.11:1-20.

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Zophar speaks (Job 11:1-20)

Angered at what he considers to be Job’s irreverent talk, Zophar can keep silent no longer (Job 11:1-3).

He rebukes Job for claiming to be an innocent victim of injustice, and asserts that if Job really suffered according to his sin, his suffering would be much worse (Job 11:4-6).

God’s wisdom is limitless and therefore his judgments must be true. People should neither oppose him nor expect to understand his ways (Job 11:7-10).

No one can deceive God, for he sees people as they really are. Only stupid people ask the sorts of questions Job has been asking (Job 11:11-12).

What Job must do, says Zophar, is acknowledge his sin and turn from it (Job 11:13-14).

In return God will bless him with a genuinely clear conscience and a feeling of security and confidence. The miserable past will be forgotten; a bright future is assured (Job 11:15-19).

But if he stubbornly refuses to repent, Job can expect only increased suffering, which will lead finally to death (Job 11:20).

The impression we gain from the speeches of Zophar is that he is the shallowest thinker of the three. Not surprisingly, he is also the most dogmatic and hot tempered.

He has no experience such as Eliphaz’s dream to support him; he does not have Bildad’s knowledge of teachings handed down from the past; but he is totally confident that his view is right and all others wrong.