111 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered , 2 "Shall a multitude of words go unanswered , And a talkative man be acquitted ? 3 "Shall your boasts silence men ? And shall you scoff and none rebuke ? 4 "For you have said , 'My teaching is pure , And I am innocent in your eyes .' 5 "But would e that God might speak , And open His lips against you, 6 And show you the secrets of wisdom ! For sound wisdom has two sides . Know then that God forgets a part of your iniquity .
7 " Can you discover the depths of God ? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty ? 8 "They are high as the heavens , what can you do ? Deeper than Sheol , what can you know ? 9 "Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea . 10 "If He passes by or shuts up, Or calls an assembly , who can restrain Him? 11 "For He knows false men , And He sees iniquity without investigating . 12 " An idiot e will become intelligent When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man .
13 " If you would direct your heart right And spread out your hand to Him, 14 If iniquity is in your hand , put it far away , And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents ; 15 "Then , indeed , you could lift up your face without moral defect , And you would be steadfast and not fear . 16 "For you would forget your trouble , As waters that have passed by, you would remember it. 17 "Your life would be brighter than noonday ; Darkness would be like the morning . 18 "Then you would trust , because there is hope ; And you would look around and rest securely . 19 "You would lie down and none would disturb you, And many would entreat your favor . 20 "But the eyes of the wicked will fail , And there will be no escape for them; And their hope is to breathe their last ."
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.