Job 11:2-12

2 "Shall a multitude of words go unanswered, And a 1talkative man be acquitted?
3 "Shall your boasts silence men? And shall you 2scoff and none rebuke?
4 "For 3you have said, 'My teaching is pure, And 4I am innocent in your eyes.'
5 "But would * that God might speak, And open His lips against you,
6 And show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom 5has two sides. Know then that God forgets a part of 6your iniquity.
7 "7Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?
8 "They are 8high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than 9Sheol, what can you know?
9 "Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.
10 "If He passes by or shuts up, Or calls an assembly, 10who can restrain Him?
11 "For 11He knows false men, And He 12sees iniquity without investigating.
12 "13An idiot * will become intelligent When the foal of a 14wild donkey is born a man.

Job 11:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 14

  • 1. Job 8:2; Job 15:2; Job 18:2
  • 2. Job 17:2; Job 21:3
  • 3. Job 6:10
  • 4. Job 10:7
  • 5. Job 9:4
  • 6. Job 15:5; Job 22:5
  • 7. Job 33:12, 13; Job 36:26; Job 37:5, 23; Romans 11:33
  • 8. Job 22:12; Job 35:5
  • 9. Job 26:6; Job 38:17
  • 10. Job 9:12
  • 11. Job 34:21-23
  • 12. Job 24:23; Job 28:24; Job 31:4
  • 13. Psalms 39:5, 11; Psalms 62:9; Psalms 144:4; Ecclesiastes 1:2; Ecclesiastes 11:10
  • 14. Job 39:5

Footnotes 7

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