Zophar's First Speech and Job's reply
Chapter 11 and 12
Zophar reproves Job for seeking to justify himself (11)
Zophar, means a sparrow, from the root verb to twitter. It is the masculine version of Zipporah, the name of Moses' wife. A commentator notes that both were unconscious opponents of God's judgement on the flesh, though he was very zealous concerning the fancied works of the flesh in Job. But his denunciations were utterly out of place and harmless as the "twittering" of the sparrow.
He suggested that Job was covering his sin with words. Job had tried to make it clear that a man in his condition, suffering as he was, was incapable of pretence, but Zophar simply ignored that and said that Job was trying to talk his way out of the justice of his punishment. It is true that there are men who are good at manipulating words to convince others of what they want them to believe, but this was not the case of Job.
Zophar was less courteous to Job than the others, he appeared to be totally insensitive to Job's unique situation, and angrily lashed out in "holy" indignation at him, saying that Job deserved more punishment, not less. Like Eliphaz and Bildad he sustained that Job was suffering because of sin, and arrogantly implied that he knew God much better than Job, pretending to know what God would do in a given circumstance.
He insisted that Job's empty and arrogant talk had to be answered, and if Job could only see things as God does, he would realise that he was not suffering as much as he really deserved. It was because of his ignorance of God's greatness that he questioned His justice.
By calling Job "deceitful," Zophar was accusing Job of hiding secret faults and sins. Although Zophar's assumption was wrong, he explained quite accurately that God knows and sees everything.
We are often tempted by the thought, "No one will ever know!" Perhaps we can hide some sin from others, but we can do nothing without God knowing about it. Because our very thoughts are known to God, of course he will notice our sins. Job understood this as well as Zophar did, but it didn't apply to his current dilemma.
Zophar was a religious dogmatist who assumed to know all about God; what God would do in any given case, why He would do it, and all His thoughts about it. Of all forms of dogmatism this is most irreverent, and least open to reason.
He said that if Job would only repent, seek forgiveness from God and give up iniquity and wickedness, all his misery would pass away; he would live a bright life, secure in hope, and he would rest in safety, fear no-one and his favour would be sought by many.
In contrast the wicked (implying an unrepentant Job) would lose their eyesight (he still could see) and had no escape, their hope being just loss of life, as Job had said he wished he was dead. Zophar thus concluded his address, which in reality was an attack upon Job's integrity. All three friends had now had their say. Job's answer would be one of the lengthiest discourses in the book.
Job makes his position clear against his friends (12)
Deeply resenting the conceit and false accusations of his friends, Job sarcastically said "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!"
All they said about God was well known and Job was not inferior to them in knowledge as they implied. But his friends were now mocking and ridiculing him, whose prayers God answered: he was just and blameless. He was in need of enlightenment, something which those who were at ease despised: why was someone like him suffering so much, in contrast with the prosperity of the ungodly?
Job needed help, compassion, support at this time, but instead of this, his friends were treating him with scorn. (They assumed he was being punished for some terrible misdeed, which he vigorously denied, so they accused him of lying, because they couldn't understand it.)
Even nature itself, the beasts, the birds, the earth and the fish could teach that the hand of the LORD had done this to him, for in His hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. But who could tell him the real reason why?
It is only natural for wisdom and understanding to come to aged men. They have had a long time to learn from others and from their own experience (but these friends had no suitable explanation to offer to Job, and could only resort to false premises).
God, on the other hand, has all wisdom, strength, counsel and understanding. What He does cannot be undone. He is strong and prudent, and everyone is in His hands: both the deceived and the deceiver, He allows counsellors and princes to be plundered, He makes fools of the judges, He loosens the bonds of kings and binds them, He overthrows the mighty, He deprives the trusted ones of speech, He takes away the discernment of the elders, He pours contempt on princes, He disarms the mighty, He uncovers deep things out of darkness, He brings the shadow of death to light, He makes nations great and He destroys them, He enlarges nations and guides them, He deprives their leaders of their understanding so they cannot see their way forward.
R David Jones
Chapter 11
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 judgement, 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 favour.
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope - loss of life!"
Chapter 12
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4 "I am one mocked by his friends, who called on God, and He answered him, the just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5 A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; it is made ready for those whose feet slip.
6 The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure - in what God provides by His hand.
7 "But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words and the mouth taste its food?
12 Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.
13 "With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.
14 If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; if He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He withholds the waters, they dry up; if He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counsellors away plundered, and makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings, and binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads princes away plundered, and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech, and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He pours contempt on princes, and disarms the mighty.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings the shadow of death to light.
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them stagger like a drunken man.