Then Sophar the Naamathite answered, and said:

“But Zophar the Naamathite answering said, etc. Above, Job had said, among the other evils that he was suffering, that he was marvelously tormented by his friends who rose up against him as witnesses on God's behalf; touched by this word, Zophar answered. Hence it says, "But Zophar the Naamathite answering said: shall not he who speaks much also hear?" As if to say: you have spoken much and inordinately, wherefore it is no wonder if you have been rebuked by your friends; for if a man who speaks much were not to be rebuked, this inconvenient consequence would follow, that men would be reckoned just from the very fact that they are talkative. Hence it follows, "or shall a man full of talk be justified?" that is, be reckoned just? And because Job could say that deference ought to be shown to him on account of his dignity, Zophar excludes this, adding, "shall men hold their peace to you alone, and when you have mocked others, shall you not be refuted by anyone?" For he understood both himself and others to have been mocked in this, that Job had called them witnesses of God, and in that he had said above, "why do you detract from the words of truth?" And therefore he says it is not to be wondered at if others too speak against him. But perhaps Job could say that they had nothing to say against him or against his words, and to exclude this Zophar adds: "for you have said: my speech is pure" — this he takes from what Job had said above, "you will not find iniquity in my tongue, nor will folly resound in my jaws"; "and I am clean in your sight" — this Job had not said expressly, but Zophar wished to take it from his words, because he had argued that he was not being punished for sin, or from what he had said, "know that I have done nothing wicked," or from what he had said above, "have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence?" Now it is to be considered that, since sin is a deviation from the law of God, sin, or its magnitude, cannot be fully known unless the law of God is known: for "the right is judge both of itself and of the oblique." Since, therefore, Job said himself immune from sin, or that he had not sinned so gravely as he was being punished, Zophar reckoned this to happen because Job did not perfectly know the law of God, and therefore he says, "and would that God would speak with you, and would open his lips to you." This he seems to say in derision of Job, because Job had said, "show me why you judge me thus." And it can be said that God simply speaks to man when he inspires something of his wisdom into his heart, according to that word of the Psalm, "I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me"; but he opens his lips when through certain effects he reveals something to men, for by the lips the exterior voices are formed by which we express the interior conceptions of the heart. Now it is to be considered that we fall short of the understanding of divine things for a twofold reason. First, indeed, because since we cannot know the invisible things of God except through the things that have been made, and the things that have been made fall far short of the power of their maker, it is necessary that many things remain to be considered in the maker which are hidden from us; and these are called the secrets of God's wisdom, concerning which he says, "that he might show you the secrets of wisdom." Second, because we cannot even fully comprehend the very order of creatures, as it is dispensed by divine providence; for it is one way in human government and another in the divine. For among men, the higher someone is in ruling, the more his ordinance extends only to universal matters, leaving particulars to be dispensed by lower rulers, and thus the law of government of a higher ruler is universal and simple; but the higher God is in ruling, the more his ordinance extends even to the smallest things. Wherefore the law of his government is not only secret, if we look to the height of the ruler exceeding the whole proportion of the creature, but is also manifold, dispensing even singular and the smallest things under a fixed order; and therefore he added, "and that his law is manifold." And this indeed is to be considered not only in natural things, insofar as they are subject to the divine government, but also in human affairs. For human laws, because their framers could not have regard to all singular things, have regard to certain universals which occur for the most part; but how universal human statutes are to be applied to singular deeds is left to the prudence of the one acting. Wherefore in many things a man can fall short of rectitude, in which nevertheless he is not contrary to the law humanly enacted; but the divine law, insofar as it is in the wisdom of God, extends to all particular and the smallest things, and thus it cannot happen that a man discords from rectitude in something and is not contrary to the divine law. Since, therefore, man cannot attain to the divine law itself, as it is to be looked into in the secret of God's wisdom, and consequently cannot recognize its manifoldness, it happens that sometimes he does not think himself to be acting against the law of God when nevertheless he is so acting, or thinks he transgresses little when he transgresses much. Wherefore he adds, "and you would understand" — namely, if the secrets of wisdom and the manifoldness of the law of God were shown to you — "that much less is exacted of you by him," namely in enduring punishments, "than your iniquity deserves," which you either do not know or reckon small. And in this he seems to rebuke what Job had said above: "would that my sins, by which I have deserved wrath, and the calamity that I suffer, were weighed in a balance; this would appear heavier than the sand of the sea." And because he had supposed that in the divine wisdom there is something secret which had not yet been shown to Job, lest this could be denied, he confirms it by what follows, saying, "perhaps you will comprehend the footsteps of God." "Footsteps" are signs along the way of one who proceeds; but the works of God are called his ways, and the production of creatures by God is understood as a certain procession of God into creatures, insofar as the divine goodness, from him in whom it exists simply and supremely, proceeds, derived by degrees to its effects, while the higher things are found better than the lower. The footsteps of God, therefore, are certain signs found in creatures, from which God can be known to some extent through them. But since the human mind cannot totally and perfectly know even the creatures themselves, much less can it have perfect knowledge of the Creator himself, and therefore, asking, he adds, "and will you find the Almighty unto perfection?" As if to say: if you cannot perfectly know creatures, much less can you know the Creator; and he says pointedly "find," because reason, by a certain inquiry, proceeds from effects to the cause, which, while it comes to know through the effects, we are said to find. Nor is it a wonder if, the creatures not being perfectly known, the Creator is not perfectly known, because even if the creatures were perfectly known, the Creator would still not be perfectly known: for the cause can be perfectly known through the effects only when the effects equal the power of the cause, which cannot be said of God. And therefore he adds, "he is higher than heaven, and what will you do? deeper than hell, and how will you know? his measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." These things are said under metaphor: for it must not be understood that God, who is incorporeal, is extended by corporeal dimensions, but he describes the greatness of his power under the likeness of corporeal greatness, because however great corporeal quantities appear to be, whether in height or depth or length or breadth, they nevertheless fall short of the greatness of God's power, which could make greater things; and therefore he pointedly named God "Almighty" beforehand. From this, therefore, he shows that he cannot be found perfectly in creatures, because, granted that all creatures were perfectly known, a power equal to him could not be known from them: what middle term, then, can be taken for knowing the power of God insofar as it exceeds every creature? And this he signifies when he says, "what will you do?" and "how will you know?" Now the divine power exceeds every creature not only in producing but also in preserving: for the preservation of a creature is from God alone, nor is there any power in a creature that could resist the divine will if it did not wish to preserve that creature any further. And therefore he adds, "if he overturns all things" — reducing them to nothing, namely by withdrawing being from them — "or gathers them into one" — bringing in confusion through the withdrawal of the order by which he distinguishes things — "who will contradict him?" that is, what power of a creature will be able to be contrary, preserving itself or other things in being against his will? But lest someone say that, although nothing could be preserved in being except through him, yet he preserves things in being as it were by debt, to exclude this he adds, "or who can say to him: why do you act thus?" as though demanding from him an account of a debt omitted. "For he knows the vanity of men," etc. After Zophar has shown that in the divine wisdom there is something secret which is incomprehensible to man, he proceeds to make manifest another thing that he had supposed earlier, namely that God exacts punishment from man for sin, and, to manifest this indeed, that God knows the deeds of men. Hence he says: I rightly say that less is exacted of you by God than your iniquity deserves, "for he knows the vanity of men," that is, the vain deeds of men. Now those things are usually called vain which are unstable because they are not made stable by their due ends; from this, therefore, comes the vanity of man, that his heart is not fixed in truth, by which alone it can be made stable, and from the fact that he withdraws from truth he works iniquity, inasmuch as he desires that which appears good in place of that which is good. Wherefore he adds, "and seeing" — namely, God — "iniquity," proceeding from the vanity of men, "does he not consider it?" namely, so as to punish it? For then a judge seems to let sin pass by inconsiderately when he dissembles and does not care to apply punishment, which does not seem to be said of God: since, therefore, he himself sees the vanity of men, he exacts punishment for iniquity. But just as it happens from vanity that a man declines toward iniquity, so from the same vanity it comes about that a man does not reckon himself subject to the divine judgment, and therefore he adds, "a vain man is lifted up into pride," namely so that he does not believe himself subject to his superior, and this is what he adds, "and thinks himself born free like a wild ass's colt." The wild ass is a forest ass, whose colt is born free from the dominion of man; but the colts of asses that are possessed by men are born into the servitude of men. Men, therefore, who do not think themselves subject to the divine judgment, reckon themselves as it were colts of the wild ass born free, although they see other men of the same condition constrained by divine judgment. This he seemed to say in derision of blessed Job, understanding from his words that he wished to contend as it were on equal terms with God, because he had said, "let him take his rod away from me, and let not his dread terrify me; I will speak and not fear him." And therefore he adds, "but you have hardened your heart," namely so as to defend your iniquity. And yet, with this hardening of heart, you have stretched out your hands to God in prayer, namely above, when he said, "I will say to God: do not condemn me"; and therefore your prayer is useless, for prayer is useful when a man first puts away his iniquity and afterward asks of God that he cease from punishing. And this is what he adds: "if you remove the iniquity that is in your hand from you," namely so that you cease from the wicked deed which you still have at hand, "and injustice does not remain in your tent," namely so that you restore what you have unjustly received and kept, or so that you correct your household, for whose offenses masters are sometimes punished on account of negligence in correcting them, "then you will be able to lift up," namely by praying to God, "your face without blemish," namely of guilt. And thus condemnation will cease, first indeed as regards the future, wherefore he adds, "and you will be steadfast," namely so that you are no longer shaken by tribulations, and you will also not fear future dangers. And because sometimes, although one does not fear the future, a man is nevertheless afflicted on account of the things he has lost or suffered, he adds, "you will also forget your misery," namely that which you have suffered up to now, on account of the abundance of goods that will come upon you; and he confirms this with an example when he adds, "and you will not remember it, like waters that have passed away," which he says because a man, after a rainstorm, when fair weather comes, forgets the preceding rains, or because the waters of rivers run very swiftly, and after they pass by no memory of them remains. But because Job had above raised two objections against the promise of prosperity in this life — namely, the devastation of his own body, when he said, "my flesh is clothed with rottenness," and the passing away of the days of his life, when he said, "my days have passed more swiftly," etc. — therefore, to exclude both objections, he adds, "and it will rise for you at evening like the brightness of noonday," as if to say: although it seems to you that your days have passed and your life is at its end, as it were toward evening, nevertheless so great a prosperity can come upon you that it will bring you back, as it were, to the joy of your youth; for just as by evening old age is understood, so by noonday youth, and he calls "brightness" the splendor of earthly prosperity. But against what he had said about the consumption of his own body, he adds, "and when you shall have thought yourself consumed" — namely on account of the infirmity you have suffered — "you shall rise like the morning star," that is, your body will return to its former beauty. And because Job had again said above that his days were consumed without any hope, he adds, "and you will have confidence, hope being set before you." And because Job had above disapproved the opinion of those who say that man, after death, after many ages have passed, returns again to this manner of living, Zophar says that this hope is not the one set before him, but rather the hope according to which man lives after death in the memories of men. This indeed happens from two things: in one way, from the tombs in which the bodies of the dead are laid up so that the memory of the departed may be preserved, whence they are also called monuments; and as to this he says, "and buried, you will sleep secure," as if no one will violate your sepulcher, nor will it even be feared that anyone will attempt it, wherefore he adds, "you will rest, and there will be none to terrify you." In another way, the dead live in the memories of men on account of the good deeds they did while alive, on account of which their life would be missed; and as to this he adds, "and many will entreat your face," that is, many will greatly desire your presence or will show reverence to your tomb, remembering your benefits. And because he had promised these things if Job wished to depart from iniquity, he consequently shows that these things are not given to the wicked, and therefore he adds, "but the eyes of the wicked will fail," because indeed the good things they desire they will not obtain: for then someone's eyes are said to fail when he looks to apprehend something that he is not able to attain. And just as the desired goods are not attained, so also the evils that they suffer or fear they cannot avoid, wherefore it follows, "and escape will perish from them," because indeed they will not be able to flee the evils. But after death they will not be in veneration or desire but in abomination on account of the evils they did, and this is what is added: "and their hope is the abomination of the soul," that is, that which can be hoped concerning them after death is that they be in abomination.”

“It is sad to see what intemperate passions even wise and good men are sometimes betrayed into by the heat of disputation, of which Zophar here is an instance. Eliphaz began with a very modest preface, Job 4:2. Bildad was a little more rough upon Job, Job 8:2. But Zophar falls upon him without mercy, and gives him very bad language: Should a man full of talk be justified? And should thy lies make men hold their peace? Is this the way to comfort Job? No, nor to convince him neither. Does this become one that appears as an advocate for God and his justice? Tantaene animis coelestibus irae? - In heavenly breasts can such resentment dwell? Those that engage in controversy will find it very hard to keep their temper. All the wisdom, caution, and resolution they have will be little enough to prevent their breaking out into such indecencies as we here find Zophar guilty of. I. He represents Job otherwise than what he was, Job 11:2, Job 11:3. He would have him thought idle and impertinent in his discourse, and one that loved to hear himself talk; he gives him the lie, and calls him a mocker; and all this that it might be looked upon as a piece of justice to chastise him. Those that have a mind to fall out with their brethren, and to fall foul upon them, find it necessary to put the worst colours they can upon them and their performances, and, right or wrong, to make them odious. We have read and considered Job's discourses in the foregoing chapters, and have found them full of good sense and much to the purpose, that his principles are right, his reasonings strong, many of his expressions weighty and very considerable, and that what there is in them of heat and passion a little candour and charity will excuse and overlook; and yet Zophar here invidiously represents him, 1. As a man that never considered what he said, but uttered what came uppermost, only to make a noise with the multitude of words, hoping by that means to carry his cause and run down his reprovers: Should not the multitude of words be answered? Truly, sometimes it is no great matter whether it be or no; silence perhaps is the best confutation of impertinence and puts the greatest contempt upon it. Answer not a fool according to his folly. But, if it be answered, let reason and grace have the answering of it, not pride and passion. Should a man full of talk (margin, a man of lips, that is all tongue, vox et praeterea nihil - mere voice) be justified? Should he be justified in his loquacity, as in effect he is if he be not reproved for it? No, for in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. Should he be justified by it? Shall many words pass for valid pleas? Shall he carry the day with the flourishes of language? No, he shall not be accepted with God, or any wise men, for his much speaking, Mat 6:7. 2. As a man that made no conscience of what he said - a liar, and one that hoped by the impudence of lies to silence his adversaries (should thy lies make men hold their peace?) - a mocker, one that bantered all mankind, and knew how to put false colours upon any thing, and was not ashamed to impose upon every one that talked with him: When thou mockest shall no man make thee ashamed? Is it not time to speak, to stem such a violent tide as this? Job was not mad, but spoke the words of truth and soberness, and yet was thus misrepresented. Eliphaz and Bildad had answered him, and said what they could to make him ashamed; it was therefore no instance of Zophar's generosity to set upon a man so violently who was already thus harassed. Here were three matched against one. II. He charges Job with saying that which he had not said (Job 11:4): Thou hast said, My doctrine is pure. And what if he had said so? It was true that Job was sound in the faith, and orthodox in his judgment, and spoke better of God than his friends did. If he had expressed himself unwarily, yet it did not therefore follow but that his doctrine was true. But he charges him with saying, I am clean in thy eyes. Job had not said so: he had indeed said, Thou knowest that I am not wicked (Job 10:7); but he had also said, I have sinned, and never pretended to a spotless perfection. He had indeed maintained that he was not a hypocrite as they charged him; but to infer thence that he would not own himself a sinner was an unfair insinuation. We ought to put the best construction on the words and actions of our brethren that they will bear; but contenders are tempted to put the worst. III. He appeals to God, and wishes him to appear against Job. So very confident is he that Job is in the wrong that nothing will serve him but that God must immediately appear to silence and condemn him. We are commonly ready with too much assurance to interest God in our quarrels, and to conclude that, if he would but speak, he would take our part and speak for us, as Zophar here: O that God would speak! for he would certainly open his lips against thee; whereas, when God did speak, he opened his lips for Job against his three friends. We ought indeed to leave all controversies to be determined by the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth; but those are not always in the right who are most forward to appeal to that judgment and prejudge it against their antagonists. Zophar despairs to convince Job himself, and therefore desires God would convince him of two things which it is good for every one of us duly to consider, and under all our afflictions cheerfully to confess: - 1. The unsearchable depth of God's counsels. Zophar cannot pretend to do it, but he desires that God himself would show Job so much of the secrets of the divine wisdom as might convince him that they are at least double to that which is, Job 11:6. Note, (1.) There are secrets in the divine wisdom, arcana imperii - state-secrets. God's way is in the sea. Clouds and darkness are round about him. He has reasons of state which we cannot fathom and must not pry into. (2.) What we know of God is nothing to what we cannot know. What is hidden is more than double to what appears, Eph 3:9. (3.) By employing ourselves in adoring the depth of those divine counsels of which we cannot find the bottom we shall very much tranquilize our minds under the afflicting hand of God. (4.) God knows a great deal more evil of us than we do of ourselves; so some understand it. When God gave David a sight and sense of sin he said that he had in the hidden part made him to know wisdom, Psa 51:6. 2. The unexceptionable justice of his proceedings. "Know therefore that, how sore soever the correction is that thou art under, God exacteth of thee less than thy iniquity deserves," or (as some read it), "he remits thee part of thy iniquity, and does not deal with thee according to the full demerit of it." Note, (1.) When the debt of duty is not paid it is justice to insist upon the debt of punishment. (2.) Whatever punishment is inflicted upon us in this world we must own that it is less than our iniquities deserve, and therefore, instead of complaining of our troubles, we must be thankful that we are out of hell, Lam 3:39; Psa 103:10.”

“Then answered Zophar the Naamathite,.... The third of Job's friends, that came to visit him; see Gill on Job 2:11; and who perhaps might be the youngest, since his turn was to speak last; and he appears to have less modesty and prudence, and more fire and heat in him; than his other friends; though he might be the more irritated by observing, that their arguments were baffled by Job, and had no manner of effect on him, to cause him to recede from his first sentiments and conduct: and said; as follows.”

“Naamathite. Septuagint, “the Minean,” in Arabia Felix, or rather of the Meonim, not far from the Themanites, Judges x. 11. Sophar was probably a descendant of Sepho, styled by Septuagint Sophar, (Genesis xxxvi. 11., and 1 Paralipomenon i. 36.) brother of Theman, and grandson of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. (Calmet) — He speaks with greater insolence than the two others, (Pineda) and inveighs against Job, insisting that he can be punished thus only for his crimes. (Calmet)”

“1 Then began Zophar the Naamathite, and said: 2 Shall the torrent of words remain unanswered, And shall the prater be in the right? 3 Shall thy vain talking silence the people, So that thou mockest without any one putting thee to shame, 4 And sayest: my doctrine is pure, And I am guiltless in Thine eyes? 5 But oh that Eloah would speak, And open His lips against thee, 6 And make known to thee the secrets of wisdom, That she is twofold in her nature - Know then that Eloah forgetteth much of thy guilt. When Job has concluded his long speech, Zophar, the third and most impetuous of the friends, begins. His name, if it is to be explained according to the Arabic Esauitish name el-assfar, (Note: Vid., Abulfeda's Historia anteislamica ed. Fleischer, p. 168.) signifies the yellow one (flavedo), and the name of the place whence he comes, pleasantness (amaenitas). The very beginning of his speech is impassioned. He calls Job's speech דברים רב, a multitude of words (besides here, Pro 10:19; Ecc 5:2), and asks whether he is to remain unanswered; יענה לא, responsum non feret, from נענה, not the sense of being humbled, but: to be answered (of the suppliant: to be heard = to receive an answer). He calls Job שׂפתים אישׁ, a prater (distinct from דברים איש, a ready speaker, Exo 4:10), who is not in the right, whom one must not allow to have the last word. The questions, Job 11:2, are followed by another which is not denoted by the sign of a question, but is only known by the accent: Shall not thy בּדּים, meaningless speeches (from בדד = בטא, βαττολογεῖν), put men (מתים, like other archaisms, e.g., תּבל, always without the article) to silence, so that thou darest mock without any one making thee ashamed, i.e., leading thee on ad absurdum? Thou darest mock God (Hirzel); better Rosenmller: nos et Deum. The mockery here meant is that which Zophar has heard in Job's long speech; mockery at his opponents, in the belief that he is right because they remain silent. The futt. consec., Job 11:3., describe the conduct of Job which results from this absence of contradiction. Zophar, in v. 4, does not take up Job's own words, but means, that one had better have nothing more to do with Job, as he would some day say and think so and so, he would consider his doctrine blameless, and himself in relation to God pure. לקח occurs only here in this book; it is a word peculiar to the book of Proverbs (also only Deu 32:2; Isa 29:24), and properly signifies the act of appropriating, then that which is presented for appropriation, i.e., for learning: the doctrine (similar to שׁמועה, the hearing, ἀκοή, and then the discourse); we see from the words "my doctrine is pure," which Zophar puts into the mouth of Job, that the controversy becomes more and more a controversy respecting known principles. Job 11:5 With ואולם, verum enim vero, Zophar introduces his wish that God himself would instruct Job; this would most thoroughly refute his utterances. יתן מי is followed by the infin., then by futt., vid., Ges. 136, 1; כּפלים (only here and Isa 40:2) denotes not only that which is twice as great, but generally that which far surpasses something else. The subject of the clause beginning with כּי is היא understood, i.e., divine wisdom: that she is the double with respect to (ל( ot, as e.g., Kg1 10:23) reality (תושׁיה, as Job 5:12; Job 6:13, essentia, substantia), i.e., in comparison with Job's specious wisdom and philosophism. Instead of saying: then thou wouldst perceive, Zophar, realizing in his mind that which he has just wished, says imperiously ודע (an imper. consec., or, as Ewald, 345, b, calls it, imper. futuri, similar to Gen 20:7; Sa2 21:3): thou must then perceive that God has dealt far more leniently with thee than thou hast deserved. The causative השּׁה (in Old Testament only this passage, and Job 39:17) denotes here oblivioni dare, and the מן of מעונך is partitive.”