Job 42:10-17

B. JOB IS RESTORED TO PROSPERITY AND BLESSED WITH CHILDREN. (Job 42:10-17)

TEXT 42:10-17

10 And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: and Jehovah gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came there onto 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. 12 So 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. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16 And after this Job lived a hundred and forty yean, and saw his sons, and his sons-' sons, even four generations. 17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

COMMENT 42:10-17

Job 42:10Job's prosperity is restored, but not as a reward. Being successful is not proof of being saved. Surely we have learned this much from Job, our contemporary. His fortune has returned (Heb. verb -sub)[407]Jeremiah 29:14; Jeremiah 30:3; Ezekiel 16:53; Ezekiel 39:25. This is the only occurrence of the word fortune, which is applied to an individual and not to the corporate prosperity of a nation.

[407] See R. Borger, Zeitschrift fur alttestamentlische Wissenschaft, 1955, pp. 315ff.

Job 42:11His wealth and its prestige attracted his relatives and friends once moreJob 19:13. Where were these fair-weather friends when he needed their consolation? The Qumran Targum ends with this verse suggesting an early literary ending of the Book of Job.

Job 42:12The numbers are double the amount which Job had beforeJob 1:3.

Job 42:13The number of children remain the same. Job's daughters figure more prominently than his sons, who are not even mentioned by name.

Job 42:14The name of the first, Yemimah, means turtledove, which is a symbol of fertility and devotionHosea 7:11; Matthew 10:16. Qeziah is the second and means a variety of cinnamon used as perfumeExodus 30:24; Ezekiel 27:19; Psalms 45:9; and Proverbs 7:17. The third daughter's name is Kerenhappuch (Kohl) and means powdered paint for the eyelashes and lidsJeremiah 4:30; Eccl. 26:9; 2 Kings 9:30; and Ezekiel 23:40.[408]

[408] For vital sociological parallels between the status of women between the patriarchal age (2000-1800 B.C.) and the period of Homer (ca 1000-900 B.C.), see Cyrus H. Gordon's Homer and The Bible, 1955, pp. 43-108, offset from Hebrew Union College Annual.

Job 42:15The names of Job's daughters represent the natural, physical, and spiritual qualities engendered by the beautician's creative touch. In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, daughters inherited only when there were no sonsNumbers 26:33; Numbers 27:1-8; and Numbers 36:1-12. Here is an example of women's liberation in the ancient world, as women did not receive an inheritance when there were sons, and is unique in the Old Testament.

Job 42:16After his affliction, Job lived 140 years, just about double his former years. Job saw four generations, as compared to Joseph's threeGenesis 50:23. Grandchildren are the crown of lifePsalms 128:6 and Proverbs 17:6.

Job 42:17So ends the life of one of God's great servants. The LXX adds a notation after this verse asserting that Job will share in the resurrection of the dead and further traditional details of his life. In the Shattering of Silence God vindicated Job's integrity. Suffering men can be righteous. Our Suffering Savior is ultimate proof of this possibility. Life begins as a problem, continues as a promise, and is the fulfillment of a purpose. The dawn of God's new day broke over the destructive darkness that all but destroyed Job, our contemporary. Vindicated Job was no longer enslaved to himself, or his former preoccupation with happiness,[409] or enjoyment of prosperity, family, health, or prestige in the community, for he now knows that before he had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee, Job 42:5.

[409] See Psychology Today, August, 1976, on our cultural preoccupation with happiness, which comes from outside; joy comes from inside a crucified self, a gift from our vindicator, through the presence of His SpiritGalatians 5:19 ff.