Job 11 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

11:1

Job 11:1-20. First speech of Zophar.

11:2

Zophar assails Job for his empty words, and indirectly, the two friends, for their weak reply. Taciturnity is highly prized among Orientals (Proverbs 10:8, Proverbs 10:19).

11:3

lies — rather, “vain boasting” (Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:30). The “men” is emphatic; men of sense; in antithesis to “vain boasting.”

mockest — upbraidest God by complaints, “shall no man make thee ashamed?”

11:4

doctrine — purposely used of Job‘s speeches, which sounded like lessons of doctrine (Deuteronomy 32:2; Proverbs 4:2).

thine — addressed to God. Job had maintained his sincerity against his friends suspicions, not faultlessness.

11:6

to that which is! — Rather, “they are double to [man‘s] wisdom” [Michaelis]. So the Hebrew is rendered (Proverbs 2:7). God‘s ways, which you arraign, if you were shown their secret wisdom, would be seen vastly to exceed that of men, including yours (1 Corinthians 1:25).

exacteth — Rather, “God consigns to oblivion in thy favor much of thy guilt.”

11:7

Rather, “Penetrate to the perfections of the Almighty” (Job 9:10; Psalm 139:6).

11:8

It — the “wisdom” of God (Job 11:6). The abruptness of the Hebrew is forcible: “The heights of heaven! What canst thou do” (as to attaining to them with thy gaze, Psalm 139:8)?

know — namely, of His perfections.

11:10

cut off — Rather, as in Job 9:11, “pass over,” as a storm; namely, rush upon in anger.

shut up — in prison, with a view to trial.

gather together — the parties for judgment: hold a judicial assembly; to pass sentence on the prisoners.

11:11

(Psalm 94:11).

consider — so as to punish it. Rather, from the connection, Job 11:6, “He seeth wickedness also, which man does not perceive”; literally, “But no (other, save He) perceiveth it” [Umbreit]. God‘s “wisdom” (Job 11:6), detects sin where Job‘s human eye cannot reach (Job 11:8), so as to see any.

11:12

vain — hollow.

would be — “wants to consider himself wise”; opposed to God‘s “wisdom” (see on Job 11:11); refuses to see sin, where God sees it (Romans 1:22).

wild ass‘s colt — a proverb for untamed wildness (Job 39:5, Job 39:8; Jeremiah 2:24; Genesis 16:12; Hebrew, “a wild-ass man”). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.

11:13

The apodosis to the “If” is at Job 11:15. The preparation of the heart is to be obtained (Proverbs 16:1) by stretching out the hands in prayer for it (Psalm 10:17; 1 Chronicles 29:18).

11:14

Rather, “if thou wilt put far away the iniquity in thine hand” (as Zaccheus did, Luke 19:8). The apodosis or conclusion is at Job 11:15, “then shalt thou,” etc.

11:15

Zophar refers to Job‘s own words (Job 10:15), “yet will I not lift up my head,” even though righteous. Zophar declares, if Job will follow his advice, he may “lift up his face.”

spot — (Deuteronomy 32:5).

steadfast — literally, “run fast together,” like metals which become firm and hard by fusion. The sinner on the contrary is wavering.

11:16

Just as when the stream runs dry (Job 6:17), the danger threatened by its wild waves is forgotten (Isaiah 65:16) [Umbreit].

11:17

age — days of life.

the noon-day — namely, of thy former prosperity; which, in the poet‘s image, had gone on increasing, until it reached its height, as the sun rises higher and higher until it reaches the meridian (Proverbs 4:18).

shine forth — rather, “though now in darkness, thou shall be as the morning”; or, “thy darkness (if any dark shade should arise on thee, it) shall be as the morning” (only the dullness of morning twilight, not nocturnal darkness) [Umbreit].

11:18

The experience of thy life will teach thee there is hope for man in every trial.

dig — namely, wells; the chief necessity in the East. Better, “though now ashamed (Romans 5:5, opposed to the previous ‹hope‘), thou shalt then rest safely” [Gesenius];

11:19

(Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 3:24; Isaiah 14:30); oriental images of prosperity.

make suit — literally, “stroke thy face,” “caress thee” (Proverbs 19:6).

11:20

A warning to Job, if he would not turn to God.

The wicked — that is, obdurate sinners.

eyes fail — that is, in vain look for relief (Deuteronomy 28:65). Zophar implies Job‘s only hope of relief is in a change of heart.

they shall not escape — literally, “every refuge shall vanish from them.”

giving up of the ghost — Their hope shall leave them as the breath does the body (Proverbs 11:7).