ChristadelphianBooksOnline
David Baird
The Education of Job

Chapter 11 - The First Cycle of Speeches - Zophar

Zophar's Instruction - I Know

	11:1-4	Job rebuked as verbose and boastful
	11:5-6	God knows your sinfulness
	11:7-12	God is beyond human comprehension
	11:13-19	Repent and be blessed
	11:20	No hope for the wicked

The opening lines of Zophar's opening speech declare the Naamathite to be the least engaging of Job's three friends. Gibson describes Zophar as "the roughest and least considerate." It seems remarkable that in Job's extremity a friend could be so bumptiously off-hand.

As Brother Mansfield remarks, "Whereas Eliphaz based his words on observation and his experience of a revelation, and Bildad rested his on appearance supplemented by an appeal to the wisdom of the sages, Zophar is content with mere assumption. He is the dogmatist. He knows. Whereas Eliphaz says, 'I have seen ...' and Bildad, 'Enquire of the former age', Zophar dogmatically states in both his speeches, 'Know thou' (11:6; 20:4). Eliphaz takes the hypothetical stand that IF Job was not sinful the trouble would not have come. Bildad takes the inferential attitude that Job MUST be sinful seeing trouble has come ... Zophar declares Job IS sinful because his teaching demands it. He is the least courteous and most drastic of the three, though this may be due to his impatience as he heard Job refute his friends' arguments. Job had logically refuted the 'law of exact retribution' in that it was obviously wrong as both the righteous and the wicked suffer (9:22) and he had appealed for further light. All that Zophar could offer was that God knew Job's sins, even though they were hidden from Job, and as God is just, Job should seek repentance."

Zophar's Instruction - I Know

11:1-4 Job rebuked as verbose and boastful

Zophar almost sounds apologetic as he begins his first speech. He is speaking, so it seems, only because Job, who is a man full of talk, who has uttered a multitude of words, has not only remained unanswered, he seems to have justified himself. This is preposterous to Zophar who lacks understanding. Of course Job is garrulous and emotional. One feels certain that Zophar would have behaved in much the same way if he had received the torments Job had.

He zooms in on Job's assertion of righteousness ("Though I think myself right" 9:20 JB) and verbally lambastes the discomposed Job. His assault is as much an attack on Job as his speech. Whereas Bildad opens his speech with a reference to Job's blusterings and then moves into a line of thought that attempts to push a particular philosophy, Zophar attacks Job and maintains the barrage. He accuses Job of being loquacious (11:2), disrespectful (11:3), self-righteous (11:4), opinionated (11:7), rebellious (11:13), even wicked (11:14).

But Zophar is overstating Job's words. While Job is convinced of his righteousness he does not flaunt it. He seeks answers. He realises the magnitude of God but is confused by God's dealing with him. Zophar simply asserts that Job's speaking does not make Job a better individual.

He is flabbergasted that Job believes his babble ("lies" 11:3 - "idle talk" NIV) will silence men and that his derisive talk will not be exposed as shameful. To press his point, Zophar next moves in on a word. Job in the extremity of his language claimed that God laughs (laag - 9:23) at the plight of the innocent. "No," says Zophar, "Your laughter Job, your mocking (laag - 11:3), not God's, is the problem." But even here Zophar's accusation is not vindicated. Job while despairing and disappointed with his friends has not, to this stage, mocked them.

As well as being a raver and a mocker, Zophar claims that Job said, "My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes" (11:4). Nowhere has Job said this. True, such statements may be inferred from Job's much speaking. However, Job does not use "clean" (bar) or "pure" (zak) in reference to himself until 16:17 where he says, "My prayer is pure (zak)." Perhaps Zophar is mistaking Bildad's advice in 8:6, "If thou wert pure (zak)," as part of the speech of Job.

11:5-6 God knows your sinfulness

In 10:2 Job implores God to show him what charges He has against him. Zophar wishes that God would indeed speak; that He would take Job at his word. Zophar, who considers Job to be somewhat arrogant, now presumes to speak on God's behalf. He is convinced that God would vindicate his dogma concerning Job. Yes, the secrets of wisdom would be revealed to Job. Secrets which Zophar, by his assessment, would have far more insight into than Job.

11:6 is a verse which commentators have enormous difficulty interpreting. The Revised Standard Version offers a conservative consensus which appears to be sensible as well as fitting the mood and context of Zophar's speech:

"and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves" (AV is similar - see NIV, JB for variations).

In other words, God has been lenient with Job! Job deserved worse. While there is an element of truth in that, because the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23) and we are filthy rags before God's might (Isa 64:6), it is not exactly the most soothing concept to lay on Job at this moment in time. It is an astonishingly cruel and brutal statement from one who was counted as a friend. While the statement's dogmatism is not supported by evidence, it is, in Zophar's mind, a self-evident fact.

11:7-12 God is beyond human comprehension

Zophar, after declaring Job deserved more than he received from God, continues by haranguing Job's desire for answers. Zophar's words border on ridicule - "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty" (11:7 NIV). Of course Job couldn't. But Job never claimed that he could nor declared a desire to do so. He merely wanted an explanation for his circumstances. Zophar has again exaggerated Job's intent. How irritating this must have been for Job.

Zophar follows with grandiloquent statements exclaiming just how incomprehensible God is. Job knows all this. Job has already declared his insignificance in God's presence (9:5-10). He does not want a lecture. He wants answers. He wants relief.

The sense of 11:10 is lost in the Authorised Version. Zophar is reiterating Job's words of 9:11-12 but maintains the style of his monologue by twisting Job's words and flinging them back at him. Job, in a tone of fear and awe, was extolling the invisible and irresistible workings of God. Zophar, while agreeing with such sentiments, uses them as a base camp from which to lay siege on Job's character: "If He passes by (chalaph - "cut off" AV - see also 9:11), imprisons, and gathers to judgment, then who can hinder Him" (11:10 NKJV).

From this amplification of Job's words Zophar slips into a poorly concealed attack on Job. God is so incomprehensible, so immeasurably clever, He can detect evil ("vain" - 11:11 AV) and deceit (Green) in man without having to consider it carefully or even appearing to consider it. Perhaps Zophar is attempting to alleviate Job's confusion evident in 10:12. Job could not understand how God had crushed a person He had so manifestly cared for in former times. Zophar's crude answer is that God knew all along the worthlessness of Job and He has done nothing more than delay His punitive action against Job.

11:12 is another of those verses commentators despair of. Andersen notes, "It must be admitted that the problems presented by verse 12 remain unsolved." A survey of Bible versions uncovers a plethora of variations. I believe that the "proverb" model is the most probable rendering - "But a witless man can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt be born a man" (NIV - see also Roth, Delitzsch, RSV, NKJV). If this version is correct then Zophar has concluded his attempted rebuttal of Job's words with a crude insult. Surely he isn't calling Job a donkey? Perhaps, in giving Zophar the benefit of the doubt, he is using an everyday proverb that, although crude to our ears, was an acceptable way to describe an improbability. We might say, "Pigs might fly," to reject a suggestion and in no way be calling its advocate a pig.

However, there is no excuse for Zophar's comments. The fact he informs Job that a stupid man never gains understanding is indicative of his feeling that Job is tottering near the abyss of idiocy. Zophar's appeal demonstrates that he believed Job to be but centimetres from spiritual oblivion. Alternatively, his speech betrays his insensitivity and arrogance.

End of the lecture, Zophar next offers advice.

11:13-19 Repent and be blessed

Instead of ringing in Job's ears, Zophar's words would have been stinging in Job's ears. He has, at least, suggested that Job is evil and worthless. But Zophar is convinced of his own niceness. He wants to help his poor, embittered friend. So he abruptly switches from an accusing, insulting form of speech to that of a smooth, friendly, albeit condescending, approach.

It is not merely terminology. Zophar, in his bludgeoning heavy-handed way, is attempting to provide Job with the means to recover to his former glory. But his advice is cliched and a repeat of that offered by Eliphaz (5:17-26) and Bildad (8:20-22). The advice is simple, obvious and unhelpful - "Repent, be good, say your prayers and God will restore you." To Zophar, Job's case was cut and dried. It was all because of sin. This assumption, like all Zophar's assumptions, resulted in glib, overconfident counsel.

How easy it is to ascertain the cause of somebody's personal problems and opine solutions. Especially when we are not experiencing any adversity. The cruelty of Zophar's speech is apparent when he later refers to Job's former prosperity and prestige.

Yes, Job only has to get his attitude right and stretch out his hands in prayer to God. It was Job's responsibility as the pronoun "thou" (11:13) is emphatic in the Hebrew (Soncino). He had to put his personal sin far away, and repeating the deduction of Bildad (8:4), put away the sin of his household and family. It is not that Zophar is saying, "If there is sin, put it away." No, he is saying, "If you put away the sin that is in your hand" (11:14 NIV).

It is only after Job has fulfilled these requirements that Job, according to Zophar's logic, would "face the world in innocence ("without punishable guilt" Delitzsch), unwavering and free from fear" (11:15 JB - compare 9:35). Zophar in attempting to counteract Job's despondency of 10:15 exceeds what is humanly possible. When is a man free from fear? How can man presume innocence when, in Zophar's words, God can detect sin without even trying (11:11)? Zophar in being helpful is being faintly ridiculous.

He becomes openly ridiculous when he continues, "Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away" (11:16). Very eloquent but quite absurd. Job dearly wanted to forget (9:27) but this was impossible. For Job to forget the death of ten children, the hurtful inappropriate counsel of his friends, the unrelieved agony of a skin disease that reduced him to scratching himself with a fragment of pottery while sitting in the local rubbish pit, simply because he was restored to health and prosperity is incomprehensible.

In fact, claims Zophar in 11:17, contrary to the gloom that saturated Job's closing remarks (10:21-22), Job's restored "life" (NKJV, RSV etc - "age" AV) will be full of light. And, repudiating Job's gloomy talk of hopelessness (9:28-30), there is hope, there is security if he removes the guilt of sins surely committed. As 11:18 concludes, "You will be protected, and take your rest in safety."

We need to pause and ponder where Job has come from. He was "the greatest of all the men of the east" (1:3). He had wealth, prosperity and status. Eliphaz alludes to this status early in his first speech, "Behold thou hast instructed many ..." (4:3-4) and Job bewails the loss of that position of honour in 29:12-17. It is the restoration of this status that Zophar leaves to last in his catalogue of positive outcomes for the repentant Job.

"Just think," invites Zophar, "Do as I say and 'many will entreat your favour' (RSV). Just like the good old days." It irked Job that he was currently the object of society's derision (30:1) and Zophar's words would have kindled strong feelings and memories. To no avail. Zophar's solution was too simple and too trite. It was based on a doctrine of exact retribution that Job had refuted in 9:22-24. Life was not that simple and all were to learn the complexities of life and the majesty of God in the closing scenes of this drama.

However, Zophar for all his failings has, in these verses, attempted to strengthen the enfeebled Job. He converges on specific areas of negativism and provides contrasting objectives for Job to aspire to. Job was burdened with shame, fear, misery, gloom, hopelessness and desolation. Zophar paints a picture that portrays an absence of shame and fear, a forgetting of previous misery, a life of light and hope, and above all, a restoration of Job's status.

Zophar should have left off speaking at this moment. Instead, he bursts the bubble with the harsh words of 11:20.

11:20 No hope for the wicked

"But" - what a lethal word! Zophar has painted a rosy picture for Job if he repents but he feels compelled to conclude with words of warning. In doing so he again places Job in the company of the wicked.

Zophar was convinced that his advice was rock solid. If Job ignored it and chose to be stubborn he would grow weary of looking for help that does not come. He was in danger of losing his intellectual and spiritual sight thus ensuring that all ways of escape would be lost to him.

The only hope for the wicked was death. Ironically, Job in his desperation longed for death (3:11-22; 6:8-10; 7:15; 10:18-22). Zophar twists this longing to again infer that Job was guilty. Job was not seeking for rebukes or clever words from his friends. Just comfort. This they did not supply.

SPEECH 1 - ZOPHAR - TECHNIQUES

Plays The Man Not The Ball. Rebukes Job For Being:
Loquacious - 11:2;
Disrespectful - 11:3;
Self-Righteous - 11:4;
Opinionated - 11:7;
Rebellious - 11:13;
Wicked - 11:14
Overstates And Twists What Job Said - 11:2~9:20 and 11:10~9:11-12
Puts Words Into Job's Mouth - 11:4
Speaks On God's Behalf - 11:5-6
He Knows - 11:6
Administers A Lecture To Educate Job - 11:7-12
Abrupt Change To Being Helpful After A Vicious Opening - 11:13
Can't Resist A final Hit Which Negates Any Previous Positive Comment - 11:20