Carefully Examining the Text

 Job 25 

This is the last we hear of Job’s three friends by way of speeches. Elihu will reference them in 32:3 and the LORD will finally speak in 42:7-8. Some try to attribute 26:5-14 or 27:13-23 to Bildad but there is no textual basis for this. The speeches of the friends have been shorter along the way. Bildad’s speech is unusually short, and it may indicate that they are running out of things to say. 

 25:1-3 The Glory of God

25:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,

 25:2 Dominion and awe belong to Him- Bildad does not begin this speech insulting Job as in 8:2-3; 18:2-4 but starts to talk first of God. He says that God is the ultimate Ruler of the universe and awe, fear, or dread is the proper response to Him in His glory. This word for awe, pachad, has been used frequently in Job (3:25; 4:14; 13:11; 15:21; 21:9; 22:10). To God belongs all authority in heaven and earth. 

Who establishes peace in His heights- God makes peace in the heavens. He establishes order from heaven over the earth (38:33). Does this imply some kind of conflict in heaven that God put down (Isa. 24:21; Dan. 10:13-21; Rev. 12:7-9)? This at least means that no forces of heaven are adequate to oppose Him. 

The fact that He can establish peace in heaven seems to indicate that there is peace on earth. Is this opposing Job’s idea that there is chaos on earth (24:1-12)?

 25:3 Is there any number to His troops? God is the LORD of hosts[2]. There is no number to the hosts of heaven that God commands (Deut. 33:2-3; II Kings 6:16; Psalm 68:17; Matt. 26:52-53; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 5:11) and there is no plan or battle strategy that can prevail against Him (Prov. 21:30-31).

And upon whom does His light not rise? His sun rises on the evil and the good (Matt. 5:45; Ps. 104:1-4). His reign is infinite in the sense that He rules over all (Ps. 19:1-6; 103:19). In contrast to the wicked loving the darkness (24:13-17), God is acquainted with the light. Light makes all things open and visible before Him. The LXX has His ambush instead of His light. This does make a parallel with His troops in the previous line. 

                  Job also stressed God’s power in a dramatic way (9:5-13). Job stressed that power used for destructive ends while Bildad emphasizes the same truth to stress God’s justice. 

 25:4-6 Man’s uncleanness before God

He contemplates God’s perfection and holiness and man’s imperfection and unholiness. 

25:4 How then can a man be just with God? 4:17; 9:2. Man cannot be just (9:15, 20; 10:15; 13:18;33:12; 34:5; 35:7) or pure (8:6; 11:4; 16:17; 33:9) before God. How can Job claim to be mistreated by God or claim any rights before Him? How can he hope to stand before God and be justified?

Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? Born of woman was used in 14:1; 15:14; and here in the Old Testament. In 14:4 the question is “who can bring the clean out of the unclean?” 

 I Kings 8:46; II Chronicles 6:36; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Psalm 130:3; 143:2  all affirm the sinfulness of man. In the Sumerian wisdom text, A Man and his God, a line says, “Never has a sinless child been born to its mother…” (ANET, 590).

 25:5 If even the moon has no brightness- The sun and moon were the greater lights to govern the day and the night (Gen. 1:16). These heavenly bodies shine so brilliantly that they have often themselves become objects of worship (Deut. 4:19; 17:2-3; Jer. 8:2-3; Job 31:24-28). They are perpetual reminders of God’s greatness (Psalm 8:3-4; 136:8-9; 148:3). 

And the stars are not pure in His sight,- Yet God is so exalted and glorious that even the heavens, which do not sin, are not bright before Him. Eliphaz used this kind of argument earlier, but He contrasted God’s utter holiness with even the angel’s uncleanness (4:17-19). God outshines the moon and even the sun (Rev. 21:23; 22:5).

 25:6 How much less man, that maggot,- In light of God’s transcendent holiness, how can man ever be right before him? This word translated maggot is found in Ex. 16:24; Job 7:5; 17:14; 21:26; 24:20; 25:6; Isaiah 14:11. In five of the seven uses of the word, Maggots are often associated with death, especially in Job (Job 7:5; 17:14; 21:26; 24:20; Isaiah 14:11). 

And the son of man, that worm!- The word for worm is much more common and is used in Deut. 28:39; Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 14:11; 41:14; 66:24; Jonah 4:7. Sometimes the word was used of the purple or scarlet that the creature made- The word is used 25 times in the section Ex. 25-31, 35-40 to talk of the purple of the tabernacle coverings. 

 What are we to make of Bildad’s speech? Bildad convicts all of sin and guilt, but where does he then take this doctrine? Is there any hope for salvation or redemption for man? Bildad does not specifically state it here if that is in his theology. He did offer an invitation of sorts to Job to come back to God in Job 8:20-22. Paul also convicts each of us of sin before God in Romans 1:18-3:20. He ties together passage after passage from the Old Testament to establish it. But after Paul convicts us of guilt, he emphasizes that God opened a door of hope. God in His great mercy gave Christ to die to save us from our sin (Romans 3:21-5:21). 

 How do we view the statement about man as a worm and maggot?

                  Certainly, God created man in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-28; 5:1-3). God’s creation of mankind is the crown of His creation, even above the inanimate creation of sun, moon, and stars. By God’s mercy man was placed in an exalted position in creation (Psalm 8:4-6). Maggots and worms seem to be the lowest order of creation and if the statement does not realize that man is the crown of God’s creation, it does not express truth. 

                  Man has marred that image of God in him by sin (Genesis 3). Sin has driven a wedge between God the Creator and man who is made in His image. Sin separates mankind from God and from each other. While man has been separated from God by sin, He is still spoken of as made in God’s image even after sin in Genesis 9:6. 

However, I believe the idea that man is a maggot is legitimate. Man is totally unworthy before the infinitely Holy God (Isaiah 6:1-5). The gap between the infinite God and man is more than the gap between mankind and worms. The amazing thing is that in spite of how far we are below God and in spite of what a mess we have made of our lives, God still loves us and longs to save us. Interestingly, Bildad does not speak of infinite love that the LORD has for man but the Bible does. This love of God that longs to redeem is revealed both in the Old Testament and in the New. Isaiah 41:14 speaks of Israel being a worm and yet He promises to redeem Israel (Isaiah 41:14-16).  However, the most remarkable demonstration of God’s willingness to save is seen in the cross of Christ. In redeeming us God Himself became a man in the person of Jesus (John 1:1-3, 14). Psalm 22 is quoted and alluded to frequently in the New Testament as fulfilled in Jesus. I do believe the words of Psalm 22 have a fulfillment in the experiences of David. But the innocent sufferer of Psalm 22 finds its greatest fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  The writer of Psalm 22 expressed how he was dehumanized by those who hated him by saying, “But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people.” In His humanity, man treated God as a worm (Ps. 22:6).” God still loved us though we treated Him as a worm. Isaac Watts wrote in the song At the Cross “Alas and did my Savior bleed and did My Sovereign die, did He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I.” Sing it loudly!!!

[2] The phrase LORD of hosts is used 285 times in the Old Testament Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Harris. The word hosts, tsaba, can refer to the stars and heavenly bodies (Gen. 2:1; Deut. 4:19; 17:3) but also refers to armies (Gen. 21:22, 32; 26:26; Deut. 24:5).

24:18-25 The fate of the wicked

                  There are difficult interpretive issues in this passage with words and phrases that are difficult to translate. 

24:18 They are insignificant on the surface of the water;- There is no preposition in Hebrew that introduces vs. 18. The Hebrew text has he instead of they. Who does the pronoun refer to? It may be the wicked people described in 24:1-17.

The word insignificant, qal, means light and can refer to a swift runner (II Sam. 2:18; Ecc. 9:11; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 46:6; Amos 2:14, 15). Though Hosea 10:7 does not use the same vocabulary, it has the same kind of image. Hosea 10:7 speaks of a stick on the water as a picture of Samaria and her insignificant king. Samaria and her king are light, weak, insignificant, and driven away by the flow of events. 

Their portion is cursed on the earth- 5:3; Gen. 8:21. The word translated insignificance, qal, also forms a wordplay with cursed, qalal.

They do not turn toward the vineyards- The idea may be the wicked have no productive vineyards. The idea may be that people want nothing to do with the wicked or engage in business with them. The idea may also be that their land was cursed so there is no reason to go to the vineyard for grapes. In vs. 11 the innocent were forced to work in the wine presses and go thirsty, but now in vs. 18 the vineyards of the wicked are unproductive. 

The trouble of these words is that they sound more like the friends’ words against the wicked than Job’s. 

1. Job spoke of the wicked being prosperous and continuing to live on (21:7) while this section speaks of them being snatched away (24:19). They are only exalted for a little while (24:24).

2. Job spoke of the happy family living around the wicked and enjoying life (21:8, 11-13). In 21:32-33 watch was kept over his grave, while here even a mother forgets him (24:20). 

3. While the wicked in 21:9 are pictured as free from fear, the wicked in 24:22-23 have no assurance of life. 

4. In 21:17 God does not often apportion them destruction in anger but in 24:18 their portion is cursed. Apportion and portion are the verb and noun from the same root word.

5. In 21:32-33 the wicked enjoy the sweetness, mathoq, of the grave, but in 24:20 the worm feeds sweetly, mathaq, on their dead body. 

It is easy to understand the conclusion, “according to Job, the innocent suffer and the guilty prosper. According to this speaker, the wicked get their comeuppance in due time.”[6] How do we explain the fact that Job sounds more like one of the friends? 

 1.These may be words that the friends’ spoke that are not attributed to them.[7] Bildad’s speech in this second round is very short and Zophar does not speak at all. Habel, 358, points out similarities between these words of Job and words of Zophar. The prosperity of the wicked is fleeting (20:5; 24:18). Though their popularity be fleeting, they may reach great heights (20:6; 24:22, 24). The wicked will disappear and be no more (20:7-9; 24:20, 24). The wicked will be swept away (20:28; 24:18).

Are these words mistakenly attributed to Job? The main problem with this view is that no textual indications of these verses and these words belonging to anyone but Job. 

Also worthy of consideration is that these verses often use vocabulary from the earlier part of Job 24 that most attribute to Job without question. There is a reference to grapes and vineyards in vs. 11 and in vs. 18. The verbs carrying off (gzl) is used in vs. 2, 9, 19. The widow who is exploited in vs. 3 reappears in vs. 21. The verb devour or wrong, ra‘ah (vs. 2, 21). Is it not reasonable to suggest that these connections point to the unity of 24:1-17 with 24:18:25?

2. Job may be speaking but he may be quoting his friends.[9] This is the kind of thing they say. We have seen that in 21:19 when the quote You say is unannounced and in 21:28 when You say was a part of the text. However, in 21:19 where it is not announced, there is a refutation of the quote afterward in 21:20-21.  There is no such refutation in this case. 

3. The speech may be a prayer, an imprecation, that God would bring judgment upon the wicked.[10] The LXX, the Syraic, and Latin versions do this. The NKJ adopts this viewpoint. Some of those who take this position suggest that the imprecatory reading on this section stops at vs. 20 or vs.22. The objection is raised that there are no clear grammatical markers that these verbs are jussives and therefore are wishes or prayers for judgment.[11]

4. Job may be saying that in spite of all the injustices of life, he still believes the wicked will be punished. After explaining all the injustices, the wicked get away with in 24:1-17 then Job turns to show their horrible fate. Job is not against the fact that God will repay the sinner, but he is insisting that we do not see it worked out in the short term.

                  Some writers combine various points of these ideas above to explain the text. For example, Ash argues that vs. 18-20 are a quotation of the position of the friends. Then Job points out how evil these men are in vs. 21. Then Job expresses his conclusion that the wicked will be punished but not yet in vs. 22-25.[12] 

This kind of tension between observation of the inequities of life and belief in God’s justice appears in other places of Scripture (Jer. 12:1-6; 20:7-18). Ecclesiastes emphasizes that life is not fair and injustices and evil abound (3:16; 4:1; 5:8). There are righteous people who experience evil things and wicked people who experience great blessings (7:15; 8:14). Yet at the same time Ecclesiastes asserts there will be a final judgment in which we will stand before God (3:17; 11:9; 12:13-14). While the writer of Ecclesiastes is overwhelmed at the injustice or unfairness of the world, He believes somehow in the end justice will be done (8:12-13).  At times Job is confident of life and hope and sometimes he is hopeless. It is not without precedent that Job would say things that seem to contradict things that he had said previously. 

Job 24

This chapter is largely a protest against the injustice of the world. There are many innocent people suffering in the world. Why is it that God takes such little notice of evil? Verses 2-4, 9 focus on the ones who mistreated the poor and needy while verses 5-8, 10-12 focus on the needy themselves. The orphans, widows, needy, and poor are forced to live as the wild donkeys constantly spending their time just finding enough food to keep themselves alive. “The author passes from one group of exploited people to another, and draws a series of sketches of wretched and downtrodden people, to expose the many injustices of the world.”

Job’s description shows his compassion and sympathy to the victims of these wrongs. He also is outraged by the wicked and how they treat the poor. These things are evident, but the focus of this section is his bewilderment as to why God does not judge. The emphasis is not how society should address these cases of suffering (unlike Isaiah 58:7), but on how God should address them. 

24:2 Some remove the landmarks;- The subject in this line is not specified in the Hebrew text. The verb used is 3rd mp (they) and from the description given it is clear that he is speaking of the wicked. The LXX adds the term wicked here. Landmarks were some types of marker or boundary stones defining the limits of one’s property. Removing landmarks or boundary stones is forbidden in Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Proverbs 22:28 23:10; Hosea 5:10. Notice these warnings are in legal sections, wisdom literature, and the preaching of the prophets. Deut. 27:17 shows that one who removes the landmark is under God’s curse. In Prov. 15:25 the LORD is said to establish the widow’s boundary. Taking another’s land upset the social order since land was passed down from generation to generation (Num. 27:1-11; 36). In doing this the perpetrators increased their land and diminished that of others (Isa. 5:8-10; Micah 2:1-2). 

They seize and devour flocks- The MT has the idea that they shepherd the flock and the LXX that they even dared to steal the shepherd. This verb seized was used in Zophar’s speech for those who seize houses not their own (20:19). 

Job 24 Job is disturbed as we often are that God does not punish sin more quickly and more thoroughly. But how many times have we benefited from that?

Job 24 and Jesus

The desire to see judgment upon the wicked is expressed in II Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 6:9-10; 22:21. Job’s words, though this is not the primary focus in this context, ultimately anticipate the final day of the LORD (Matt. 25:31-46).

 24:10 hungry (Matt. 4:2; Lk. 4:2). The Bread of Life was hungry (John 6:35).

 24:11 Jesus cried out I thirst from the cross (John 19:28). The Fountain of Living Water cried I thirst.

 24:12 Jesus was wounded for our transgressions (Isa. 53:5). 

Jesus identified with the suffering of those mistreated in Job’s description. 

Where is God? God will experience this suffering in the person of Jesus. 

 Jesus and Job 23

Job 23:12 Jesus treasured the words of God’s mouth more than his necessary food. When Jesus was tempted to turn stones to bread regarded practicing God’s word is more important than having bread to eat. He cherished every word from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:1-4; Luke 4:1-4).  

 Job 23:13 What does it mean that God does whatever He pleases?

He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens- The sarcastic question of 115:2 is answered in 115:3. He is in the heavens (Ps. 2:4) He is God despite what happens among the nations. 

He does whatever He pleases- This is not speaking of caprice but omnipotence. This means something far different to Greek gods than to the Biblical God. 

Psalm 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does- 115:3. The Hebrew word translated does in vs. 6 is translated makes in vs. 7 and make in vs. 18. In vs. 15 the noun form is used and it is translated work. The true God acts while idols do nothing (135:15-18).

 Jonah 1:14 You, O LORD, have done whatever you pleased- God sent the storm and when Jonah is thrown in God calmed the storm. 

Job 9:12 Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him?  Job 11:10; 23:13; Deut.32:39; Isa. 43:13; 45:9; Dan. 4:35 express the same ideas about God. 

Isaiah 45:9 Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Job 9:12 This questions His intention (Daniel 4:35)

 What image does it call up to say God does whatever He pleases?

Despot- a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way. Here are synonyms one source listed for despot: tyrant, dictator, absolute ruler, oppressor, authoritarian.

 Are these kinds of phrases used of anyone else in the Bible?

Kings in Ecclesiastes 8:2-4. Kings in tyranny and dictatorship used their absolute power to demand others do their wills. Daniel 5:19 describes the absolute power of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 2:1-13 the kind of absolute power that King Nebuchadnezzar had. Especially note Daniel 2:5, 13. Also Daniel 3:1-7, 8-12, 13-18.

Was Nebuchadnezzar use of absolute power good or bad? God is the One who raised up Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:37; 4:20-22; 5:18-19).

In Ecclesiastes 2:10 the king with unlimited resources used it to pursue his own pleasure. “I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…”

 How does God use His absolute power?

Word delights, chaphets, Ezekiel 18:23; 32; 33:11 LORD does not delight or take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Since God is not pleased that anyone perish, He gives fully of Himself that all might be saved. Isaiah 53:10 The LORD was pleased to crush Him. Both the verb pleased and the noun pleasure, both from same root word, are used in Isaiah 53:10 of the sacrifice of the suffering servant, Jesus. When God did whatever He pleased, He gave His Son to die for the forgiveness of sins and brought Him back from the dead to give life after death. Psalm 40:6, 8 says I delight to do your will. The word delight in this context is the same Hebrew root word translated pleases in Psalm 115:3; 135:6. In Hebrews 10:5-10 the words of Psalm 40 are attributed to Jesus. In other words, not only did the Father delight to give the Son but the Son delighted to give Himself. God does whatever He pleases, whatever delights Him and He delights in unchanging love (Micah 7:18; Jer. 9:24).

22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? God dwells in heaven in I Kings 8:30, 39, 43, 49; Psalm 2:4; 11:4; 33:13; 103:19; 113:5.

Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!- God is so exalted that He is far above the most remote and massive star. The emphasis is on the greatness of God and the majesty of His dwelling place. In Ps. 113:5-6 God even lowers himself to look upon the affairs of men. God’s exalted nature is a call for reverence for Him (Isa. 40:22, 26; 57:15). Jer. 23:23-24 says God is both near and not far off. He is above and beyond us and He fills heaven and earth. God is more distant than the farthest star or remotest planet and yet He is nearer than the air we breathe (Acts 17:27).

22:22 Please receive instruction from His mouth- Instruction is the word torah. Torah often indicates God’s revelation through Moses. This is the only time this word appears in Job. What does the Torah consist of here? It is used to describe wisdom teaching (Prov. 1:8; 3:1; 4:2; 6:20, 23; 7:2; 13:14) and wisdom, knowledge, and understanding come from His mouth (Prov. 2:6). In Proverbs the verb receive, lakah, often describes one’s response to wisdom teaching (1:3; 2:1; 4:10; 8:10; 10:8; 13:10; 21:11; 24:32). 22:24 And place your gold in the dust- He accuses Job of putting trust in material possessions (Ps. 119:36; Prov. 11:4). Wisdom is more valuable than silver and gold (Ps. 119:72, 127; Prov. 3:14-15; 8:10-11, 19; 16:16). Job disavows any sin in this matter of trusting in wealth in 31:24-25. 

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,- Ophir was apparently the most valuable gold (Job 28:16; I Kings 9:28; 10:11; 22:48; I Chron. 29:4; II Chron. 9:10; Ps. 45:9; Isa. 13:12). We have not been able to identify where Ophir was with certainty. Eliphaz is telling Job to put back his riches where he obtained them. Doing these renounces any claim upon him that gold has and will involve giving up all the sins that Eliphaz has accused him of in 22:6-9.

There are a couple of significant wordplays in this verse. The word translated gold is the word beser. The word translated among the stones in the next line is besur. The word dust, aphar, sounds like the word for Ophir, which is transliterated from Hebrew. 

 22:25 Then the Almighty will be your gold- God is a blessing more precious than gold (Ps. 73:25-26). Rid yourself of all treasure and make God your treasure (Matt. 19:21). Was Job content to let God be His treasure? (1:9-11). 

It is interesting that it is Eliphaz who utters this line. Eliphaz’ statement reflects the meaning of his name; My God is gold. 

And choice silver to you- While great wealth brings great security (at least imagined; Prov. 18:10-11) and can bring honor, God has more to give to give Job than that (II Chron. 25:8-10).

 22:26 For then you will delight in the Almighty- The verb delight, anog, is also used in Ps. 37:4 and Isa. 58:14 for delighting in the LORD (Ps. 1:2; 112:1; Isa. 61:10). Eliphaz is pointing to a transformation of Job’s desires.

And lift your face to God- 10:15-16; 11:15. The sins of Ezra and his people made him embarrassed to lift up his face to God in Ezra 9:6. If Job delights in the Almighty, he will once again be able to lift up his face to Him. Lifting up one’s face indicates victory in battle (Judges 8:28; Ps. 27:5-6) or acceptance by a superior (Esther 2:9, 17; Jer. 52:31). It means to be able to look at one with a clean conscience (II Sam. 2:22).

Job 22-27 constitute the third cycle of speeches between Job and his friends. It is unlike the others in that Bildad’s speech is extremely brief and Zophar has no speech at all.

 22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,- Eliphaz speaks first for the friends as he did in Job 4-5, 15.

 Verses 2-5 ask rhetorical questions.

22:2 Can a vigorous man be of use to God,- The word of use or profitable was used in Job 15:3 where Eliphaz accused Job of talk that is not profitable. 

Or a wise man be useful to himself? The LORD will sarcastically taunt Job’s claims to wisdom in 38:4, 5, 18, 21. 

Even the wisest and strongest of men add nothing to God (Acts 17:25), but they are completely dependent upon Him- Jer. 9:23-24; I Cor. 1:25-26.

 22:3 Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,- In I Sam. 15:22 uses this word to tell us that God takes pleasure in the obedience of His people. Whether it is the wisest, strongest, or the most righteous, we cannot benefit God or make God in some way indebted to us. 

Or profit if you make your ways perfect? The word perfect, tamam, is connected to the word blameless, tam, used to describe Job in the prologue (1:1, 8; 2:3).

God is still God whether we are righteous or wicked. He is not obligated or indebted to us because we are so good because He gives us every good thing we have (James 1:17).  However, the Bible tells a story of God who loves man (John 3:16; I John 4:7-11, 19) and seeks to save man and longs for fellowship with Him (Luke 19:10; John 4:23-24).

 22:4 Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you,- The word reverence is from the Hebrew yirah. Eliphaz used the word in 15:4 telling us Job did away with reverence. Remember Job is described as one who feared, yare, God (1:1, 8; 2:3).  

 22:5 Eliphaz gives no witnesses or evidence of crime. 

 22:6 For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause,- The word without cause, chinnam, was used in Job elsewhere in 1:9; 2:3; 9:17; 22:6. The Satan accused Job of serving God for nothing in 1:9. But the LORD says the Satan stirred him up to ruin Job for nothing in 2:3. Job says God multiplied his wounds without cause in 9:17. 

22:7 To the weary you have given no water to drink,- Matt. 10:42; Prov. 25:21-22. Being thirsty is connected to being weary in Prov. 25:25.

And from the hungry you have withheld bread. Job denies these charges in 31:17-18.

 22:8 But the earth belongs to the mighty man,- This verse unlike those around it is not a specific act of sin but an attitude that led to it. It is also not addressed to Job in second person, but it is in third person. 

 22:9 You have sent widows away empty,- The idea of sent away, shalach, seems to indicate the widow appealed to him for legal protection. The basic responsibility of caring for these groups is emphasized repeatedly in the Old Testament (Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17; 26:12; 27:19; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Zech. 7:10). 

Why does Eliphaz assume that Job is guilty of these sins? Job has lost everything (1:13-19). The fact that God often punishes man according to his sin (lex talionis) leads his friends to conclude that this was Job’s sin.

 22:10 Therefore snares surround you,- The word snares, pach, was used by Bildad in 18:9 to talk of the minefield God laid for the wicked man  

21:17 How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,- Bildad affirmed that the lamp of the wicked is put out in 18:5. The book of Proverbs stresses this as well (Prov. 13:9; 20:20; 24:20). The text of Proverbs 24:19-20 says, “Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.” (NET) The emphasis on the fall of the wicked by Bildad fits with Proverbs. 

 Job does not deny this ever happens, but he does question how often it happens. The occurrence of the lamp of the wicked being put out happens too infrequently to be said to be an established pattern. 

Or does their calamity fall on them? The word calamity, ’ed is used in vs. 30 and it was used by Bildad in 18:12 to say that calamity is ready for the wicked. In Proverbs 1:27; 6:15; and 24:22 this word describes the consequences of sin upon the wicked. But, Job asks, how often does calamity fall on the wicked for their sin?

Does God apportion destruction in His anger? The verb apportion, chalaq, can mean divide, distribute, allot. The noun form of this word was used by Zophar in 20:29 to speak of the wicked man’s portion from God. 

The word anger, aph, was used in 20:23, 28 by Zophar to speak of God’s judgments on the wicked. Job is using Zophar’s words, but Job is questioning how frequently they come true. Job’s says the friends’ argument cannot be maintained when looking at the real world.

 21:18 Are they as straw before the wind,- Straw speaks of what is weak in Job 41:27 and what is worthless in Jeremiah 23:28.

And like chaff which the storm carries away? Psalm 1:4; 35:5; Isa. 17:13; 29:5; Jer. 13:24; Hos. 13:3 use this image of chaff. Chaff is the remains left behind of the straw after threshing. These verses tell us the wicked are like the chaff that the wind blows away. Psalm 1 contrasts the righteous as a well-rooted tree to the wicked who are as insubstantial and rootless as chaff. Job questions this portrayal. Is Job questioning these God inspired pictures? Job is questioning whether we always see the outworking of these principles in this life. 

Job as a righteous man felt like he was a driven leaf and dry chaff in 13:25. Many people who live wicked lives are thriving. Even this very picture calls to mind the end of Job’s children from 1:18-19 who were killed by a great wind.

21:19-20 Job predicts the friends’ will answer his argument about times God has not repaid evil with answers like He will repay their children. Job says that is not fair. It is not fair that the father sins and the children pay the price. Jesus’ suffering is spoken of as drinking God’s cup in Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:36. Jesus did not suffer this penalty because of any sin or wrongdoing of His own (I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5, 8). It is striking how many characters around the cross affirm the innocence of Jesus: Pilate (Luke 23:4, 14, 22; John 18:38; 19:4, 6), Herod (Luke 23:14), Pilate’s wife (Matt. 27:19), Judas (Matt. 27:4), the thief (Luke 23:40-41), the centurion (Luke 23:47). Jesus was not on the cross for what He did but for what He did. It is not fair that we sinned, and Jesus paid the price. It is not fair, but it is amazing grace. 

 21:32 Others keep watch over the rich man’s tomb to honor. Watch was kept over Jesus’ tomb to make sure the disciples did not steal the body (Matt. 27:62-66). That watch failed. 

“Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior, He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord.”

Job's picture of the wicked man is 1. opposite of the friend's picture of the wicked man. 2. It is the opposite of what we might expect from other passages that describe the kind of behavior God blesses and curses. 3. It is the opposite of Job's experiences. Job's picture of the wicked sounds much like the picture painted in Psalm 73:1-14. 

21:7-16 The world that the friends described is a world that “exists only in their own minds.”

 21:7 Whey do the wicked still live,- The word wicked is used in vs. 7 and vs. 16. The friends spoke of the wicked dying early (15:20, 32-33; 18:19; 20:11). While Zophar spoke of the wicked perishing (20:7; also 18:17), Job says that they continue to live on. Long life is a blessing of the godly in Ps. 21:4 but here it is enjoyed by the ungodly.                                                                                                                                  

21:8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,-  Contrast 20:10, 26. 

And their offspring before their eyes,- This is contrary to the words of Eliphaz in 15:34 and Bildad in 8:4; 18:19. 

 21:9 Their houses are safe from fear,- The word safe is the Hebrew shalom which is often translated peace. This peace was only available for those right with God (5:24) and is only temporary for the wicked (15:21). 

 21:10 His ox mates without fail;-  Zophar said that the prosperity of the wicked will not last (20:21, 28) but that does not fit Job’s observations.

21:11 They send forth their little ones like the flock,- They have a flock of children. Zech. 8:5 uses the same picture of a Jerusalem blessed by God.

21:12 They sing to the trimbrel and harp- The lives of the wicked are more familiar with celebration than with pain or even labor. 

And suddenly they go down to Sheol- The word suddenly, rega, is the same word used of the short-lived prosperity of the wicked in 20:5. Here the idea seems to be that death comes suddenly without prolonged suffering. This word is used negatively in 20:5 but is used positively in 21:13. 

 21:14 They say to God, ‘Depart from us!- These prospering wicked have no desire to know the God who has given them every good gift. They want to be as far away from Him as they can.

We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways- Psalm 16:11; 25:4.

 21:15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve Him,- Ex. 5:2. Having an abundance often dulls our senses to our absolute dependence upon God (Deut. 8:10-20). 

And what would we gain if we entreat Him? Entreat, paga, is used of the Servant interceding for transgressors (Isa. 53:12). Satan had said that the only reason that Job feared God is because of how God blessed him (1:9-11). 

21:16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand;- But, from Job’s perspective, why does God bless them so when they live defiantly toward Him?

The counsel of the wicked is far from me- He has no sympathy for their counsel regardless of how comfortable their life is. While his friends have identified him with the wicked, Job has no agreement with their world-view. 

What does Zophar say that is right?

1. 20:5 The triumphing of the wicked is short- Ps. 37:2, 9, 10, 35-36; Ps. 73:18-20; Prov. 10:2; 11:18; 13:11; 22:16.

2. 20:6-7 The LORD will bring down the pride of the wicked- Prov. 11:2; 16:18; 18:12; 29:23 Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14.

3. 20:8 The wicked will disappear like a dream- Ps. 73:19-20.

4. 20:9 Wicked will soon be gone- Ps. 37:35-36; his place will deny him- 20:9; Ps. 103:16.

5. 20:11 The wicked dies a premature death- Ps. 55:23; Prov. 2:22; 10:27. 

6. 20:24-25 The wicked cannot escape God’s judgment- Amos 5:18-20.

 How does Zophar point to Job as the wicked man?

Zophar uses Job’s own words against him. Things Job used to describe his status are said by Zophar to be pictures of the evil man. 

1. 20:4 Job knows his redeemer lives (19:25), but he does not know these time-honored truths. This seems to be a mockery of Job’s claim to know. 

2. 20:9 Job spoke of “eye that will see him no more” in 7:8. Zophar uses this to describe the wicked man. 

3. 20:9 the wicked man’s “place no longer beholds him” was spoken by Job in 7:10.

4. 20:16 poison fills the wicked 6:4

5. 20:23 Job’s children are killed when they are eating- 1:13, 18-19.

6. 20:25 God shoots arrows at Job in 6:4; 16:13 and the arrows do great damage 16:13.

7. 20:26 The fire of God devours and consumes in 1:16.

8. 20:27 heavens and earth reveal his sin- 16:18-19 and 20:27 will rise up against him- 19:25.

What is wrong what Zophar says?

1. The Bible does emphasize that wickedness ends in disaster. That is different, however, from thinking that all who experience disaster are wicked. 

2. It is striking that the friends focus on material loss. Are they materialist in the sense that they think the greatest of gains are material possessions?

3. In the last words of all the speeches by the friends in the first round, there was a call to return to God and the promise of blessings that will bring (5:17-27; 8:20-22; 11:13-20).

In the second round each of speeches, end their speeches with only words of judgment about the wicked who do not know God (15:34-35; 18:21; 20:29). Job’s time for repentance may be over from the friend’s perspective. Zophar does not mention anything of God’s mercy or compassion. Zophar intends this to announce Job’s judgment and not to offer him a chance to repent.  We do not preach, teach, and warn friends against their sin only to leave them in their distress, but we do so to point them back to the God who saves. 

4. They think all God’s scores must be settled in this life. “In the long term the righteous are blessed and the wicked are punished, but the long term extends beyond this life.”[1]

 Job 20 and Jesus

20:3 The word translated reproof in the NASB, NET in this verse is used to describe the chastening of the Suffering servant in Isaiah 53:5. Zophar was not willing to endure Job’s reproofs, but the Suffering Servant was willing to endure them on our behalf. 

Most of all Jesus answers Job 20 by demonstrating that one may look so guilty but indeed be innocent. It happened to Job and it happened to Jesus.

[1] Longman, 271. Hailey, 183, 165, 186 has good statements about Zophar’s statements about the ultimate destiny of the wicked being true but that does not always work itself out in this life. 

 I know My Redeemer lives

A form of the word for redeem גאל the verb translated redeem is used to talk of the kinsman- redeemer- Lev. 25:25, 26, 33, 48, 49, 49, 49, 54; Numbers 35:12, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 27; Deut. 19:6, 12; Joshua 20:3, 5, 9; Ruth 2:20; 3:9, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13; 4:1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 14; II Sam.14:11.

 1.In the OT the kinsman-redeemer redeemed the property of near kinsmen- Lev. 25:25, 25, 26; Ruth 4:1-12; Jer. 32:6-15. If a man was forced to sell a piece of land handed down in the family over the generations, the kinsman-redeemer would pay the debt and keep the land in the family. 

 2. They redeemed a poor relative from slavery- Lev. 25:47-49. Specifically, the word appears in Lev. 25:23-24, 48, 49, 49, 49. If a near relative had to sell himself into slavery to pay off a debt the kinsman-redeemer paid his debt and released him from bondage. 

 3. The kinsman-redeemer avenges the death of a relative- Num. 35:12, 16-28; Deut. 19:6, 12; Josh. 20:3, 5, 9; II Sam. 14:7, 11. The word is used specifically in Num. 35:12, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 27. This may be the best comparison for Job invoking a redeemer here. Job had been done a great wrong that must be avenged. He has been the victim of violence (19:7). 

 4. The redeemer, if needed, married the wife of the near kinsman to raise up a descendant for the late relative- Ruth 3:9-13; 4:1-8. This responsibility is not specifically stated in the law, but it is lived out in the historical books. The practice in Ruth is a seeming implication of the law of the kinsmen-redeemer. The Levirate law of marriage in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 extended to other relatives beyond brothers living together. 

 The go’el plays a significant part in the book of Ruth (2:20; 3:9,12; 4:1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14). A go’el demonstrated great commitment to and sacrificed himself for another- Ruth 4:1-8. The relative closer than Boaz was willing to redeem when he knew there was no heir, and the land would be his. However, when he realized that he had to marry Ruth and raise an heir up to inherit the land then he did not because it might endanger his own inheritance. A redeemer often acted at great expense to himself. The law required that a landowner leave the corners of his field- Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22. The landowner was not go back over their field, olive tree, or vineyard a second time for anything missed- Deut. 24:19-22. Boaz went far above and beyond anything the law required. Boaz invited Ruth to glean in his field- Ruth 2:8-9, 21. He gave her access to the water- Ruth 2:9. Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him- Ruth 2:14. He served Ruth- Ruth 2:14 Boaz commands his workmen that if Ruth gets ahead do not rebuke her- Ruth 2:15. He tells his workmen to deliberately to miss some things for Ruth- Ruth 2:16. Boaz did not do the bare minimum for Ruth, but he went above and beyond the call of duty for her. 

 In the Exodus God acted as Redeemer- Exodus 6:6; 15:13. The term is used for God thirteen times in Isaiah 41:14; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 54:5; 59:20; 60:16; 63:16. Many of the references in Isaiah focus on the return from Babylonian captivity. God is redeemer in Jer. 50:34. “In the Bible God is the ultimate Kinsmen Redeemer who sets the people free and restores them to their land” Ross, 461. Also see Jer. 31:11; 50:34; Lam. 3:58; Hos. 13:14; Micah 4:10. This word communicates God’s love to His distressed people- Isaiah 41:14; 44:24; 49:7-9, 26.