (cf. 3:8; 7:12). God smiting the proud was a poetic way of saying that if the mythical monster of the sea (a metaphor for powerful, evil, chaotic forces) could not stand before God’s anger, how could Job hope to do so? In a battle in God’s court, he would lose. God is too strong (vv. 14–19).

9:15, 20 though I were righteous. Job means not sinless, but having spiritual integrity, i.e., a pure heart to love, serve, and obey God. He was affirming again that his suffering was not due to sins he was not willing to confess. Even at that, God found something to condemn him for, he felt, making it hopeless to contend with God.

9:24 covers the faces of its judges. Job here indicted God for the inequities of His world. He accused God of treating all the same way, unfairly (vv. 21–23), and of even covering the eyes of earthly judges so they would not see injustice. These are the charges that bring about God’s rebuke of Job (chs. 38–41) and for which he eventually repented (42:1–6).

9:25, 26 Couriers running with messages, ships cutting swiftly, and eagles swooping rapidly convey the blur of painful, meaningless days of despair.

9:27, 28 If Job promised to change to a happy mood, he would break that promise and God would add that to His list of accusations.

9:29, 30 “God seems to have found me guilty,” Job concluded, “so why struggle? Even if I make every effort to clean every aspect of my life, You will still punish me.” This reflected his deep despair and hopelessness.

9:32 that we should go to court together. Job acknowledged that, as a mere man, he had no right to call on God to declare his innocence or to contend with God over his innocence. Job was not arguing that he was sinless, but he didn’t believe he had sinned to the extent that he deserved his severe suffering. Job held on to the same simplistic system of retribution as that of his accusers, which held that suffering was always caused by sin. Although he knew he was not sinless, Job could not identify any unconfessed or unrepented sins. “Where is mercy?” he wondered.

9:33–35 any mediator between us. A court official who sees both sides clearly, as well as the source of disagreement, so as to bring resolution was not found. Where was an advocate, an arbitrator, an umpire, or a referee? Was there no one to remove God’s rod and call for justice?

10:2 condemn me. Not the condemnation of Job’s soul, but Job’s physical suffering as a punishment. He held nothing back in his misery (v. 1), but asked God to show him why all this had happened.

10:3 the work of Your hands. This is a biblical expression identifying what someone produces, in this case, man as created by God (cf. 14:15; Ps. 102:25; Heb. 1:10).

10:4–7 see as man sees? Because he believed he was innocent, Job facetiously, somewhat sarcastically, asked if God was as limited in His ability to discern Job’s spiritual condition as were Job’s friends. He concluded by affirming that God did know he was innocent and that there was no higher court of appeal (v. 7).

10:8–12 Again, Job returned to the question, “Why was I born?” The answer that God had created him is given in magnificent language, indicating that life begins at conception.

10:13–16 Job wondered if God had planned in His divine purpose not to be merciful to him.

10:17 renew Your witnesses. Job said God seemed to be sending people to accuse him. With each witness came another wave of condemnation and increased suffering.

10:18 brought me out of the womb? Job returned to the question of why God allowed him to be born. This time he was not just lamenting the day of his birth, but he was asking God for the reason He allowed it to occur.

10:20–22 “Since I was destined to these ills from my birth, at least give me a little breathing room during the brief days left to me, before I die,” he said in effect. Death was gloomily described as “darkness.”

6. Zophar’s first speech (11:1–20)

11:1–20 Zophar the Naamathite now stepped in to interrogate Job. He was quite close to his friends and chose to assault Job with the same law of retaliation. Job must repent, he said, not understanding the heavenly reality. He was indignant at Job’s protests of innocence. See Job 20 for Zophar’s other speech.

11:2, 3 a man full of talk be vindicated? The allegations against Job moved to a new level. Not only was Job guilty and unrepentant; he was also an empty talker. In fact, Job’s long-winded defense of his innocence and God’s apparent injustice was sin worthy of rebuke, in Zophar’s mind.

11:4 clean in your eyes. Job never claimed sinlessness; in fact, he acknowledged that he had sinned (Job 7:21; 13:26). But he still maintained his innocence of any great transgression or attitude of unrepentance, affirming his sincerity and integrity as a man of faith and obedience to God. This claim infuriated Zophar, and he wished God Himself would confirm the accusations of Job’s friends (v. 5).

11:6 secrets of wisdom! Job would have been much wiser if he had only known the unknowable secrets of God; in this case, the scene in heaven between God and Satan would have clarified everything. But Job couldn’t know the secret wisdom of God (vv. 7–9). Zophar should have applied his point to himself. If God’s wisdom was so deep, high, long, and broad, how was it that he could understand it and have all the answers? Like his friends, Zophar thought he understood God and reverted to the same law of retaliation, the sowing and reaping principle, to again indict Job. He implied that Job was wicked (vv. 10, 11) and thought he was wise, though actually he was out of control as if he were a “wild donkey man”! (v. 12).

11:13, 14 Zophar set out four steps of Job’s repentance: (1) devote your heart to God; (2) stretch your hands to Him in prayer for forgiveness; (3) put your sin far away; and (4) don’t allow any sin in your tent. If Job did these things, he would be blessed (vv. 15–19). If Job didn’t repent, he would die (v. 20). Zophar was right that the life of faith in God is based on real confession of sins and obedience. He was right that God blesses His people with hope, security, and peace. But, like his friends, he was wrong in not understanding that God allows unpredictable and seemingly unfair suffering for reasons not known on earth. He was wrong in presuming that the answer for Job was repentance.

11:13–20 Zophar started out this section speaking directly to Job, “If you would . . . ” and concluded speaking proverbially, “But the eyes of the wicked . . .” In so doing Zophar avoided directly calling Job wicked, but succeeded with even greater force by being indirect. In the end, he told Job that his sin would bring about his death.

7. Job’s response to Zophar (12:1–14:22)

12:1–14:22 Job responded in his own defense with strong words, completing the first cycle of speeches.

12:2–4 you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! Job began with cutting sarcasm directed at his know-it-all friends (v. 2); and then reminded them that he understood the principles about which they had spoken (v. 3), but concluded they were irrelevant to his situation. On top of that, he despaired at the pain of becoming a derision to his friends, though he was innocent (v. 4).

12:4 The just and blameless. If this sounds like presumption, one only needs to recall that this was God’s pronouncement on Job (1:8; 2:3).

12:5 A lamp. As a torch is to a wanderer, so Job was to his friends. When all was at ease with them, they didn’t need him; they even mocked him.

12:6 God provides. Job refuted the simplistic idea that the righteous always prosper and the wicked always suffer, by reminding them that God allows thieves and sinners to be prosperous and secure. So why not believe He may also allow the righteous to suffer?

12:7-10 All these elements (animals, birds, plants, and fish) of creation are called as illustrations that the violent prosper and live securely (v. 6). God made it so the more vicious survive.

12:12 Wisdom is with aged men. The interrogative nature of the preceding verse may carry over to make this a question also. “Shouldn’t aged men be wise?” If this is true, then verse 12 delivers stinging sarcasm against Job’s aged friends who gave unwise advice (cf. 15:10), and heard and spoke only what suited them (v. 11).

12:13–13:3 This section gives vivid definition to the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God (v. 13). Job, despite his questions about his suffering, affirms that God’s power is visible in nature, human society, religious matters, and national and international affairs. Job, however, expressed this in terms of fatalistic despair. Job knew all this and it didn’t help (13:1, 2), so he did not want to argue with them anymore. He wanted to take his case before God (v. 3).

13:4–19 Job addressed his ineffective counselors.

13:4, 5 Job couldn’t hold back from a blistering denunciation of his useless counselors, telling them that their silence would be true wisdom (cf. v. 13).

13:7 wickedly for God . . . deceitfully for Him? Job accused his friends of using lies and fallacies to vindicate God, when they asserted that Job was a sinner because he was a sufferer.

13:8 Will you contend for God? “Are you wise enough to argue in God’s defense?” he asked. To think that is very brash and really mocks God by misrepresenting Him (v. 9) and should lead to fear of chastening (vv. 10, 11).

13:12 ashes . . . clay. Ineffective and worthless.

13:14 This is a proverb meaning “Why should I anxiously desire to save my life?” Like an animal who holds its prey in its mouth to preserve it or a man who holds in his hand what he wants to secure, Job could try to preserve his life, but that was not his motive.

13:15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Job assured his accusers that his convictions were not self-serving, because he was ready to die trusting God. But still, he would defend his innocence before God, and was confident that he was truly saved and not a hypocrite (v. 16).

13:17–19 declaration . . . case . . . vindicated . . . contend. The language of a courtroom came out strongly. He could not just be silent and die (v. 19). He finished strongly before turning to God in prayer.

13:20–14:22 Job turned to reason with God (v. 3) and pleaded his case.

13:20–22 Job asked God to end his pain and stop frightening him with such terrors (cf. v. 24), then to speak to him. He was concerned with his misery but, even more, with his relation to the God he loved and worshiped.

13:23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Job wanted to know this so he could determine if his measure of suffering matched the severity of his sin, and he could then repent for sins about which he was unaware.

13:26 write bitter things against me. This a judicial phrase referencing the writing down of a sentence against a criminal, used figuratively for the extreme suffering as if it were a divine sentence as just punishment for extreme sin. Job felt God might be punishing him for sins committed years earlier in his youth.

13:27 watch closely all my paths. In another context, these words would speak of protection; but here, Job questioned whether or not God had not held him on too tight a leash. The comment amounts to saying that God is being overly rigorous toward Job’s sin, as compared to others.

13:28 This general comment on the plight of man should not be separated from 14:1ff., which it introduces.

14:1–12 Job embraced the fact of God’s control over the issues of this life, but challenged their meaning. Life is short (vv. 1, 2), all are sinners (v. 4), and days are limited (v. 5), then comes death (vv. 7–12). In light of this, Job asked God for a little grace instead of such intense judgment (v. 3), and a little rest from all the pain (v. 6), and suggested that a tree has more hope than he did (v. 7).

14:13–17 Job asked to die and remain in the grave until God’s anger was over, then be raised to life again when God called him back (vv. 13–15). If he were dead, God wouldn’t be watching every step, counting every sin (v. 16); it would all be hidden (v. 17). Here was the hope of resurrection for those who trusted God. Job had hope that if he died, then he would live again (v. 14).

14:18–22 Job returned to his complaint before God, and reverted to a hopeless mood, speaking about death as inevitable (vv. 18–20) and causing separation (v. 21). He was painfully sad to think of it (v. 22).

B. The Second Cycle (15:1–21:34)

15:1–21:34 The second cycle of speeches given by Job and his three friends. Job’s resistance to their viewpoint and his appeals energized them to greater intensity in their confrontation.

1. Eliphaz’s second speech (15:1–35)

15:1–35 Eliphaz returns for his second session (See Job 4; 5).

15:1–6 He began accusing Job of sinning by attacking God with his complaints. He felt Job was guilty of empty words and had not exhibited godly fear and righteous prayer (v. 4), but rather was sinning in his prayer (vv. 5, 6).

15:7–13 Eliphaz condemned Job for rejecting the conventional wisdom, as if he had more insight than other people (vv. 7–9), and could reject the wisdom of the aged (v. 10) and the kindness of God (v. 11).

15:14–16 A strong statement, with regard to the sinfulness of man (cf. Rom. 3:23), that attacked Job’s claim to righteousness. Verse 15 refers to holy angels who fell and brought impurity into the heavens (cf. Rev. 12:1–4). The truth is accurate, that all men are sinners—but irrelevant in Job’s case, because his suffering was not due to any sin.

15:17–35 Eliphaz once again returned to the same perspective and indicted Job for sin because Job was suffering. To support his relentless point, he launched into a lengthy monologue about the wicked and their outcomes in life, including many parallels to the sufferings of Job. He had pain, and didn’t know when his life would end (v. 20). He suffered from fear, every sound alarmed him, and he thought his destroyer was near (vv. 21, 22). He worried about having food (v. 23). His suffering made him question God (vv. 24–26). Once well-nourished, housed, and rich (vv. 27–29), he would lose it all (vv. 30–33). Eliphaz concluded by calling Job a hypocrite (vv. 34, 35), saying that this was the reason things were going so badly.

2. Job’s response to Eliphaz (16:1–17:16)

16:1–17:16 Job responded with his second rebuttal.

16:2–5 Miserable comforters are you all! Job’s friends had come to comfort him. In spite ofseven blissful days of silence at the outset, their mission had failed miserably, and their comfort had turned into more torment for Job. What started out as Eliphaz’s sincere efforts to help Job understand his dilemma had turned into rancor and sarcasm. In the end, their haranguing had heightened the frustrations of all parties involved. If the matter were reversed and Job was comforter to his friends, he would never treat them as they treated him. He would strengthen and comfort them.

16:6–9, 12–14 These poignant thoughts from Job lamented his suffering as severe judgment from God, who had worn him out, withered his strength, and chewed him up by severe scrutiny (“sharpens His gaze”). Job refers to God as “my Adversary,” who had shattered, shaken, shot at, and sliced him (vv. 12–14).

16:15–20 He had no one to turn to in his sorrow, except God (v. 19), who was silent and had not vindicated him.

16:21 plead for a man with God. The pleading would be for a verdict of innocent on behalf of a friend or neighbor in a court setting before the judge/king. God anticipated the need of an advocate, and He has provided One in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1, 2).

17:2 mockers. The would-be counselors had become actual enemies and the provocation for Job’s tears (cf. 16:20).

17:3 pledge. He called on God to promise (by a symbolic handshake) that his case would be heard in the heavenly court.

17:4 not exalt them. The blindness of Job’s friends toward his innocence came from God, so Job asked that God would not let them succeed in their efforts against him.

17:5 speaks flattery. This Hebrew term came to mean “a prey,” so that Job was referring to someone who delivers up a friend as prey to some enemy.

17:6 a byword. This refers to shame, reproach, and a reputation that is extremely bad (cf. Deut. 28:37; Ps. 69:11). spit. The most disdainful act a person could commit to heap scorn and shame on someone as a wicked and unworthy person. Job’s friends were aiding him in getting such a reputation (vv. 7, 8).

17:9 Yet the righteous will hold to his way. Job, and other righteous people who find themselves in a similar situation, must remain righteous. If they do, Job knew the suffering would produce strength (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7–10).

17:10 Job was not unteachable. He invited his friends to speak again if they had something wise to say, for a change, but not to talk about his restoration because he was done (vv. 11–16).

17:15 Where then is my hope? Job’s hope was in God alone.

17:16 gates of Sheol? A reference to death, also used by Jesus in Matthew 16:18.

3. Bildad’s second speech (18:1–21)

18:1–21 Bildad, like his predecessor, ruthlessly attacked Job in his second speech (cf. ch. 8) by telling Job to stop complaining and to become sensible (v. 2). Next, he turned to scorn (vv. 3, 4). Then, he turned to another long tale of the bad outcomes the wicked experience (vv. 5–21).

18:13 The firstborn of death. A poetical expression meaning the most deadly disease death ever produced.

18:14 the king of terrors. This is death, with all its terrors to the ungodly, personified.

18:21 who does not know God. This describes know in a redemptive sense and is here applied to an unbeliever.

4. Job’s response to Bildad (19:1–29)

19:1–29 Job’s response to Bildad’s second speech was desperate.

19:1–5 He began with the anguished cry that his friends have become recalcitrant and relentless for mentors (vv. 2, 3), and they have had no effect on his dealing with the sin they imagine is present (v. 4).

19:5–7 Job confessed that if God sent him friends like Bildad, who needs enemies? He feared there was no justice.

19:8–21 Job rehearsed his suffering. God had closed him in, stripped him, broken him, and turned against him (vv. 8–12). His family and friends had failed him (vv. 15–19), so that he was to be pitied because God had caused this to occur (vv. 21, 22).

19:12 build up their road against me. In the ancient world, conquering armies often had their own road crews level out the rough places so their military forces could attack.

19:20 skin of my teeth. This was the origin of a common slang phrase, referring to skin that is thin and fragile. The idea is that he had escaped death by a very slim margin. The loss of all his family, as well as the abuse of his friends, was added to the terror of God-forsakeness which had gripped him.

19:23–29 At the point of Job’s greatest despair, his faith appeared at its highest as he confidently affirmed that God was his Redeemer. He wanted that confidence in the record for all to know (vv. 23, 24). Job wished that the activities of his life were put into words and “inscribed in granite,” so all would know that he had not sinned to the magnitude of his suffering. God granted his prayer. God was his Redeemer (cf. Ex. 6:6, Pss. 19:14; 72:14; Is. 43:14; 47:4; 49:26; Jer. 50:34), who would vindicate him in that last day of judgment on the earth when justice was finally done (cf. Jer. 12:1–3; John 5:25, 29; Rev. 20:11–15).

19:26, 27 Job had no hope left for this life, but was confident that “after” he was dead, his Redeemer would vindicate him in the glory of a physical (“in my flesh”) resurrection in which he would enjoy perfect fellowship with the Redeemer. That Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of whom Job spoke is the clear message of the gospel. See Luke 2:38; Romans 3:24; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12.

19:28, 29 Job warned his friends that their misjudgment of him and verbal violence against him could bring punishment on them.

5. Zophar’s second speech (20:1–29)

20:1–29 Zophar spoiled it all, again, for Job with his second and last speech (cf. 11:1–20), in which he admonished Job to reconsider the fate of the wicked.

20:5, 6 wicked . . . hypocrite . . . haughtiness. The application of Zophar’s words about this wicked, hypocritical, proud person were aimed at Job. He would, like others so wicked, suffer the consequences of his sins (vv. 7–29).

20:11 The wicked die young.

20:12–22 Evil in a life takes away all the enjoyment, implying that Job had no joy because of sin, such as that in verse 19.

20:23–29 Zophar concluded that more than just losing the enjoyment of life by sin, the wicked fall under the fury of God dispensed for such wickedness.

6. Job’s response to Zophar (21:1–34)

21:1–34 Job’s reply to Zophar’s last speech, ending the second cycle of speeches, refuted the simplistic set of laws by which the mockers lived. He showed that the wicked prosper and, since it is clear that they do (they had argued that only the wicked suffer), then by inference, perhaps the righteous suffer. This presented serious problems for their supposed open-and-shut case against Job.

21:1–16 Job called for his friends to be quiet and to listen to some amazing and terrifying truth (vv. 1–6), namely, that the wicked do prosper (vv. 7–13) though they deny God (vv. 14, 15), and they prosper not by their doing, but God’s (v. 16).

21:17–22 Playing off Bildad’s sentiment (see 18:5, 6, 18, 19), this whole section repeats the assertions of Job’s friends about the judgment of sinners. To refute that perspective, Job suggested that his friends were guilty of telling God how He must deal with people (v. 22).

21:23–26 Some of the wicked live and die in prosperity, but others don’t, canceling the absolutist nature of his counselors’ argument.

21:27, 28 Again, Job referred to the statements of his friends, Zophar in this case (see 20:7), who were trying to prove their “sinequals-suffering” idea.

21:29–33 Job knew they would not listen to him, so he suggested they ask travelers, any of whom would tell them that wicked people prosper sometimes in this life, but there will be a day of doom for them when they die.

21:34 The boastful words of the counselors were contradicted by facts.

C. The Third Cycle (22:1–26:14)

22:1–26:14 The third cycle of speeches is given by Job and his friends, with Zophar abstaining.

1. Eliphaz’s third speech (22:1–30)

22:1–30 In his last speech, Eliphaz got nasty with Job, as his frustration rose.

22:2–4, 12–14 This counselor repeated the emphasis on the almighty nature of God, saying that God was so lofty and transcendent that He had no direct concern at all with Job. God didn’t care personally about his complaints and claims to righteousness. God was not involved in the trivia of his life.

22:5–11 This miserable comforter accused Job of wickedness that was great,naming various sins against humanity as the reasons for Job’s trouble (vv. 10, 11).

22:15–19 Again, the fate of the wicked was expressed in the simplistic idea that all suffering comes from sin. Contrary to what Job had argued, the wicked characteristically die prematurely, and Job’s claim that God prospered them (v. 18a) was counsel that Eliphaz rejected (vv. 18b–20).

22:21–30 Eliphaz painted a picture of the life of blessing in store for Job if only he would return to God and repent of his sin (v. 23), emphasizing again that he did not believe Job was innocent (v. 30). “Stop all the speeches and complaints, repent, and everything will be fine,” he thought.

22:24 Ophir. A land with high-quality gold, whose location is uncertain (cf. 28:16; Gen. 10:29).

2. Job’s response to Eliphaz (23:1–24:25)

23:1–24:25 Job’s reply to Eliphaz’s third speech was not a rebuttal, but it expressed Job’s longing for fellowship with God, so he could experience God’s love and goodness and hear from Him the meaning of all his suffering.

23:3 His seat. A place of judgment.

23:4 my case. Job’s claim to innocence.

23:6, 7 contend. Job knew God was not going to enter a contest with him to determine, as in a court case, who was right. But he wanted God to at least listen to him, so confident was he that he could make his case and be delivered by his just Judge (cf. 1:8; 2:3).

23:8–12 Even though Job could not sense God’s presence, he believed He was present and affirmed his commitment to God’s purpose in this test (v. 10) and his continued obedience to God’s Word, which were the most important issues in his life (vv. 11, 12).

23:14 He performs what is appointed for me. Job’s resignation to God’s sovereignty faltered at times in practice, but he returned to it repeatedly. This is the great lesson of the book: Trust sovereign God when you cannot understand why things go badly in life.

24:1–25 Job had made the point that the unrighteous prosper in spite of their sin (ch. 21). Extending that theme, he listed the kinds of severe sins which go on in the world and God doesn’t seem to do anything to stop them (vv. 2–17), so that the wicked, in general, prosper and live long lives, seemingly unabated. These sins—oppressing the orphans, widows, and poor as well as committing murder, thievery, and adultery—are the very ones forbidden in other parts of the OT.

24:1 times are not hidden. Job believed that God knew the appointed times for all activities under the sun (Eccl. 3:1–8), but he bemoaned the fact that God did not inform man about them.

24:2 remove landmarks. This ancient practice is addressed in Deuteronomy 19:14; Proverbs 22:28; 23:10: “Do not move the ancient landmark.” Corrupt landowners often did this to increase their holdings, particularly where the land was owned by bereaved widows. Taking advantage of widows will be treated by the ultimate court in heaven.

24:7 spend the night. It was common practice to take an outer garment as a pledge for money owed. But OT law forbade keeping the garment at night since its owner could get cold and sick (cf. 24:10). See note on Deuteronomy 24:10–13.

24:12 Yet God does not charge them with wrong. This is a stinging accusation from Job. Human courts prosecuted offenders for most of these social crimes. Job, in essence, was saying, “If human courts punish the wicked, then why doesn’t God?”

24:18–21 Again, Job referred to the opinions of his counselors, saying that if their view were correct, all the wicked should be experiencing punishment. But it is obvious they were not.

24:22–25 Job’s view was that their punishment would come eventually (“exalted for a little while”). Retribution needed the timing of God’s wisdom, when He determined wrongs would be made right. Job was confident that his point could not be refuted.

3. Bildad’s third speech (25:1–6)

25:1–6 Bildad made his third speech (the last speech for the three friends), and restated the same theory—that God was majestic and exalted (vv. 2, 3) and man was sinful, especially Job (vv. 4–6).

4. Job’s response to Bildad (26:1–14)

26:1–4 Job responded to Bildad’s lack of concern for him, showing that all his friend’s theological and rational words missed the point of Job’s need altogether and had been no help.

26:5–14 As before, in chapters 9 and 12, Job showed that he was not inferior to his friends in describing God’s greatness. He understood that as well as they did. He described it as manifested in the realm of the dead called Sheol and Destruction (vv. 5, 6), the earth and sky (v. 7), the waters above (vv. 8–10) and below (v. 12), and the stars (v. 13).

26:7 hangs the earth on nothing. A statement that is accurate, given in ancient time, before scientific verification. This indicates the divine authorship of Scripture.

26:10 a circular horizon. This describes the earth as a circular globe, another scientifically accurate statement at a time when many people thought the world was flat.

26:11 pillars of heaven. A figure of speech for the mountains that seem to hold up the sky (cf. Ps. 104:32).

26:12 breaks up the storm. Lit. “Rahab.” Cf. 7:12; 9:13; 26:13. This term seems to be widely used to describe various things that wreak havoc.

26:13 His Spirit. Cf. 33:4. The Holy Spirit worked mightily in creation (cf. Gen. 1:2). the fleeing serpent. This is figurative language for the idea that God brought all constellations into subjection under His authority (cf. 26:12). Serpent could be translated “crooked” and refer to any wayward stars or planets being brought under control by God’s mighty power.

26:14 Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways. Job employed poetic language to remind his counselors that all that could be said and understood by man was only a glimpse of God’s powerful hand.

D. The Final Defense of Job (27:1–31:40)

1. Job’s first monologue (27:1–28:28)

27:1–12 Job turned from responding to Bildad (26:1–14) to defending his righteousness.

27:2 who has taken away my justice. God did not speak to declare Job innocent. Cf. the treatment of Christ in Isaiah 53:8 and Acts 8:33.

27:3–6 Job affirmed his true and steadfast devotion to righteous living, no matter what happened. He refused to live with a guilty conscience (v. 6b). This was no brash claim, because God had recognized Job’s virtue (1:8; 2:3).

27:7 Job could have been calling for God to judge his accusers as He judges the wicked.

27:8–10 Job reminded the friends that he would never be hypocritical because he understood the consequences.

27:11 I will teach you about the hand of God. Job had pinpointed the issue between him and his friends. They disagreed on the outworking of God’s retribution. They agreed that God was powerful, wise, and sovereign. But because Job knew there was no cherished sin in his life that would bring upon him such intense suffering, he was forced to conclude that the simplistic notion that all suffering comes from sin and all righteousness is rewarded was wrong. At the outset, Job himself probably believed as the comforters did, but he had seen that his friends’ limitation of God’s action was in need of revision; in fact, it was nonsense. Job’s immediate comments introduced his exposition on wisdom which follows in Job 28.

27:13–23 Job wanted it made clear he was not denying that the wicked are punished with severe distress, so he agreed that they suffer greatly and affirmed so in this section.

27:18 house like a moth, like a booth. These are temporary dwellings which illustrate that the wicked will not live long.

27:23 clap their hands. A gesture of mocking.

28:1–28 Though Job had agreed that the wicked suffer (27:13–23), this explained nothing in his case, since he was righteous. So Job called on his friends to consider that maybe God’s wisdom was beyond their comprehension. That is the theme of this chapter. The wisdom of God is not gained by natural or theoretical knowledge. What God does not reveal, we can’t know.

28:1–11 References to mining silver, gold, iron, flint, and sapphires, as well as smelting copper. Tremendous effort is made by humans who seek these precious things. Cf. Proverbs 2:1–9.

28:12, 20 These verses sum up the message of the chapter with the point that no amount of effort, even as vigorous and demanding as mining, will yield God’s wisdom. It can’t be valued or found in the world (vv. 13, 14). It can’t be bought for any price (vv. 15–19). The living can’t find it (v. 21), and neither can the dead (v. 22; cf. 26:6).

28:16 Ophir. See note on 22:24.

28:23 God understands its way, and He knows its place. These are perhaps the most important thoughts in the chapter for the debates. Job and his friends have probed God’s wisdom for three times and, basically, have arrived nowhere near the truth. Finally, Job made the point clearly that the divine wisdom necessary to explain his suffering was inaccessible to man. Only God knew all about it, because He knows everything (v. 24). True wisdom belongs to the One who is the almighty Creator (vv. 25, 26). A person can only know it if God declares it to him (cf. Deut. 29:29).

28:28 Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Job had made the connection that the others would not. While the specific features of God’s wisdom may not be revealed to us, the alpha and omega of wisdom is to revere God and avoid sin (cf. Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; Eccl. 12:13, 14), leaving the unanswered questions to Him in trusting submission. All a person can do is trust and obey (cf. Eccl. 12:13), and that is enough wisdom (this is the wisdom of Prov. 1:7–2:9). One may never know the reasons for life’s sufferings.

2. Job’s second monologue (29:1–31:40)

29:1–25 Job did not change his mind about his sin, but he continued to deny that he had earned this pain with his iniquity. The realities of his own words in chapter 28 had not yet fully taken over his mind, so he swung back to despair and rehearsed his life before the events of Job 1 and 2, when he was so fulfilled because God was with him (v. 5). God still was with him, but it seemed as if He were gone.

29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me. Job felt abandoned by God. But God would demonstrate to Job, by addressing his criticisms, that He was with him throughout this ordeal.

29:6 cream . . . oil. He had the richest milk and best olive oil in abundance.

29:7 gate . . . my seat. This was a place in society reserved for city leaders. Job had been one because he was a very wealthy and powerful man.

29:12, 13 poor . . . fatherless . . . perishing man . . . widow’s. All over the ancient Near Eastern world, a man’s virtue was measured by his treatment of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. If he protected and provided for this group, he was respected as being a noble man. These things, which Job had done, his accusers said he must not have done or he wouldn’t be suffering (see 22:1–11).

29:15, 16 blind . . . lame . . . poor. Contrary to the accusations of his three friends, Job went beyond the standards of the day to care for the widow, the orphan, the poor, the disabled, and the abused.

29:16 searched out the case. Much oppression occurred in unjust courts, but there Job protected the weak.

29:18–20 Job had vigorous health like a widely rooted tree enjoying fresh dew, and he had expected to live a long life with his family (“nest”).

29:21–25 Job reminded his friends that there had been a day when no one rejected his insights. He was the one sought for counsel.

29:24 mocked. This is likely a reference to saying something facetiously or jokingly. Job’s word was so respected that they didn’t believe his humor was humor, but took it seriously.

29:25 as a king. Job was not a king, but some sort of high local official such as a mayor. Mayors, called “hazannu” in Job’s day, performed all of the activities Job claimed in the previous section.

30:1–31 Job moved from the recollection of good days in the past (ch. 29) to lament his present losses.

30:2–8 Job described these mockers as dissipated vagabonds who, because of their uselessness and wickedness, were not welcome in society, so were driven out of the land. These base men had made Job the object of their sordid entertainment (vv. 9–15).

30:9 I am their taunting song. Job was the object of their jeering whereas, in former days, he would not hire their fathers to tend his animals like sheepdogs (30:1).

30:16–19 Job’s life ebbed away, suffering gripped him, his bones ached, gnawing pain never relented, his skin (“garment”) was changed (v. 30), and he was reduced to mud, dirt, and ashes.

30:20 This caused the most suffering of all—what seemed to be the cruel silence of God (v. 21).

30:23 the house appointed. The grave.

30:24–26 This seems to be saying that God must have some sympathy, if Job has (v. 25), so as not to destroy altogether what is already ruined. Job believed that and reached out for help in his misery but received only evil (v. 26).

30:30 My skin . . . My bones. Job was describing the effect of his disease (see 2:7).

31:1–40 As Job became more forceful in his pursuit of being cleared of false accusations, he intensified the claim that he was innocent, comparatively speaking, and demanded justice. In situations where an individual was innocent, he would attest to it by taking an oath before the king or a deity. This procedure found among Job’s neighboring nations was often protocol for court procedures. The repeated “If . . . then” statements amount to the terms of the oath: “If” tells what Job might have done wrong; “then” describes a curse which could result. He accepted the curses (the “then” statements through the chapter) if he deserved them. This represented Job’s last attempt to defend himself before both God and man.

In terms of purity (v. 1), sin in general (v. 2, 3), truth (v. 5), covetousness (v. 7), marital faithfulness (v. 9), equity (v. 13), compassion (vv. 16–21), materialism (vv. 24, 25), false religion (vv. 26, 27), love for enemies and strangers (vv. 29–32), secret sin (vv. 33, 34), and business relations (vv. 38–40), Job had no pattern of sin. He asked God to answer him (v. 35), and to explain why he suffered.

31:1 made a covenant with my eyes. Job spoke here of purity toward women (cf. Prov. 6:25; Matt. 5:28).

31:33 as Adam. Perhaps this is best taken “as mankind” (cf. Hos. 6:7).

31:35 my Prosecutor had written a book. Job wished that God, the perfect Prosecutor who knows the allegations completely, had written a book that would have revealed God’s will and wisdom and the reasons for Job’s pain. This would have cleared him of all charges by his friends.

31:40 The words of Job are ended. The speeches which began in Job 3:1 were finished; Job had the first and last word among his friends.

E. The Speeches of Elihu (32:1–37:24)

32:1–37:24 A new participant, who had been there all along with the other three (vv. 3–5), entered the debate over Job’s condition. This was the younger Elihu, who took a new approach to the issue of Job’s suffering. Angry with the other three, he had some new thoughts, but was very hard on Job. Elihu was full of self-importance and verbose, but his approach was refreshing after listening repetitiously to the others; actually, he was not really helpful to Job. Why was it necessary to record and read these four blustering speeches by this man? Because they happened as part of the story, while Job was still waiting for God to disclose Himself (chs. 38–41).

1. First Speech (32:1–22)

32:2 Buzite. Elihu’s ancestry was traced to the Arabian tribe of Buz (cf. Jer. 25:23). The “family of Ram” is unknown.

32:6–8 He may have called it “opinion” (vv. 6, 10, 17), but Elihu claimed it had come by inspiration from God (v. 8; cf. 33:6, 33).

2. Second speech (33:1–33)

33:1–33 The first of Elihu’s challenges to Job began with proud claims (vv. 1–7), followed by references to Job’s questions/complaints (vv. 8–11). Then came Elihu’s answers (vv. 12–33).

33:13 Job had complained that God did not speak to him. Elihu reminded Job that God didn’t have to defend His will and actions to anyone.

33:14–18 God does speak, he contended, in many ways such as dreams and visions to protect people from evil and deadly ways (vv. 17, 18).

33:18 the Pit. A reference to the realm of the dead (cf. vv. 21, 24, 30).

33:19–28 Job has lamented that his suffering was not deserved. Elihu answered that complaint by saying he was God’s messenger, a mediator to Job to show him that God doesn’t act in a whimsical way, but allows suffering as chastening to bring a person to submit to Him as upright (v. 23) and to repent (v. 27) that his life may be spared (vv. 24, 28, 30). In other words, God allows suffering for spiritual benefit.

33:32 I desire to justify you. Elihu sided with Job and wanted to see him vindicated in his claims to righteousness, so he gave opportunity for Job to dialogue with him as he spoke (v. 33).

3. Third speech (34:1–37)

34:1–37 Elihu addressed Job and his accusers. His approach was to quote Job directly (vv. 5–9), then respond to his complaints; but at times he misinterpreted Job’s remarks and at other times he put the words of the accusers in Job’s mouth. The most obvious example of the latter wrongdoing was in saying that Job claimed to be sinlessly perfect (v. 6). Job never claimed that; in fact, Job acknowledged his sin (7:21; 13:26). Elihu didn’t know it, but God had pronounced Job innocent (1:8; 2:3). In answer to Job’s complaints that God seemed unjust, Elihu reminded Job that God was too holy to do anything wrong (v. 10), fair in dealing with people (vv. 11, 12), powerful (vv. 13, 14), just (vv. 17, 18), impartial (vv. 19, 20), omniscient (vv. 21, 22), the Judge of all (v. 23), and the Sovereign who does what He wills to prevent evil (vv. 24–30).

34:9 For he has said. Elihu was incorrect. He was putting words into Job’s mouth that Job had not uttered.

34:23 go before God in judgment. These words do not refer to the judgment of the last days, but to the general accountability toward God that man experiences on a daily basis. The point Elihu made was that God did not need to go through all the trappings of the court to get to the sentence. God “knows their works” (34:25).

34:31–33 God will not be regulated in His dealings by what people may think. He does not consult with men. If He chooses to chasten, He will decide when it is enough.

34:34–37 Apparently, Elihu was convinced that Job needed some more chastening because of how he answered his prosecutors. He continued to defend his innocence and speak to God.

4. Fourth speech (35:1–16)

35:1–16 Elihu again referred to Job’s complaints, first of all his thinking that there appeared to be no advantage to being righteous (v. 3), as recorded in 21:15; 34:9. The first part of his answer is that Job gained nothing by sinning or not sinning because God was so high that nothing people do affects Him (vv. 5–7); it only affects other people (v. 8). Job had also complained that God did not answer his prayers when he cried under this oppression (see 24:12; 30:20). Elihu gave three reasons why Job’s prayers had not been heard: pride (vv. 10, 12), wrong motives (v. 13), and lack of patient trust (v. 14). Again, all this theoretical talk missed Job’s predicament because he was righteous. Elihu was no more help than the other counselors.

35:15, 16 Elihu suggested that, although Job had suffered, his suffering was not the fullness of God’s anger or He would have additionally punished Job for the sinfulness of his speeches. He thought God had actually overlooked the folly of Job in his useless words.

36:1–37:24 Elihu had agreed with his three co-counselors that Job had sinned, if nowhere else in the way he questioned God (33:12) by seeing his suffering as indicative that God is unjust (34:34–37) and by feeling that righteousness had no reward (ch. 35). In this final answer to Job, he turned to focus mostly on God rather than the sufferer (v. 2).

5. Fifth speech (36:1–21)

36:4 One who is perfect in knowledge. Elihu made what appeared to be an outrageous claim in order to give credibility to his remarks.

36:5–12 Elihu began by repeating the thought that though God sends trouble, He is just and merciful (v. 6); He watches over the righteous (v. 7); He convicts them of sin (vv. 8, 9); He teaches them to turn from it (v. 10); and He rewards their obedience (v. 11) or punishes their rebellion (vv. 12–14).

36:15 opens their ears in oppression. This was a new insight and perhaps the most helpful thing Elihu said. He went beyond all that had been previously spoken about God’s using suffering to chasten and bring repentance. He was saying that God used suffering to open men’s ears, to draw them to Himself. But as long as Job kept complaining, he was turning to iniquity rather than drawing near to God in his suffering (vv. 16–21).

6. Sixth speech (36:22–37:24)

36:22–37:24 Instead of complaining and questioning God, as Job had been doing, which was sin (as Job will later confess in 42:6), he needed to see God in his suffering and worship Him (33:24).

36:26 we do not know Him. Though one may have a personal knowledge of God in salvation, the fullness of His glory is beyond human comprehension.

36:27–37:4 Elihu gave a picture of God’s power in the rain storm.

36:31 judges . . . gives food. The rain storm can be a disaster of punishment from God or a source of abundant crops.

37:5–13 Elihu described God’s power expressed in the cold winter. The storms and the hard winters remind one of the world in which harsh things occur, but for God’s good purposes of either “correction” or “mercy” (37:13).

37:14–18 These words picture the scene in the sky when the storms have passed, the sunlight breaks through, the warm wind blows, and the sky clears.

37:19, 20 In this passage, Elihu reminded Job that since man can’t explain the wonders of God’s power and purpose, he ought to be silent and not contend with God. What a man has to say against God’s plans is not worthy to utter and could bring judgment.

37:21–23 Elihu illustrated the folly of telling God what to do by describing staring into the golden sun on a brilliant day (vv. 21, 22). One cannot confront God in His great glory; one is not even able to look at the sun He created (v. 21).

37:24 shows no partiality. God is the righteous Judge who will not take a bribe or perform favors in judgment. Thus, in his concluding speech, Elihu had pointed Job and the reader to God, who was ready, at last, to speak (38:1).

III. THE DELIVERANCE (38:1–42:17)

A. God Interrogates Job (38:1–41:34)

1. God’s first response to Job (38:1–40:2)

38:1–40:2 God appeared and engaged in His first interrogation of Job, who had raised some accusations against Him. God had His day in court with Job.

38:1 the LORD. Yahweh, the covenant LORD, was the name used for God in the book’s prologue, where the reader was introduced to Job and his relationship with God. However, in chapters 3–37, the name Yahweh is not used. God is called El Shaddai, “God the Almighty.” In this book, that change becomes a way of illustrating that God has been detached and distant. The relationship is restored in rich terms as God reveals Himself to Job by using His covenant name. out of the whirlwind. Job had repeatedly called God to court in order to verify his innocence. God finally came to interrogate Job on some of the comments he had made to his accusers. God was about to be Job’s vindicator, but He first brought Job to a right understanding of Himself.

38:2 Job’s words had only further confused matters already muddled by useless counselors.

38:3 I will question you. God silenced Job’s presumption in constantly wanting to ask questions of God, by becoming Job’s questioner. It is important to note that God never told Job about the reason for his pain, i.e., the conflict between Himself and Satan, which was the reason for Job’s suffering. He never did give Job any explanation about the circumstances of his trouble. He simply asked Job if he was as eternal, great, powerful, wise, and perfect as God. If not, Job would have been better off to keep quiet and trust Him.

38:4–38 God asked Job if he participated in creation as He did. That was a crushing, humbling query with an obvious “no” answer.

38:4–7 Creation is spoken of using the language of building construction.

38:7 morning stars . . . sons of God. The angelic realm, God’s ministering spirits.

38:8–11 God’s power over the sea by raising the continents is described, along with the thick clouds that draw up its water to carry rain to the land.

38:12, 13 The dawn rises, and as it spreads light over the earth, it exposes the wicked, like shaking the corners of a cloth exposes dirt.

38:14 clay under a seal. Documents written on clay tablets were signed using personal engraved seals upon which was written the bearer’s name. The Hebrew for “takes on form” is turned. It conveys the idea that the earth is turned or rotated like a cylindrical seal rolled over the soft clay. Such rolling cylinder seals were found in Babylon. This speaks of the earth, rotating on its axis, an amazing statement that only God could reveal in ancient days. The dawn rolls across the earth as it rotates.

38:15 their light. The light of the wicked is darkness, because that is when they do their works. The dawn takes away their opportunity to do their deeds and stops their uplifted arm ready to harm. Was Job around when God created light? (v. 21).

38:22 treasury. The storehouse of these elements is the clouds.

38:31, 32 Pleiades . . . Orion . . . Mazzaroth . . . Great Bear. Stellar constellations are in view (cf. Job 9:9).

38:33 ordinances of the heavens? The laws and powers that regulate all heavenly bodies.

38:36 wisdom . . . understanding. This is at the heart of the real issue. The wisdom of God which created and sustains the universe is at work in Job’s suffering also. See also 39:17.

38:39–39:30 God asked Job humiliating questions about whether he could take care of the animal kingdom. Job must have been feeling less and less significant under the crushing indictment of such comparisons with God.

39:5 onager. A wild donkey.

39:13–18 ostrich. The silly bird that leaves her eggs on the ground lacks sense. God has not given her wisdom. She is almost a picture of Job, who is a mixture of foolishness and strength (v. 18).

39:19–25 Here is a magnificent, vivid picture of a war horse.

40:2 God challenged Job to answer all the questions he had posed. God already knew the answer, but Job needed to admit his weakness, inferiority, and inability to try to figure out God’s infinite mind. God’s wisdom was so superior, His sovereign control of everything so complete, that this was all Job needed to know.

2. Job’s answer to God (40:3–5)

40:3–5 Job’s first response to God was “I am guilty as charged. I will say no more.” He knows he should not have found fault with the Almighty. He should not have insisted on his own understanding. He should not have thought God unjust. So he was reduced to silence at last.

3. God’s second response to Job (40:6–41:34)

40:6–41:34 As if the first was not enough, God’s second interrogation of Job began along the same lines, only focusing on two unique animals in God’s creation: Behemoth (40:15–24) and Leviathan (41:1–34), two creatures powerful and fearful who embodied all that is overwhelming, uncontrollable, and terrorizing in this world. Man can’t control them, but God can.

40:8–14 God unleashed another torrent of crushing rebukes to Job, in which He mocked Job’s questionings of Him by telling the sufferer that if he really thought he knew what was best for him rather than God (v. 8), then he should take over being God! (vv. 9–14).

40:15–24 behemoth. While this is a generic term used commonly in the OT for large cattle or land animals, the description in this passage suggests an extraordinary creature. The hippopotamus has been suggested by the details in the passage (vv. 19–24). However, the short tail of a hippo is hardly consistent with verse 17, where tail could be translated “trunk.” It might refer to an elephant, who could easily be considered “first” or chief of God’s creatures whom only He can control (v. 19). Some believe God is describing His most impressive creation among land animals, the dinosaur species, which fit all the characteristics.

40:23 God was not saying this creature lived in the Jordan River but rather, recognizing that the Jordan was familiar to Job, used it to illustrate how much water this beast could ingest. He could swallow the Jordan! It was a word used to refer to something of enormous size and threatening power.

41:1 Leviathan. This term appears in four other OT texts (Job 3:8; Pss. 74:14; 104:26; Is. 27:1). In each case, leviathan refers to a mighty creature that can overwhelm man but who is no match for God. Since this creature lives in the sea among ships (Ps. 104:26), some form of sea monster, possibly an ancient dinosaur, is in view. Some feel it was a crocodile, which had scaly hide (v. 15), terrible teeth (v. 14) and speed in the water (v. 32). But crocodiles are not sea creatures, and clearly this one was (v. 31). Some have thought it was a killer whale or a great white shark, because he is the ultimate killer beast over all other proud beasts (v. 34). It could also have been some sea-going dinosaur.

41:4 Will he make a covenant with you? “Will this monstrous creature need, for any reason, to come to terms with you, Job? Are you able to control him?” God asked.

41:10 Who then is able to stand against Me? This was the essential question being asked in both the behemoth and leviathan passages. God created these awesome creatures, and His might is far greater than theirs. If Job couldn’t stand against them, what was he doing contending with God? He would be better off to fight a dinosaur or a killer shark.

41:11 God did not need to buy anything; He already owned all things. Paul quoted this in Romans 11:35.

B. Job Confesses, Worships, and Is Vindicated (42:1–17)

1. Job passes judgment on himself (42:1–6)

42:1–6 Job’s confession and repentance finally took place. He still did not know why he suffered so profoundly, but he quit complaining, questioning, and challenging God’s wisdom and justice. He was reduced to such utter humility, crushed beneath the weight of God’s greatness, that all he could do was repent for his insolence. Without answers to all of his questions, Job bowed in humble submission before his Creator and admitted that God was sovereign (cf. Is. 14:24; 46:8–11).

Most importantly for the message of the book, Job was still diseased and without his children and possessions, and God had not changed anything, except for the humbling of the heart of His servant. Satan had been proven wrong (1) in the charges he brought against Job and (2) in thinking he could destroy true saving faith. Also, Job’s companions were wrong in the charges they brought against him; but most critically, Job himself was wrong in the charges he had raised against God. He expressed his regret that he had not just accepted God’s will without complaining and questioning.

42:3, 4 You asked . . . You said. Job twice alluded to statements God had made in His interrogation of him. The first allusion “Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?” (38:2) indicted Job’s pride and presumption about God’s counsel. The second, “I will question you, and you shall answer Me” (38:3; 40:7) expressed God’s judicial authority to demand answers from His own accuser, Job. The two quotes showed that Job understood the divine rebuke.

42:5 have heard . . . now my eye sees You. At last, Job said he understood God whom he had seen with the eyes of faith. He had never grasped the greatness, majesty, sovereignty, and independence of God so well as he did at that moment.

42:6 repent in dust and ashes. All that was left to do was repent! The ashes upon which the broken man sat had not changed; but the heart of God’s suffering servant had. Job did not need to repent of some sins which Satan or his accusers had raised. But Job had exercised presumption and allegations of unfairness against his Lord and hated himself for this in a way that called for brokenness and contrition.

42:7–17 The text goes back to prose, from the poetry begun in 3:1.

2. God rebukes Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (42:7–9)

42:7, 8 you have not spoken of Me what is right. God vindicated Job by saying that Job had spoken right about God in rejecting the error of his friends. They are then rebuked for those misrepresentations and arrogance. This does not mean that everything they said was incorrect, but they had made wrong statements about the character and works of God, and also had raised erroneous allegations against Job.

42:8 seven bulls and seven rams. Since this was the number of sacrifices specified in Numbers 23:1 by Balaam the prophet, perhaps it was a traditional kind of burnt offering for sin.

42:8, 9 As God had been gracious to Job, so He was to Job’s friends, by means of sacrifice and prayer. Here, the book points to the need for a sacrifice for sin, fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself as an offering for sins and ever lives to intercede (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). Even before the Levitical priesthood, family heads acted as priests, offering sacrifices and mediating through prayer.

3. God restores Job’s family, wealth, and long life (42:10–17)

42:13 seven sons . . . three daughters. While the animals are double the number of Job 1:3, why are not the children? It is obvious that Job still had seven sons and three daughters waiting for him in the presence of God (42:17).

42:14 These names are representative of the joys of restoration. Jemimah means “day light;” Keziah means “sweet smelling;” and Keren-Happuch describes a beautiful color women used to paint their eyelids.

42:15 gave them an inheritance. This was unusual in the East. By Jewish law, daughters received an inheritance only when there were no sons (Num. 27:8). Job had plenty for all.

42:17 So Job died, old and full of days. These concluding words take the reader back to where the account began (1:1). Job died in prosperity, and his days were counted as a blessing. In the words of James (5:11), Job experienced the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is “very compassionate and merciful.” But the “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10) is still “going to and fro on the earth” (1 Pet. 5:8) and God’s servants are still learning to trust in the all-wise, all-powerful Judge of the universe for what they cannot understand.

Further Study

Smick, Elmer B. Job, in Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.

Zuck, Roy B. Job, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary—OT. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor, 1985.