Job 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 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!"

Job 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.