Zophar in the book of job

Bildads arguments with job reveal him to be a sage who looks to the authority of tradition. Bildad, also spelled baldad, in the old testament, one of the three principal comforters of job. Job 20 zophar then zophar the naamathite bible gateway. Sep 14, 2016 the book of job is quite possibly the strangest book in the hebrew bible, and is notoriously difficult to date.

There is limited information in the book of job about its geographical and historical background. First cycle of speeches 414 objectives in studying this section 1 to examine the counsel of jobs friends, what their observations were, and upon what they based their conclusions regarding jobs suffering 2 to consider jobs response to his friends, how he took their advice, and how he continued to. On the seventh day, job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on jobs afflictions in. In the book of job, it becomes clear that the first three of jobs friends eliphaz, blidad, and zophar speak wrongly. Eliphaz, bildad and zophar 1 ancient pagan religions prescribed three treatments for those in jobs condition. Zophar definition and meaning bible dictionary bible study tools. Some bible scholars debate whether he was an actual person or legend, but job is mentioned as a historical figure by the prophet ezekial ezekial 14. The book of job is written in the form of a dramatic poem, that deals with several age old questions, among them the question of why the righteous suffer. Thus zophar may be trying to turn jobs words against him by saying that jobs actions are inconsistent with his theology. Maimonides, spinoza and the book of job 1 i invite you to reflect with me on the meaning of the book of job and of maimonides comments on it in the guide of the perplexed. He also wanted job to repent so god would restore his blessings. Eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, and zophar the naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. Zophar did not use correct bible doctrine for the situation. Where did the biblical story of creation come from.

And in their great sorrow, they tore their clothes, then sprinkled dust on their heads and cried bitterly. This exercise in interpretation offers the pleasures inherent in any attempt to decipher a difficult text, a pleasure doubled here by the fact that we have two difficult texts. Job s three friends eliphaz, bildad and zophar were not able to understand these ways of god. On the seventh day, job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on job s afflictions in long, poetic statements. I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues. Zophar is the first to accuse job directly of wickedness. Now, on top of all jobs sufferings, he was getting tested from eliphaz, bildad, and zophar. I have heard the rebuke that reproaches me, and the spirit of my understanding causes me to answer. Zophar rebukes job by affirming that god should show him true wisdom and by affirming that if he would turn to god, he would be blessed 11.

He was the third to speak and the harshest accuser. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him. It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended to concentrate on the. Contextual overview 11 eliphaz from teman, bildad from shuah, and zophar from naamah were three of jobs friends, and they heard about his troubles. The first opinion, which maimonides identifies as being that of epicurus, is that. They had not spoken up soon enough, letting job suffer in silence for seven days. And whereas job has been verbally wishing for god to speak and reveal that job is innocent zophar wishes that god would speak and condemn job for the secret sin hes been harboring. He appears but twice in the dialogue, once less than his two associates, whose general sentiments he shares, with perhaps more severity of judgment against job, job 2. Lets see how this main point plays out in the debates between job and his three friends. Zophar himself erred in that he presumed to know all about god and pleaded the worth of human merit in his sight. It is possible that job is the oldest of any book of the bible written approximately 21001800 b. Zophar declared that job was a wicked man because he was not repenting of his sin.

Information and translations of zophar in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Like the other two comforters, bildad and eliphaz, zophar emphasizes an old hebrew conceptsuffering is the inevitable lot of the evil man. Eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, and zophar the naamathite. My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because i am greatly disturbed. If job would only turn from his sin and sincerely repent, then god would pardon and restore him. Eliphaz thought that job must have sinned and that was why he was suffering. Since these verses anticipate portions of the lords speeches later in the book see 38.

Accused job of empty talk and told him to put away his evil practices. At the end of job 2, eliphaz, bildad, and zophar enter stage left. They had not been correct about gods motives and involvement in job s suffering. Jobs three friends eliphaz, bildad and zophar were not able to understand these ways of god. So we will look at zophars speech in job chapter 11 and how he seeks to reel in job. Eliphaz, bildad, and zopharfalse accusers book of job.

All three friends believed that the unrighteous suffer. Three of job s friends, eliphaz, bildad, and zophar, come to visit him, sitting with job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. The book of job is quite possibly the strangest book in the hebrew bible, and is notoriously difficult to date. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. One of job s three friends, a native of some unknown place called naamah. May 22, 2015 the book of job is about more than suffering. Naamathite definition and meaning bible dictionary. The book of job the books of reference used for this study of the book of psalms were the bible, king james version, called the companion bible, publisher kregel.

Taken from nelsons new illustrated bibkle dictionary. When jobs three friends heard of all this trouble that had. Famed as the antiheroes of the book of job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite and zophar the naamathite deliver some of the longest uninterrupted monologues of the whole bible, speaking expansively on issues pertaining to the character of god, the nature of morality and justice, the essence and attainment of wisdom, the dynamics of. Job pronounced jobe, was a rich farmer living in the land of uz, somewhere northeast of palestine. Like the other two comforters, bildad and eliphaz, zophar emphasizes an old hebrew conceptsuffering is the inevitable lot of the evil m. We continue in our verse by verse teaching through the book of job on wednesday nights with pastor gino geraci at calvary south denver in. Eliphaz the temanite was one of job s three friends who showed up to comfort job but ended up adding to his misery by asserting that job s suffering was a punishment for secret sin. Strongs exhaustive concordance of the bible, numbered to the hebrew, chaldee, and greek, and english, coded to the strongs concordance numbers. Zophars speech job 11 and a summary of cycle 1 so far, eliphaz and bildad have answered job and now it is zophars turn. Job has been teaching them to think of him as an innocent man in gods sight. The amplified bible now when job s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came each one from his own place, eliphaz the temanite and bildad the shuhite and zophar the naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to condole with him and to comfort him. These guys have plenty to say, and job isnt their biggest fan. The book takes its name from the main character in the poem, the patriarch job.

They had not agreed on what was wrong, rather each took his own opinion. Select the basic errors with which god charged job s three friends. After eliphaz and bildad, zophar spoke third in offering advice to job. Jobs three friends eliphaz, bildad and zophar by zac poonen when jobs three friends eliphaz, bildad and zophar heard of his adversity, they came to visit him, saying they wanted to comfort him job 2. Interpretations of elihu in job biblical hermeneutics. Job was blameless, meaning no sin was found in him.

The play unfolds as each man gives a long speech, and job responds to each with a speech of. Three of jobs friends, eliphaz, bildad, and zophar, come to visit him, sitting with job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. One of jobs three friends, a native of some unknown place called naamah. Copeland this study guide is from the executable outlines series, a collection of sermon outlines and bible study lessons by mark a. Surely you know how it has been from of old, ever since mankind was placed on the earth, that the mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. Famed as the antiheroes of the book of job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite and zophar the naamathite deliver some of the longest uninterrupted. Zophar zofar tsphar, meaning doubtful, supposed from root meaning to leap. With his three friends job discussed the problem why a righteous god allows that a righteous man has to suffer innocently. But they didnt actually comfort him at all, when we see the way they spoke to him later on. Job had three friends visit him, eliphaz, bildad and zophar. Book of job is first of the poetic books of the old testament. Bildad, in the old testament, one of the three principal comforters of job.

Its author is unknown yet it is possible that job himself wrote it. Not only do they incur the indignation of job and his other friend elihu, but god himself rebukes them, saying to eliphaz, i am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant job has. He too thought job sinned and was being disciplined. Job bible study outlinecontents by chapter and verse. Two factors characterizing the style and content of the book of job include its limited source of knowledge and a timid hebrew writing style. Ezekiel, zophar, obadiah, and isaiah bildad, elihu, eliphaz, and zophar. Elihu was one of jobs friendsnot one of the three who had come to comfort job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives later and offers the last and longest single speech to job. Job overview spurgeons verse expositions of the bible. Each time i read through the drama of the book of job, some new theme seems to.

He is called a naamathite, or an inhabitant of some unknown place called naamah. Therefore my anxious thoughts make me answer, because of the turmoil within me. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and elihu the buzite. God allowed satan to take away from job his wealth, his family, and his health.

The author of the book of job was a hebrew poet who had an extensive vocabulary. Elihu is identified only as the son of barakel the buzite, of the family of ram job 32. Job was a wealthy but righteous and godfearing man. On the seventh day, job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on jobs afflictions in long, poetic statements. Eliphaz the temanite was one of jobs three friends who showed up to comfort job but ended up adding to his misery by asserting that jobs suffering was a punishment for secret sin. It goes like a play and deals with an old question puzzling everyone, the problem of human suffering. With forcible language, zophar declared that suffering is judgment warning the sinner to repent and escape heavier punishment. With forcible language, zophar declared that suffering is judgment. When he comes later to the book of job, he will identify job, eliphaz, bildad and zophar with one or another of these five opinions, each with a different one. Eliphaz was the oldest and considered the wisest of the three.