Job 11

Zophar

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:


2 "Are all these words to go unanswered?
Is this talker to be vindicated?


3 Will your idle talk reduce men to silence?
Will no one rebuke you when you mock?

4 You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless
and I am pure in your sight.'


5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
that he would open his lips against you


6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
for true wisdom has two sides.
Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.


7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?


9 Their measure is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.


10 "If he comes along and confines you in prison
and convenes a court, who can oppose him?


11 Surely he recognizes deceitful men;
and when he sees evil, does he not take note?


12 But a witless man can no more become wise
than a wild donkey's colt can be born a man.


13 "Yet if you devote your heart to him
and stretch out your hands to him,


14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,


15 then you will lift up your face without shame;
you will stand firm and without fear.


16 You will surely forget your trouble,
recalling it only as waters gone by.


17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.


18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.


19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor.


20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
and escape will elude them;
their hope will become a dying gasp."

Side Notes:

Okay...here we have Job's third friend, Zophar, and he is by far the least courteous. Full of anger, Zophar lashes out at Job, saying that Job deserved more punishment, not less. Zophar took the same position as Eliphaz and Bildad, that Job was suffering because of sin, but he was by far the most arrogant. Zophar was the kind of person who has an answer for everything; he was totally insensitive to Job's unique situation.

vs. 11 By calling Job "deceitful," Zophar was accusing Job of hiding secret faults and sins. Although his assumptions were wrong, he explained quite accurately that God knows and sees everything. We are often tempted by the thought, "No one will ever know!" We can perhaps hide our sins from others, but we can do nothing without God knowing about it. Because our very thoughts are known to God, of course he will notice our sins. Job understood this as well as Zophar did, but it didn't apply to his current situation.