(The previous post covered Eliphaz's Second Round response which included attacking Job, and accusing him of both being in pride and of turning his back on God. Also, Eliphaz claimed he must be right because of his age/experience and number of people who agree with him. Next was Job's Second Round response to Eliphaz.)
Job 16
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.
(Job answered back and referred to his "friends" as "Miserable comforters." The attacks continued...)
3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?
(Job stated their words were vain (unprofitable) and then asked them what their objective was.)
4 I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief.
(Job told them that anyone could do what they were doing and that if their roles were reversed, he would strengthen them with his mouth (with words) and remove their grief.)
6 Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged; And though I forbear, what am I eased?
7 But now he hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company.
8 And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me: And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.
9 He hath torn me in his wrath, and persecuted me; He hath gnashed upon me with his teeth: Mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully: They gather themselves together against me.
(Job recognized he was being abused. His "friends" were ganging up on him. They were empowering themselves by each other's words.)
11 God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, and he brake me asunder; Yea, he hath taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces: He hath also set me up for his mark.
(Job believed his "friends" were ungodly and wicked and that God had given him into their hands.)
13 His archers compass me round about; He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach; He runneth upon me like a giant.
15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, And have laid my horn in the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure.
(Job still believed he did not cause this suffering. However, this did not help because he still did not know what was the cause/why.)
18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, And let my cry have no resting -place.
19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, And he that voucheth for me is on high.
20 My friends scoff at me: But mine eye poureth out tears unto God,
21 That he would maintain the right of a man with God, And of a son of man with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
(Job still thought he would only get his answer once he was dead.)
(In this first part of Job's response to Eliphaz, it can be summed up by the following statement: "You haven't changed my mind at all because you aren't experiencing what I'm experiencing and even if you were experiencing what I'm experiencing, I'd at least show you compassion and encourage you.")
Job 17
1 My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, The grave is ready for me.
2 Surely there are mockers with me, And mine eye dwelleth upon their provocation.
(Job considered his "friends" as mockers.)
3 Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?
4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: Therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
5 He that denounceth his friends for a prey, Even the eyes of his children shall fail.
6 But he hath made me a byword of the people; And they spit in my face.
(Job had accepted what happened and was ready to die. Job believed he had no help to change his situation.)
7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, And all my members are as a shadow.
8 Upright men shall be astonished at this, And the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.
9 Yet shall the righteous hold on his way, And he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.
10 But as for you all, come on now again; And I shall not find a wise man among you.
(Job said he could not find one wise man among them. In 1 Corinthians 6:5, Paul stated the following: "I say this to move you to shame. What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren..."
Was it possible Paul got this line from Job? At the very least, Paul was dealing with a similar "foolish" group of people.)
11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.
12 They change the night into day: The light, say they, is near unto the darkness.
13 If I look for Sheol as my house; If I have spread my couch in the darkness;
14 If I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; To the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister;
15 Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?
16 It shall go down to the bars of Sheol, When once there is rest in the dust.
(This second half of Job's response can be summed up by this question and statement from Job: "Will you show me compassion and encourage me? Otherwise I have no hope and I'm ready to die!")
Job 18
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
(Like the First Round, Bildad spoke second in the Second Round.)
2 How long will ye hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.
3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, And are become unclean in your sight?
(Bildad blamed Job for the inability of the three "friends" to help.)
4 Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, And the spark of his fire shall not shine.
6 The light shall be dark in his tent, And his lamp above him shall be put out.
7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, And his own counsel shall cast him down.
(Bildad was saying that Job was wicked. This was Bildad's justification for the three "friends" to not help him.)
8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, And he walketh upon the toils.
(Bildad stated that this was Job's own fault.)
9 A gin shall take him by the heel, And a snare shall lay hold on him.
10 A noose is hid for him in the ground, And a trap for him in the way.
11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, And shall chase him at his heels.
12 His strength shall be hunger-bitten, And calamity shall be ready at his side.
13 The members of his body shall be devoured, Yea, the first-born of death shall devour his members.
14 He shall be rooted out of his tent where he trusteth; And he shall be brought to the king of terrors.
15 There shall dwell in his tent that which is none of his: Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, And above shall his branch be cut off.
17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, And he shall have no name in the street.
(Bildad was implying that Job's entire reputation was now destroyed.)
18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, And chased out of the world.
19 He shall have neither son nor son's son among his people, Nor any remaining where he sojourned.
20 They that come after shall be astonished at his day, As they that went before were affrighted.
21 Surely such are the dwellings of the unrighteous, And this is the place of him that knoweth not God.
(Bildad did the opposite of showing compassion and encouraging Job.)
(This post covered Bildad's Second Round response. Bildad believed Job was unrighteous and did not know God and Bildad would only answer Job's questions once Job became smarter.)
Day 147
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