Giobbe 11

1 E SOFAR Naamatita rispose e disse:

2 Non risponderebbesi egli ad un uomo di tante parole? Ed un uomo loquace sarebbe egli per ciò reputato giusto?

3 Faranno le tue ciancie tacer gli uomini? Ti farai tu beffe, senza che alcuno ti faccia vergogna?

4 Or tu hai detto: La mia maniera di vita è pura, Ed io sono stato netto davanti agli occhi tuoi.

5 Ma volesse pure Iddio parlare, Ed aprir le sue labbra teco;

6 E dichiararti i segreti della sapienza; Perciocchè sono doppi; E tu conosceresti che Iddio ti fa portar pena minore Che la tua iniquità non merita di ragione.

7 Potresti tu trovar modo d’investigare Iddio? Potresti tu trovar l’Onnipotente in perfezione?

8 Queste cose sono le altezze de’ cieli, che ci faresti? Son più profonde che l’inferno, come le conosceresti?

9 La lor distesa è più lunga che la terra, E la lor larghezza è più grande che il mare.

10 Se Iddio sovverte, ovvero s’egli serra, E raccoglie, chi ne lo storrà?

11 Perciocchè egli conosce gli uomini vani; E veggendo l’iniquità, non vi porrebbe egli mente?

12 Ma l’uomo è scemo di senno, e temerario di cuore; E nasce simile a un puledro di un asino salvatico.

13 Se tu addirizzi il cuor tuo, E spieghi le palme delle tue mani a lui;

14 Se vi è iniquità nella tua mano, e tu l’allontani da te, E non lasci dimorare alcuna perversità ne’ tuoi tabernacoli;

15 Allora certamente tu alzerai la faccia netta di macchia, E sarai stabilito, e non avrai paura di nulla;

16 Perciocchè tu dimenticherai gli affanni, E te ne ricorderai come d’acque trascorse;

17 E ti si leverà un tempo più chiaro che il mezzodì; Tu risplenderai, tu sarai simile alla mattina;

18 E sarai in sicurtà; perciocchè vi sarà che sperare; E pianterai il tuo padiglione, e giacerai sicuramente;

19 E ti coricherai, e niuno ti spaventerà; E molti ti supplicheranno.

20 Ma gli occhi degli empi verranno meno, Ed ogni rifugio sarà perduto per loro; E la loro unica speranza sarà di render lo spirito.

Giobbe 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

Zophar reproves Job. (1-6) God's perfections and almighty power. (7-12) Zophar assures Job of blessings if he repented. (13-20)

Verses 1-6 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.

Verses 7-12 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?

Verses 13-20 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, ( Hebrews 10:22 ) .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 11

In this chapter Zophar the Naamathite, Job's third friend, attacks him, and the with great acrimony and severity, and with much indecency; he charges him not only with loquacity, and vain babbling, but with lying, and with scoffing at God, and good men, Job 11:1-3; which he attempts to support by some things Job had said, misrepresented by him, Job 11:4; and wishes that God would take him in hand, and convince him of the wisdom of the divine proceedings with him, and of his lenity and mercy to him, Job 11:5,6; and then discourses of the unsearchableness of God in his counsels, and conduct; of his sovereignty, and of his power, and of the vanity and folly of men, Job 11:7-19; and as his friends before him, having insinuated that Job was guilty of some heinous sin, or sins, and especially of hypocrisy, advises him to repentance and reformation, and then it would be well with him; and he should enjoy much comfort, peace, and safety, even to old age, Job 11:13-19; and concludes it should go ill with the wicked man and the hypocrite, such as he suggests Job was, Job 11:20.