Job 11 · The Lantern

Zophar Rebukes Job

And Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

Since Zophar does not recognize Job's virtue and the goal of his consistent remarks, he says to Job, "Do not talk much." The word of holy Scripture teaches us to control our words. It says, "When words are many, transgression is not lacking." Here Scripture calls the utterance of inappropriate things "many words." But it is not the number of uttered words that make a babbler.

Do you think that by speaking many words you will improve your position and reduce us to silence and amazement with a long speech? Since the holy Job was not only proven innocent of any crime by using just arguments but also called God to his trial as a witness of his upright life, Zophar tries to accuse him first of verbosity and then of unrighteousness.

In the speech above (10:16), Job had remarked with wonder that among other evils which he was suffering he had been tormented by his friends who rose against him like witnesses speaking for God. Sophar, who was touched by this argument answers.

Shall a multitude of words not be answered? And shall a man of lips be counted righteous?

Shall your empty talk put men to silence? And when you mock, shall no one shame you?

Zophar means, "Is there none to answer you?" meaning other than we ourselves. Or it could mean: "There is nobody who knows your misfortunes, apart from God, and if he had wanted to disgrace you, then you would have been already dead." Notice that, since Job does not say anywhere that he is unjustly suffering and that he has no faults, this is exactly what they resentfully bring…

Should men hold their peace at thee only? and when thou mockest at others, shall no man confute thee? The uninstructed mind, as we have said, is sorely galled by the sentences of truth, and reckons silence to be a punishment; it takes all that is said aright to be the disgrace of mocking at itself.

Since Job could say to him that he should have been deferred to because of his dignity, he excludes this objection saying, "Will men keep silence for you alone, when you have derided the others?

For you say, “My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your eyes.”

Previously Job had already said, "If I am ungodly, why have I not died?" Did he not define himself as "blameless"? These words do not belong to Job but to God. It is God, in fact, who designated Job as blameless in his actions and as a man "who turns away from evil." Therefore you (i.e., Zophar) refuse the testimony of God himself.

For Thou hast said, My speech is pure, and I am clean in Thine eyes. Whoso remembers the words of blessed Job, knows how falsely this charge is fastened upon his voice.

But perhaps Job could say that they have no reason to reproach him or his words. To reject this he continues, "For you have said: My speech is pure." He makes this interpretation according to what Job had said already, "You will find no evil on my tongue, nor will stupidity resound on my lips" (6:30); and "I am clean in your sight." Job had not expressly said this, but Sophar w…

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you,

and tell you the secrets of wisdom — for they are double to sound wisdom! And know that God lets some of your iniquity be forgotten for you.

Can you find out the searching of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

These words mean, "Do you know what the Almighty will do at the end of his works?" I certainly grant that we have experience of things that are otherwise evident and manifest, but they only disclose to us the loftiness of heaven and all divine things.

Canst thou find out the footsteps of God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? What does he call 'the footsteps of God,' saving the lovingkindness of His visitation?

Because he thought there was some hidden secret in God's wisdom which had not yet been revealed to Job, he strengthens this opinion in what follows trying to make it so sure that Job cannot deny it saying, "You will not perhaps understand the footprints of God." Footprints are signs of someone walking on a road.

Heights of the heavens — what can you do? Deeper than Sheol — what can you know?

He means either, "Can you do anything similar?" or "You are a humble creature in the universe, and consequently you can do nothing; and you are as far from God as 'heaven is removed from earth.' "

The height of faith consists in understanding the eternal God, its depth, in knowing God made man. Of the first, it is written: "It is higher than the heavens; what can you do?" Concerning the second, there is added: "It is deeper than the nether world; what can you know?" The depth of God made man, that is, the humility, is such that reason fails.

One should also not be surprised if the Creator is not known if creatures are not perfectly understood, because even if creatures were perfectly known, the Creator would still not be. For a cause can only be perfectly known through its effects when the effects equal in power to the cause. This cannot be attributed to God.

Longer than the earth is its measure, and broader than the sea.

If he passes through and shuts up and calls an assembly, who can turn him back?

For he knows men of emptiness; he sees iniquity, and does he not consider it?

And an empty man will get understanding when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.

Zophar is right in saying, "Like an ass of the desert." The ass does not stop braying. There is no difference, he says, between our words and those incomprehensible sounds that an ass produces at random and foolishly. We criticize everything, with regard to everything, and we put the blame on everything. Again they exhort Job to take care of his life. But that is useless.

For the vain man is exalted in pride, and thinketh himself free born like a wild ass's colt. For it is the end of vanity, whereas it mangles the heart by sin, to render it bold by the offence, so that, forgetful of its guiltiness, the soul which feels no sorrow to have lost its innocency, blinded by a righteous retribution, should at the same time part with humility also; and i…

Just as man turns to evil from vanity, so man does not think he is subject to divine judgment from the same vanity. He therefore continues, "The vain man puffs himself up with pride," so that he does not believe he is subject to a superior.

If you yourself have set your heart right, and spread out your hands to him —

Zophar introduces himself as teacher and exhorts Job with the words, "Even if you are very clean, so clean that you stretch your hands continuously in prayer and ask for God's gifts, be still prepared to reject the evil that remains within you.

Thou hast set firm thine heart, and stretched out thine hands towards Him. The heart is not here said to be 'set firm' by virtue but by insensibility, for every soul that submits itself to the consideration of the interior severity, is directly softened by the fear thereof; and the shaft of divine dread enters into him, in that he carries weak bowels through humility.

He seemed to say this as an insult to Blessed Job because he takes Job's words as an argument with God as with an equal when he said, "May he withdraw his rod from me, let terror of him not frighten me. I will speak and not be afraid of him." (9:34) So he continues, "But you have hardened your heart," so you defend your evil.

if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let no injustice dwell in your tents —

then you will lift up your face without blemish; and you will be firmly cast, and will not fear.

For you will forget trouble; you will remember it as waters that have passed on.

Thou shalt also forget thy misery, and no more remember it, as waters that pass away. The mind feels the ills of the present life the more severely, in proportion as it neglects to take account of the good that comes after; and as it will not consider the rewards that are in store, it reckons all to be grievous that it undergoes; and hence the blinded imagination murmurs agains…

The words "You will be led like passing waters" mean that your tribulations will leave you at once, like the waters of rain which, when it stops raining, disappear as well.

Because sometimes although he does not fear the future, a man is still afflicted about those things which he has lost or has suffered. He continues, "Your misery also," which you have suffered till now, "you will forget" because of the superabundance of the goods coming to you.

And your life will rise brighter than noon; its darkness will be like the morning.

And you will trust, because there is hope; and you will search about and lie down in safety.

And you will stretch out, and none will make you afraid; and many will entreat your face.

But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and refuge has perished from them; and their hope is the breathing out of the soul.

Job11

Zophar Rebukes Job