Job's friend Zophar speaks

Job faced a stronger rebuke from his friend Zophar, who clearly thinks that Job was guilty. Like his other friends, Zophar also understands the Greatness of God and His Sovereignty, with verses like "Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?" and "If He passes by, imprisons, and gathers to judgment, Then who can hinder Him?"

In v13-16, Zophar believing that Job had sinned somehow, asked Job to repent. We see the Zophar understands repentence well,  in that he knew if anyone repents, then God's forgiveness would restore them again. Zophar describes the result of having forgiven with words like "Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear", "take your rest in safety", "many would court your favor", "And your life would be brighter than noonday", from v15-19.


Despite, like many others, Zophar thinks that all misfortunes are punishment for sins, we can still learn very much from Zophar and Job's other friends in how they understand the greatness of God, the authority and will of God, and grace and living in the forgiveness of God.




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!”