Zophar’s First Response to Job

¹ Then¹ Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

1. Hebrew “And”

² “Should an abundance of words go unanswered, or ⌞a man full of talk⌟¹ be vindicated?²

1. Literally “a man of lips”
2. Hebrew “should he be vindicated”

³ Should your loose talk put people to silence? ⌞And when you mock, shall no one put you to shame⌟?¹

1. Literally “And you will mock there is not putting to shame”

⁴ For you say, ‘My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your sight.’

⁵ But,¹ ⌞O that⌟² God might speak, and that he would open his lips to you,

1. Hebrew “And but”
2. Literally “who shall give”

⁶ and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for ⌞insight has many sides⌟.¹ And know that God ⌞on your behalf⌟² has forgotten ⌞some of⌟³ your guilt.

1. Literally “double to sound wisdom”
2. Literally “for you”
3. Literally “from”

⁷ “Can you find out the essence of God, or can you find out ⌞the ultimate limits⌟¹ of Shaddai?

1. Literally “up to the limit”

⁸ ⌞It is higher than the heaven⌟;¹ what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

1. Literally “heights of heaven”

⁹ Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

¹⁰ “If he passes through and imprisons someone¹ ⌞and summons the assembly⌟,² then³ who can hinder him?

1. Hebrew “and he imprisons”
2. Literally “and he summons”
3. Hebrew “and”

¹¹ For he knows ⌞those who are worthless⌟;¹ ⌞when he sees⌟² iniquity, ⌞he will not consider it⌟.³

1. Literally “men of worthlessness”
2. Literally “And he will see”
3. Literally “and he will not consider”

¹² But¹ ⌞an empty-headed person⌟² will get understanding when³ a wild donkey’s colt is born as a human being.

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Literally “a man hollowed out”
3. Hebrew “and”

¹³ “If you yourself¹ direct your heart and stretch out your hands to him—

1. Emphatic personal pronoun

¹⁴ if iniquity¹ is in your hand, put it far away, and you must not let wickedness reside in your tents—

1. See v. 11, where the same word is used

¹⁵ surely then you will lift up your face without¹ blemish, and you will be firmly established and will not fear.²

1. Hebrew “from”
2. Hebrew “and not will you fear”

¹⁶ For you yourself¹ will forget your misery; you will remember it as water that has flowed past.

1. Emphatic personal pronoun

¹⁷ “⌞And your life will be brighter than noon⌟;¹ its darkness will be like the morning.

1. Literally “And from noon lifespan will arise”

¹⁸ And you will have confidence because there is hope; and you will be well protected—⌞you will sleep in safety⌟.¹

1. Literally “you will lie down securely”

¹⁹ And you will lie down, and ⌞no one will make you afraid⌟;¹ ⌞and many will entreat your favor⌟.²

1. Literally “there is not making afraid”
2. Literally “and they will appease/implore your faces many”

²⁰ But¹ the eyes of the wicked will fail; and refuge will be lost to them, and their hope is ⌞to breathe their last breath⌟.”²

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Literally “the expiring of soul”