Job11
New King James Version
1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:
2 “Should not the multitude of words be answered? And should a man full of talk be vindicated?
3 Should your empty talk make men hold their peace? And when you mock, should no one rebuke you?
4 For you have said, ‘My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in your eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips against you,
6 That He would show you the secrets of wisdom! For they would double your prudence. Know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves.
7 “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
9 Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.
10 “If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment, Then who can hinder Him?
11 For He knows deceitful men; He sees wickedness also. Will He not then consider it?
12 For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
13 “If you would prepare your heart, And stretch out your hands toward Him;
14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
15 Then surely you could lift up your face without spot; Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
16 Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away,
17 And your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
18 And you would be secure, because there is hope; Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.
19 You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid; Yes, many would court your favor.
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they shall not escape, And their hope—loss of life!”
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Job 11Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Job 11. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Zophar reproves Job. (1–6). God's perfections and almighty power. (7–12). Zophar assures Job of blessings if he repented. (13–20).
vv1-6
Zophar attacked Job with great vehemence. He represented him as a man that loved to hear himself speak, though he could say nothing to the purpose, and as a man that maintained falsehoods. He desired God would show Job that less punishment was exacted than he deserved. We are ready, with much assurance, to call God to act in our quarrels, and to think that if he would but speak, he would take our part. We ought to leave all disputes to the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth; but those are not always right who are most forward to appeal to the Divine judgment.
vv7-12
Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought so, though he will not submit to the laws of wisdom. He would be wise, he reaches after forbidden wisdom, and, like his first parents, aiming to be wise above what is written, loses the tree of life for the tree of knowledge. Is such a creature as this fit to contend with God?
vv13-20
Zophar exhorts Job to repentance, and gives him encouragement, yet mixed with hard thoughts of him. He thought that worldly prosperity was always the lot of the righteous, and that Job was to be deemed a hypocrite unless his prosperity was restored. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; that is, thou mayst come boldly to the throne of grace, and not with the terror and amazement expressed in ch. 9:34. If we are looked upon in the face of the Anointed, our faces that were cast down may be lifted up; though polluted, being now washed with the blood of Christ, they may be lifted up without spot. We may draw near in full assurance of faith, when we are sprinkled from an evil conscience, Heb 10:22.
Key Words
עָנָה: properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce
צוֹפַר: Tsophar, a friend of Job
נַעֲמָתִי: a Naamathite, or inhabitant of Naamah
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
רֹב: abundance (in any respect)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
שָׂפָה: the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
צָדַק: to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense)
בַּד: a brag or lie; also a liar
Cross References
Job 11Job frequently asserts his purity, which Elihu later directly echoes and rebukes using similar language.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity; directly matches 'he knoweth vain men'.
Supported by JFB
Zophar contrasts Job's despair ('not lift up my head') with promise to 'lift up thy face'.
Supported by JFB
Paul's doxology on the unsearchable depth of God's wisdom echoes Zophar's challenge on finding out God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The psalmist confesses that divine knowledge is too wonderful and high to attain.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ascending to heaven or making a bed in Sheol demonstrates the inescapable heights and depths.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The Hebrew 'wild-ass man' is the proverbial expression for untamed human nature born wild.
Supported by JFB
The former troubles are forgotten, passing away from memory like waters, as Zophar promises.
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The path of the just shining brighter unto the perfect day parallels Zophar's 'clearer than noonday'.
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In the multitude of words sin is not lacking; Zophar's critique of Job's talkativeness.
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Ezra acknowledges that God has punished them far less than their iniquities deserved.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God's discourse later depicts the untameable wild ass, highlighting man's foolish attempts to seem wise.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Many make suit or entreat the favor of a liberal or prosperous person.
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The expectation of the wicked perishes at death, paralleling 'hope as the giving up of ghost'.
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The failing of the eyes in futile expectation of relief under judgment.
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Eliphaz repeats Zophar's condition of removing iniquity far from one's tabernacle for restoration.
Supported by Matthew Poole