111 Now it was the turn of Zophar from Naamath: 2 "What a flood of words! Shouldn't we put a stop to it? Should this kind of loose talk be permitted? 3 Job, do you think you can carry on like this and we'll say nothing? That we'll let you rail and mock and not step in? 4 You claim, 'My doctrine is sound and my conduct impeccable.' 5 How I wish God would give you a piece of his mind, tell you what's what! 6 I wish he'd show you how wisdom looks from the inside, for true wisdom is mostly 'inside.' But you can be sure of this, you haven't gotten half of what you deserve.
7 "Do you think you can explain the mystery of God? Do you think you can diagram God Almighty? 8 God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, 9 Stretching farther than earth's horizons, far wider than the endless ocean. 10 If he happens along, throws you in jail then hauls you into court, can you do anything about it? 11 He sees through vain pretensions, spots evil a long way off - no one pulls the wool over his eyes! 12 Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk. Reach Out to God
13 "Still, if you set your heart on God and reach out to him, 14 If you scrub your hands of sin and refuse to entertain evil in your home, 15 You'll be able to face the world unashamed and keep a firm grip on life, guiltless and fearless. 16 You'll forget your troubles; they'll be like old, faded photographs. 17 Your world will be washed in sunshine, every shadow dispersed by dayspring. 18 Full of hope, you'll relax, confident again; you'll look around, sit back, and take it easy. 19 Expansive, without a care in the world, you'll be hunted out by many for your blessing. 20 But the wicked will see none of this. They're headed down a dead-end road with nothing to look forward to - nothing."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 11:1-21
Commentary on Job 11:1-6
(Read Job 11:1-6)
Zophar attacked Job with great vehemence. He represented him as a man that loved to hear himself speak, though he could say nothing to the purpose, and as a man that maintained falsehoods. He desired God would show Job that less punishment was exacted than he deserved. We are ready, with much assurance, to call God to act in our quarrels, and to think that if he would but speak, he would take our part. We ought to leave all disputes to the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth; but those are not always right who are most forward to appeal to the Divine judgment.
Commentary on Job 11:7-12
(Read Job 11:7-12)
Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought so, though he will not submit to the laws of wisdom. He would be wise, he reaches after forbidden wisdom, and, like his first parents, aiming to be wise above what is written, loses the tree of life for the tree of knowledge. Is such a creature as this fit to contend with God?
Commentary on Job 11:13-20
(Read Job 11:13-20)
Zophar exhorts Job to repentance, and gives him encouragement, yet mixed with hard thoughts of him. He thought that worldly prosperity was always the lot of the righteous, and that Job was to be deemed a hypocrite unless his prosperity was restored. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; that is, thou mayst come boldly to the throne of grace, and not with the terror and amazement expressed in Hebrews 10:22.