Job 11

Zophar, the third of Job’s friends, is more vehement than the others. He severely censures Job’s self-justification, asserting that his sins deserve severe punishment (2-6); shows the vanity of opposing Him whose knowledge and power are infinite (7-12); and urges Job to repentance (13-20).

3 thy lies. Or, perhaps, “boastings,” as R.V.

4. I am clean in Thine eyes. This is exaggerated. Job admitted his imperfection, while he maintained his innocence of the charges laid against him.

6. That they are double, etc. Perhaps the best rendering is, “And that He would show thee secrets of wisdom, for there are intricacies of [His] fixed purpose; then shouldst Thou know that He hath caused to be forgotten for thee [part] of thine iniquity.” (See R.V., marg.) If Job better understood God’s doings, he would see that all his sins were not remembered against him, great as his punishment had been.

7. Canst thou by searching, etc.? Rather, “Canst thou reach the depth of God? canst thou reach unto the perfection of the Almighty?”

8. It is as high as heaven, etc. The words in the original are an exclamation: “Heights of heaven! . . . deeper than Sheol!”

hell. Heb., “Sheol,” the invisible world; which is usually represented as of inconceivable depth and extent: see Isa. xiv. 9.

10. If He cut off, etc. Rather, “If He pass by (ix. 11), and arrest, and call an assembly for judgement, then who can hinder Him?” (ix. 12).

13 prepare thine heart. Or, “Set thine heart aright” (R.V.).

15 without spot. Or, “without stain or shame.” The words are a reply to those of Job (x. 15).

17. And thine age shall be clearer, etc. Rather, “And thy life shall arise [clearer] than noon; darkness shall be as the morning”: cp. R.V., and see Isa. lviii. 10.

18 thou shalt dig. Rather, as R.V., “search”; without finding any cause of alarm.

20 their hope shall be, etc. Or, “and their refuge vanisheth from them; and their hope is a giving up the ghost,” i.e., death is the only hope of the wicked, and thine, if thou remainest as thou art.