Bible Commentary

Job 11:1-20

The Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1-20

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Zophar, the Naamathite, the third of Job's comforters (), and probably the youngest of them, now at last takes the word, and delivers an angry and violent speech. He begins by accusing Job of having spoken at undue length, and at the same time, boastfully and mockingly (verses 2-4).

He then expresses a wish that God would take Job at his word, and really answer him, since he is sure that the result would be to show that Job had been punished much less than he. deserved to be (verses 5, 6).

Job's complaints against the justice of God's dealings he meets by an assertion of God's unsearchableness and perfect wisdom, which he contrasts with the folly of man (verse 7-12). Finally, he suggests that a stricken man, being guilty, should humble himself, put away his iniquity, and turn to God, in which ease he may expect a restoration to favour.

Otherwise, he has only to look for wretchedness, failure, and despair (verses 18-20).

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Job 11:1-6Zophar 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…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Address of Zophar. (b. c. 1520.)THE ADDRESS OF ZOPHAR. (B. C. 1520.) It is sad to see what intemperate passions even wise and good men are sometimes betrayed into by the heat of disputation, of which Zophar here is an instance. Eliphaz began with a ve…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1-20Humble yourselves beneath the mighty hand of God. Zophar, the youngest of the friends, now comes forward once more to beat down the complaint of Job with the old arguments and commonplaces. To support his words, he does…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1-6Zophar to Job: 1. The opinions of a dogmatist. I. ZOPHAR'S OPINIONS CONCERNING JOB. A severe but wholly unfounded indictment. 1. Loquacity. Job's previous orations, so full of lofty sentiment and fervent emotion, he cha…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1-20EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1Zophar, the man of the world. After the seer and the pedant comes Zophar, who poses as the man of the world. He can pretend to no supernatural illumination, neither has he any claims to put forth on the score of learnin…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said (see the comment on Job 2:11).Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Job 11:1-6Self-complacency condemned. Even the lowly and humble are liable to over-estimate their own goodness, and the more so if roused to self-justification. All imperfect human judgments, given as Job's were, under the influe…Joseph S. Exell and contributors