Chapter 40:3-5 -Yahweh Educates Job - Job's Reply
40:3-5 "I am of small account"
God has not given Job any explanation of what has transpired.
The issues of sin, blame, suffering and retribution are absent in Yahweh's
opening speech. God has offered no philosophy to account for Job's position nor
has He endorsed Job's general understanding of Him. That would come later
(42:7). What God did do was bring Job face-to-face with the universe in which
he lived and ask Job what input did Job have in its creation and what ability
did Job have to govern it. The point of Yahweh's presentation was elementary.
As Job could not be equal to God in His inanimate and animate outworkings, Job
could not presume to argue with God or call Him into question.
In the context of that unveiling Job was brought to the
realisation that, "Behold, I am of small account" (40:4 RSV, RV, Soncino). Job
is suitably humbled as he sees himself as qalal (AV "vile").
Qalal means "to be light" (Ges). As Morgan writes, "In the Hebrew
word there is no suggestion of moral failure. Quite literally it means, of no
weight. Job did not here in the presence of the majesty of God confess moral
perversity, but comparative insignificance".
He acknowledged the foolishness of answering the Almighty; of
strutting his perceived wisdom in His presence (23:4-7, 31:37). How wrong he
had been in doing this. His best response, he believed, was to enact the advice
he gave his friends to display wisdom by surrendering in silence (13:5, 21:5).
Such behaviour was recognition by Job that he is in the audience of one who is
superior to himself (29:9; Mic 7:16; Hab 2:20; Zech 2:13).
In words reminiscent of Elihu's (33:14), Job cuts short his
reply by exclaiming that he has said too much already and it is best for him to
proceed no further (40:5). He will no longer contend with the LORD. It is also
feasible to suggest that Job is agreeing with Elihu's assessment of him that he
had multiplied his words against God (34:37).
There is no doubt that Job's awareness of God has been
heightened. He has no intention of challenging God again. But is Job's
response satisfactory in the sense that it stretches to God's requirements? As
we will see, Job's second reply to Yahweh (42:1-6) displayed a humility that
went beyond this initial reply. Job does not presently confess to any
unrighteousness. While he submits to Yahweh's superiority, he still appears to
hang on to his personal righteousness. Instead of repenting and retracting what
he had said, he decided to keep silent. Instead of declaring his utter
unworthiness, he stated he is of small account in comparison to God.
Job has made wonderful progress but his spiritual education is
still incomplete. Yahweh will supply this lack in His second speech.
