Job 3-31 Job's friends well-meaning'ed but misdirected arguments (part 1)

Job 3:1–10 (RSV) 1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. 2 And Job said: 3 “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night which said, ‘A man-child is conceived.’ 4 Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it. 5 Let gloom and deep darkness claim it. Let clouds dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. 6 That night—let thick darkness seize it! let it not rejoice among the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months. 7 Yea, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry be heard in it. 8 Let those curse it who curse the day, who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan. 9 Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning; 10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hide trouble from my eyes.

Job 3:11–13 (RSV) 11 “Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? 12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck? 13 For then I should have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then I should have been at rest, Job 3:20–26 (RSV) 20 “Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, 21 who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures; 22 who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in? 24 For my sighing comes as my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. 25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. 26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest; but trouble comes.”



• After a week of thinking about the loss of his children, the dying of his flesh, and all his  material losses, Job finally speaks. What is different this time, and what do we observe about the subjects?
• He is no longer stoic
• He complains about being born
• He complains about not dying as he was born
• He complains about not being able to die
• Note two things:
1. Job is bitter (verse 20)
2. Job is angry at God (verse 23)
• APPLICATION:
• No matter how wonderful life has been, when pain hits us, all we see or remember is the current pain
• Pain hides memories
• Pain numbs the good and screams out at the bad
• Also, this is a normal part of the grieving process


Job 4:1–6 (RSV)
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be offended?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?


• Eliphaz, probably the oldest, speaks first. Eliphaz and his friends are chastised by God later
• Job 42:7 (RSV)
7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
• Note that the fourth individual, Elihu, is not mentioned, his is the younger individual who did not sit with Job but showed up later
• Eliphaz and Bildad answer Job three times. Zophar replies two times. Elihu, the youngest answers once, with 3 additional continuations before concluding. Elihu is also angry because the men have not answered Job
• So, why does Eliphaz jump in?
• One, Job has offered many wisdom and helped them in the past. Eliphaz assumes his pride will prevent him from offering his wisdom (verse 2-4)
• Not everything that Eliphaz says is wrong. In this sense, these opening verses are the same thing that God will judge Job
• How does Eliphaz see Job now?
• Impatient
• Dismayed
• Losing hope in God
• Once again, Eliphaz is probably right
• APPLICATION: You may have very good biblical advice, and it may not be a good time to share it



Job 4:7–18 (RSV) 7 “Think now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? 8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. 9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed. 10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily, my ear received the whisper of it. 13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, 14 dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. 15 A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. 16 It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice: 17 ‘Can mortal man be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? 18 Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;



• Eliphaz continues. Eliphaz makes two arguments in verses 7-11
• The innocent don’t suffer
• Those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same
• Both arguments are true in principle, but are not always true (hard and fast)
• Eliphaz shares a vision -- what is the conclusion?
• Everyone is a sinner
• No one can be perfect
•  And how does this fit with what Eliphaz just said?
• If we can't be perfect, then obviously, if evil has occurred then we sinned (in a grievous manner)
• He is not arguing that you are punished for being a sinner, but for sinning


Job 5:2–8 (RSV)
2 Surely vexation kills the fool,
and jealousy slays the simple.
3 I have seen the fool taking root,
but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
4 His sons are far from safety,
they are crushed in the gate,
and there is no one to deliver them.
5 His harvest the hungry eat,
and he takes it even out of thorns;
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground;
7 but man is born to trouble
as the sparks fly upward.
8 “As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause;


• This section is rather pointed, why?
• He shares a story about when he cursed a fool
• The fool experienced temporary blessing
• His children are crushed
• His food and wealth are gone
• His body is afflicted (reference to the dust)
• A fool is destined to it
• The opposite of a fool is someone who seeks God and commits his cause to God
• Eliphaz is suggesting that his problem is a problem with God


Job 5:17–19, 27 (RSV)
17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves;
therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he binds up;
he smites, but his hands heal.
19 He will deliver you from six troubles;
in seven there shall no evil touch you.
…
27 Lo, this we have searched out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for your good.”


• Eliphaz adds one more thought to the argument, what is it?
• God is disciplining you for your own good
• God is patient in his discipline
• (in your wisdom), you need to learn this lesson


• Notes from Constable:
• Throughout the three cycles of speeches Job’s friends did not change their position. They believed that God rewards the righteous and punishes sinners, the theory of retribution. They reasoned that all suffering is punishment for sin, and since Job was suffering, he was a sinner. They believed that what people experience depends on what they have done (cf. John 9:2). While this is true often, it is not the fundamental reason we experience what we do in life, as the Book of Job proceeds to reveal.
• Job’s friends each emphasized a different aspect of God’s character.
• Eliphaz pointed out the distance between God and man (4:17–19; 15:14–16) and stressed God’s punishment of the wicked (5:12–14).
• Bildad said God is just (8:3), great (25:2–3), and that He punishes only the wicked (18:5–21).
• God’s inscrutability impressed Zophar (11:7) who also stated that God punishes the wicked quickly (20:23).
• Interactions:
• Eliphaz spoke to Job with the most respect and restraint,
• Bildad was more direct and less courteous, and
• Zophar was the most blunt and harsh.
• Reasoning:
• Eliphaz based his arguments on experience (4:8; 5:3; 15:17),
• Bildad on tradition (8:8–10), and
• Zophar on mere assumption (20:1–5).
• View of Life:
• Eliphaz viewed life as a mystic,
• Bildad as an attorney, and
• Zophar as a dogmatist.
• Argumentation:
• Bildad and Zophar picked up themes from Eliphaz’s speeches and echoed them with slightly variant emphases (cf. 5:9 and 22:12 with 8:3, 5; 22:2a with 11:7, 11; 15:32–34 with 18:16 and 20:21–22; and 5:14 with 18:5, 6, 18 and 20:26).