Job's Repentance
Study note
Job answers God for the last time. He acknowledges that God can do all things and that no plan of his can be stopped. Job admits that he spoke about things he did not understand -- things too wonderful for him to know. He makes one of the most powerful statements in the Bible: 'Before, I had only heard about you. But now my eyes have seen you.' Having encountered God directly, Job takes back what he said and humbly bows in dust and ashes.
1 Then Job spoke to the Lord and said, Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2 'Now I understand that you can do anything. No plan of yours can ever be blocked or defeated.' I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3 'You asked, "Who is this hiding my plans without any knowledge?" I admit it -- I talked about things I did not understand, things far too amazing for me to grasp.' Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4 'You told me, "Listen carefully, and I will speak. I will ask the questions, and you will answer."' Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5 'Before this, I only knew about you from hearing other people talk. But now I have seen you with my very own eyes.' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6 'Because of that, I take back everything I said. I sit here in the dust and ashes and humbly bow before you.' Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
God Rebukes the Friends
Study note
Surprisingly, God's anger is not directed at Job but at his three friends. God tells Eliphaz that he and his two friends have not spoken what is right about God, as Job has. God commands them to offer seven bulls and seven rams as a sacrifice and to have Job pray for them. God says he will accept Job's prayer. This is a stunning reversal -- the friends who accused Job are now the ones who need Job's prayers.
7 After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he turned to Eliphaz from Teman. He said, 'I am angry with you and your two friends. You did not speak the truth about me the way my servant Job did.' And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
8 'So here is what I want you to do: get seven bulls and seven rams and go find my servant Job. Offer a burnt sacrifice for yourselves. Then Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. I will not punish you the way your foolishness deserves, because you did not speak the truth about me the way my servant Job did.' Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
9 So Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah went and did exactly what the Lord told them to do. And the Lord listened to Job's prayer on their behalf. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
God Restores Job
Study note
After Job prays for his friends, the Lord restores his fortunes and gives him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers, sisters, and former friends come to comfort him. Each one gives him a piece of silver and a gold ring. God blesses the second half of Job's life more than the first. He receives fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand pairs of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. He has seven sons and three daughters, whose names are given -- a sign of honor. His daughters are the most beautiful women in the land, and he gives them an inheritance alongside their brothers. Job lives a hundred and forty more years, seeing four generations of his descendants. Then Job dies, old and full of days.
10 After Job prayed for his friends, the Lord turned everything around for him and gave him back double what he had lost. And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Every one of Job's brothers and sisters, and everyone who had known him before, came to visit him at his house and shared a meal with him. They comforted him and expressed their sympathy for all the suffering the Lord had allowed him to go through. Every person gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
12 The Lord blessed the second half of Job's life even more richly than the first. He gained fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand teams of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He also had seven more sons and three more daughters. He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 He gave the first daughter the name Jemimah, the second daughter the name Keziah, and the third daughter the name Keren-Happuch. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch.
15 In the entire land, there were no women as beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance right alongside their brothers. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
16 After all of this, Job lived another hundred and forty years. He got to see his children, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren, and even his great-great-grandchildren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
17 And then Job died, old and full of years, having lived a very long and satisfying life. So Job died, being old and full of days.