Zophar

August 5, 2015

Yahweh blames the three wise men (Job 42:7-42:9)

“After Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite.

‘My wrath is kindled against you!

My wrath is kindle against your two friends!

You have not spoken of me what is right.

But my servant Job has.

Now therefore take seven bulls!

Take seven rams!

Go to my servant Job!

Offer up for yourselves a burnt offering!

My servant Job shall pray for you.

I will accept his prayer.

That is to not deal with you according to your folly.

You have not spoken of me what is right.

But my servant Job has done so.’

So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what Yahweh had told them. Yahweh accepted Job’s prayer.”

Yahweh was not mad at Job, but rather his 3 friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. He spoke directly to Eliphaz but he told him that he and his 2 friends were wrong when they spoke about Yahweh to Job. Job was right. As a punishment, the 3 of them were to take 7 bulls and 7 rams to make a burnt offering. Job would pray for them. Thus the prayer of Job was answered in the positive by Yahweh, the God of Israel. Obviously, since they were not Jewish they were not going to go to Jerusalem. However, it was a common ancient practice to offer sacrifices for absolving sins. So now we know the rest of the story as far as the 3 amigos of Job were concerned.

July 25, 2015

Elihu points out the failure of the three wise comforters (Job 32:11-32:14)

“See!

I waited for your words.

I listened for your wise sayings.

While you searched out what to say.

I gave you my attention.

However, there was in fact no one that confuted Job.

No one among you answered his words.

Yet you do not say.

‘We have found wisdom.

God may vanquish him,

Not a human.’

He has not directed his words against me.

I will not answer him with your speeches.”

Elihu turned first to the 3 comforters, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. He said that he had listened to their wise sayings. He paid close attention, but they did not refute Job. No one was able to respond to him. They did not even say that they had human or divine wisdom. Although Job had not directed his words against Elihu, he was still going to answer Job.

July 15, 2015

The ways of the wicked (Job 24:18-24:21)

“Swift are they on the face of the waters.

Their portion in the land is cursed.

No one who treads turns toward their vineyards.

Drought and heat snatch away the snow waters.

Sheol snatches away those who have sinned.

The womb forgets them.

The worm finds them sweet.

They are no longer remembered.

Wickedness is broken like a tree.’

They harm the childless woman.

They do no good to the widow.”

These are difficult passages since they are later in the Jerusalem Bible, after chapter 27, in order to connect to the curse of Zophar. It is difficult to say whether this is Job or one of his comforters speaking. This may have been an inserted poem. These wicked are quick, but their land is cursed. No one walks, tramples, or treads in their vineyards. The snow waters do not reach their land. Sheol eventually takes them. Their mothers forget them. They are not remembered. The worms like their sweetness like a broken tree. They have harmed the childless woman and the widows.

July 13, 2015

God punishes the wicked (Job 20:20-20:29)

“They know no quiet in their bellies.

In their greed,

They let nothing escape.

There was nothing left after they had eaten.

Therefore their prosperity will not endure.

In full sufficiency,

They will be in distress.

All the force of misery will come upon them.

To fill their belly to the full,

God will send his fierce anger into them.

God will rain upon them as their food.

They will flee from an iron weapon.

A bronze arrow will strike them through.

It is drawn forth.

It comes out of their body.

The glittering point comes out of their gall.

Terrors come upon them.

Utter darkness is laid up for their treasures.

A fire fanned by no one will devour them.

What is left in their tent will be consumed.

The heavens will reveal their iniquity.

The earth will rise up against them.

The possessions of their home will be carried away.

They will be carried off in the day of God’s wrath.

This is the portion of the wicked from God.

This is the heritage decreed for them by God.”

Zophar continued that God punishes the wicked and the greedy. Their stomachs are never full since they have an insatiable hunger. Their prosperity will not endure. They will be in distress and misery. Their food will be rain. They will face iron weapons, especially a bronze arrow in their gall bladder. Darkness will be their treasure. They will face a fire that no one starts. Their tents will be destroyed. Their possessions will be carried away. Heaven and earth will rise up against them. This will be the portion and heritage that God will give to the wicked. This seems to imply that Job was the wicked person who faced God’s wrath.

July 12, 2015

Zophar responded about the wicked ones (Job 20:1-20:11)

“Then Zophar the Naamathite answered.

‘Pay attention!

My thoughts urge me to answer,

Because of the agitation within me.

I hear censure that insults me.

A spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

Do you not know this from of old?

Ever since man was placed on earth,

The exulting of the wicked is short.

The joy of the godless is but for a moment.

Even though they mount up high as the heavens,

Even if their head reaches to the clouds,

They will perish forever like their own dung.

Those who have seen them will say.

‘Where are they?’

They will fly away like a dream.

They will not be found.

They will be chased away like a vision of the night.

The eye that saw them will see them no more.

Their place will not behold them anymore.

Their children will seek the favor of the poor.

Their hands will give back their wealth.

Their bodies,

Once full of youthful vigor,

Will lie down in the dust with them.’”

Zophar said that he could not restrain himself anymore since he was so agitated about this matter. He maintained that since the beginning of man on earth, the wicked have tried to succeed. However, they have been unsuccessful. Their joy is fleeting, even though they have tried to reach the heavens. The wicked would perish like their own dung. They will seem to vanish as if they were never here. Eyes will not seem them anymore. Their children will be like the poor as their wealth will be dissipated. Their bodies would return to dust.

July 8, 2015

Divine justice is correct (Job 11:13-11:20)

“If you direct your heart rightly,

You will stretch out your hands toward him.

If iniquity is in your hand,

Put it far away!

Do not let wickedness reside in your tents!

Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish.

You will be secure.

You will not fear.

You will forget your misery.

You will remember it as waters that have passed away.

Your life will be brighter than the noonday.

Its darkness will be like the morning.

You will have confidence,

Because there is hope.

You will be protected.

You will take your rest in safety.

You will lie down.

No one will make you afraid.

Many will entreat your favor.

But the eyes of the wicked will fail.

All way of escape will be lost to them,

Their hope is to breathe their last.”

Now Zophar turned on Job directly. He told him to pray with his hands stretched out. He wanted him to put away the iniquity in his heart. He was to get rid of the wickedness in his tents. Then his face would be without blemishes. Job would be secure and not fearful. All his misery would be like a stream that passed by. His life would be brighter than the noon day sun. He would have confidence and hope again. He would be protected and safe. He would not be afraid to lie down. People would come to him for favors. The wickedness would fade so that the only escape for the evil people was to wish for a quick death. This was a personal attack on Job.

July 8, 2015

Mystery of God (Job 11:7-11:12)

“Can you find out about the deep mystery of God?

Can you penetrate the perfection of the Almighty Shaddai?

It is higher than the heavens?

What can you know?

Is it deeper than Sheol!

What can you know?

It is longer than the earth.

It is broader than the sea.

If he passes through,

If he imprisons

If he calls to judgment,

Who can hinder him?

He knows those who are worthless.

When he sees iniquity,

Will he not pay attention?

But a stupid person will have understanding,

When a wild ass is born human.”

This is like a little poem to the mysteries or deep things of God. God is limitless. It is interesting that Zophar shows his understanding of the flat earth by saying that that almighty Shaddai was higher than the highest heaven, deeper than the Sheol, the place of death underground, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. If God were to pass judgment, who would stop him? He knows who is worthless and evil. A stupid person would have understanding when a wild donkey would be born to a human, in other words never. Zophar seemed to imply that Job was stupid and not wise.