Job — Chapter 42
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1Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
7And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
10And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
12So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
15And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.
17So Job died, being old and full of days.
1Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
2I know that thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of thine can be restrained.
3Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee:
6Wherefore I abhor [myself], And repent in dust and ashes.
7And it was so, that, after Jehovah had spoken these words unto Job, Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8Now therefore, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept, that I deal not with you after your folly; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as Jehovah commanded them: and Jehovah accepted Job.
10And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: and Jehovah gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him concerning all the evil that Jehovah had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one a ring of gold.
12So Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: And he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.
13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14And he called the name of the first, Jemimah: and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
15And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons` sons, [even] four generations.
17So Job died, being old and full of days. Book I Psalm 1
1Then Job answered the Lord:
2“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted;
3you asked, ‘Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?’ But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know.
4You said, ‘Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
5I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you.
6Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!”
7After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.
8So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
9So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job.
10So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job.
11So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
12So the Lord blessed the second part of Job’s life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
13And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
14The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuch.
15Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers.
16After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
17And so Job died, old and full of days.
1Then Job answered Yahweh,
2“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ therefore I have uttered that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know.
4You said, ‘Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
5I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
6Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
7It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.
8Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”
9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.
10Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
12So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations.
17So Job died, being old and full of days.
Summary
Job's repentance and restoration — Job confesses he spoke of things too wonderful for him and repents in dust and ashes; God rebukes the three friends, and restores Job's fortunes double, giving him new children and long life.
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that v.5 is the resolution of the entire book: Job moved from theology about God to encounter with God. The answer to suffering is not information but relationship. Guzik notes the stunning verdict of v.7: God validates Job's raw honesty over the friends' systematic theology. This does not mean Job never erred (God rebuked him in 38:2), but that his overall posture — honest engagement with God as a Person — was more "right" than the friends' reduction of God to a formula. Guzik also observes that Job's restoration (double possessions) is NOT the point of the book — it is a grace appendix, not a vindication of retribution theology.
- Charles Spurgeon: "'I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.' Here is the whole book in one verse. Job knew God by reputation — good theology, sound doctrine, correct opinions. But now he SEES God — direct, personal, overwhelming encounter. And everything changes. Not because God explained the suffering — He never did. Not because God apologized — He had nothing to apologize for. But because God CAME. His presence is the answer that no explanation could provide. 'Wherefore I abhor myself' — not because Job was guilty, but because in the light of God's presence, even the best of men see themselves truly. The friends spoke ABOUT God correctly on paper and wrongly in person. Job spoke TO God honestly and that was counted as righteousness. Let us learn: God prefers your honest complaint to another man's polished praise."
Reflection
- 1. The answer to suffering is encounter, not explanation (v.5). God never told Job why. He never revealed the heavenly council scene. He never said "Satan challenged Me and I permitted it." Instead, He gave Job HIMSELF. And it was enough. When you cannot get answers, seek the Answer. God's presence satisfies what God's explanations cannot.
- 2. Secondhand theology cannot sustain you (v.5). "I have heard of thee" — Job's previous knowledge was real but insufficient. It was hearing, not seeing; report, not relationship; theology, not encounter. Inherited faith, learned doctrine, and correct opinions are all good — but they are not enough. You need your OWN encounter with the living God.
- 3. Honest wrestling with God is more righteous than dishonest defense of God (v.7). The friends defended God's honor with false theology; Job challenged God's justice with honest pain. God preferred the challenge. This is revolutionary: God would rather have your honest accusation than someone else's dishonest praise. Raw truth before God is more "right" than polished religious performance.
- 4. Restoration comes through intercession for those who wronged you (v.10). Job was not restored when he repented — he was restored when he PRAYED FOR HIS FRIENDS. The men who accused him, wounded him, and misrepresented God to him — Job prayed for them. And in that prayer, his own captivity was turned. Forgiveness is the doorway to restoration.
- 5. God gives more than you lost (v.12). Double possessions. New children. 140 years. The "end of the Lord" (James 5:11) is blessing beyond what was lost. This does not trivialize the suffering — Job's first ten children are still dead. But it demonstrates that God's final word is not loss but abundance, not death but life, not ashes but beauty.
- 6. The book answers Satan's question from chapter 1. "Doth Job fear God for nought?" YES. Job lost everything and still worshiped. He cursed his birth but never cursed his God. He challenged God but never abandoned God. Satan's accusation is demolished: disinterested righteousness IS possible. A man CAN love God for who He is, not merely for what He gives.