Job 11:2-12

2 "Shouldn't someone answer this flood of words? Should a good public speaker be acquitted?

3 Should your empty talk silence others so that you can make fun of us without any shame?

4 You say, 'My teaching is morally correct,' and, 'As you can see, I'm innocent.'

5 I only wish God would speak and open his mouth [to talk] to you.

6 He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, because [true] wisdom is twice [as great as your wisdom], and you would know that God forgets your sin.

7 "Can you discover God's hidden secrets, or are you able to find the Almighty's limits?

8 [God's wisdom is] higher than heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than [the depths] of hell. What can you know?

9 It is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

10 If God comes along and imprisons [someone] and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?

11 He knows who the scoundrels are. And when he sees sin, doesn't he pay attention to it?

12 But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.

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.