Job 11 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

Zophar

1-2Will no one answer all this nonsense?

Does talking so much put a man in the right?

3 Job, do you think we can-'t answer you?

That your mocking words will leave us speechless?

4 You claim what you say is true;

you claim you are pure in God's sight.

5 How I wish God would answer you back!
6 He would tell you there are many sides to wisdom;

there are things too deep for human knowledge.

God is punishing you less than you deserve.

7 Can you discover the limits and bounds

of the greatness and power of God?

8 The sky is no limit to God,

but it lies beyond your reach.

God knows the world of the dead,

but you do not know it.

9 God's greatness is broader than the earth,

wider than the sea.

10 If God arrests you and brings you to trial,

who is there to stop him?

11 God knows which men are worthless;

he sees all their evil deeds.

12 Stupid men will start being wise

when wild donkeys are born tame.

13 Put your heart right, Job. Reach out to God.
14 Put away evil and wrong from your home.
15 Then face the world again, firm and courageous.
16 Then all your troubles will fade from your memory,

like floods that are past and remembered no more.

17 Your life will be brighter than sunshine at noon,

and life's darkest hours will shine like the dawn.

18 You will live secure and full of hope;

God will protect you and give you rest.

19 You won-'t be afraid of any enemy;

many people will ask you for help.

20 But the wicked will look around in despair,

and find that there is no way to escape.
Their only hope is that death will come.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 11:1-20

214.

Zophar is the least helpful and least original. Why do we say this?

215.

This comforter tells Job that he should at least be glad for one thing. What was it?

216.

Zophar's speech falls into three sections. What are they?

217.

To what authority does Zophar appeal in his advice?

218.

Bildad defended divine justice. Zophar defends what?

219.

All of Job's words were wasted on Zophar. Why?

220.

Notice and discuss the problems of verse four. If Job is saying he is pure in the eyes of God, why is he complaining about injustice?

221.

Zophar believes that if God spoke he would say something Job needed to hear. Zophar knows what it would be. What would it be?

222.

How should the first line of Job 11:7 be translated?

223.

Zophar and Job agree on something. Compare Job 9:11-12 and verse ten of this chapter.

224.

What is the meaning of the reference to a wild ass's colt?

225.

The pronoun in Job 11:13 is emphaticit is a contrastwith what? Name the four things Zophar calls upon Job to do.