Job 11–14: Zophar's Certainty, and Job's Tree in Winter
Scripture: Berean Standard Bible
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
“Should this stream of words go unansweredand such a speaker be vindicated?Should your babbling put others to silence?Will you scoff without rebuke?You have said, ‘My doctrine is sound,and I am pure in your sight.’But if only God would speakand open his lips against you,and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,for true wisdom has two sides.Know then that God exacts from youless than your iniquity deserves.
Can you fathom the deep things of Godor discover the limits of the Almighty?They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?Their measure is longer than the earthand wider than the sea.
If he comes along to imprison you,or convenes a court, who can stop him?Surely he knows the deceit of men.If he sees iniquity, does he not take note?But a witless man can no more become wisethan the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!
As for you, if you direct your heartand lift up your hands to him,if you put away the iniquity in your hand,and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents,then indeed you will lift up your face without shame;you will stand firm and unafraid.For you will forget your misery,recalling it only as waters gone by.Your life will be brighter than noonday;its darkness will be like the morning.You will be secure, because there is hope,and you will look around and lie down in safety.
You will lie down without fear,and many will court your favor.But the eyes of the wicked will fail,and escape will elude them;they will hope for their last breath.”
Then Job answered:
“Truly then you are the peoplewith whom wisdom itself will die!But I also have a mind;I am not inferior to you.Who does not know such things as these?
I am a laughingstock to my friends,though I called on God, and he answered.The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.The one at ease scorns misfortuneas the fate of those whose feet are slipping.The tents of robbers are safe,and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;let the fish of the sea inform you.Which of all these does not knowthat the hand of the LORD has done this?The life of every living thing is in his hand,as well as the breath of all mankind.Does not the ear test wordsas the tongue tastes its food?Wisdom is found with the elderly,and understanding comes with long life.
Wisdom and strength belong to God;counsel and understanding are his.What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;the man he imprisons cannot be released.If he holds back the waters, they dry up,and if he releases them, they overwhelm the land.True wisdom and power belong to him.The deceived and the deceiver are his.He leads counselors away barefootand makes fools of judges.He loosens the bonds placed by kingsand fastens a belt around their waists.He leads priests away barefootand overthrows the established.He deprives the trusted of speechand takes away the discernment of elders.He pours out contempt on noblesand disarms the mighty.He reveals the deep things of darknessand brings deep shadows into light.He makes nations great and destroys them;he enlarges nations, then disperses them.He deprives the earth’s leaders of reasonand makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.They grope in the darkness without light;he makes them stagger like drunkards.“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this;my ears have heard and understood.What you know, I also know;I am not inferior to you.Yet I desire to speak to the Almightyand argue my case before God.You, however, smear with lies;you are all worthless physicians.If only you would remain silent;for that would be your wisdom!
Hear now my argument,and listen to the plea of my lips.Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalfor speak deceitfully for him?Would you show him partialityor argue in his defense?Would it be well when he examined you?Could you deceive him like a man?Surely he would rebuke youif you secretly showed partiality.Would his majesty not terrify you?Would the dread of him not fall upon you?Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;your defenses are defenses of clay.
Be silent, and I will speak.Then let come to me what may.Why do I put myself at riskand take my life in my own hands?Though he slay me, I will hope in him.I will still defend my ways to his face.Moreover, this will be my salvation,for no godless man can appear before him.Listen carefully to my words;let my declaration ring in your ears.Behold, now that I have prepared my case,I know that I will be vindicated.Can anyone indict me?If so, I will be silent and die.
Only grant these two things to me,so that I need not hide from you:Withdraw your hand from me,and do not let your terror frighten me.Then call me, and I will answer,or let me speak, and you can reply.How many are my iniquities and sins?Reveal to me my transgression and sin.Why do you hide your faceand consider me as your enemy?Would you frighten a windblown leaf?Would you chase after dry chaff?For you record bitter accusations against meand bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.You put my feet in the stocksand stand watch over all my paths;you set a limitfor the soles of my feet.
So man wastes away like something rotten,like a moth-eaten garment.“Man, who is born of woman,is short of days and full of trouble.Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away;like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.Do you open your eyes to one like this?Will you bring him into judgment before you?Who can bring out clean from unclean?No one!Since his days are determinedand the number of his months is with you,and since you have set limitsthat he cannot exceed,look away from him and let him rest,so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
For there is hope for a tree:If it is cut down, it will sprout again,and its tender shoots will not fail.If its roots grow old in the groundand its stump dies in the soil,at the scent of water it will budand put forth twigs like a sapling.But a man dies and is laid low;he breathes his last, and where is he?As water disappears from the seaand a river becomes parched and dry,so a man lies downand does not rise.Until the heavens are no more,he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
If only you would hide me in Sheoland conceal me until your anger has passed!If only you would appoint a time for meand then remember me!When a man dies, will he live again?All the days of my hard service I will wait,until my renewal comes.You will call, and I will answer;you will desire the work of your hands.For then you would count my steps,but would not keep track of my sin.My transgression would be sealed in a bag,and you would cover over my iniquity.
But as a mountain erodes and crumblesand a rock is dislodged from its place,as water wears away the stonesand torrents wash away the soil,so you destroy a man’s hope.You forever overpower him, and he passes on;you change his countenance and send him away.If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;if they are brought low, he is unaware.He feels only the pain of his own bodyand mourns only for himself.”