I DESIRE TO SPEAK TO THE ALMIGHTY

Passage: Job 11:1-13:5

Key verse: 13:3

NIV

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

2 “Are all these words to go unanswered?(B)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?(C)
3 Will your idle talk(D) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(E)
4 You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(F)
    and I am pure(G) in your sight.’
5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(H)
    that he would open his lips against you
6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(I)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(J)

7 “Can you fathom(K) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
8 They are higher(L) than the heavens(M) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below(N)—what can you know?(O)
9 Their measure(P) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.(Q)

10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?(R)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?(S)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt(T) can be born human.[a](U)

13 “Yet if you devote your heart(V) to him
    and stretch out your hands(W) to him,(X)
14 if you put away(Y) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil(Z) to dwell in your tent,(AA)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;(AB)
    you will stand firm(AC) and without fear.(AD)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,(AE)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.(AF)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,(AG)
    and darkness will become like morning.(AH)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest(AI) in safety.(AJ)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,(AK)
    and many will court your favor.(AL)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,(AM)
    and escape will elude them;(AN)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”(AO)

Job

12 Then Job replied:

2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
    and wisdom will die with you!(AP)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know all these things?(AQ)

4 “I have become a laughingstock(AR) to my friends,(AS)
    though I called on God and he answered(AT)—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!(AU)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt(AV) for misfortune
    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.(AW)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,(AX)
    and those who provoke God are secure(AY)—
    those God has in his hand.[b]

7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,(AZ)
    or the birds in the sky,(BA) and they will tell you;(BB)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know(BC)
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?(BD)
10 In his hand is the life(BE) of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.(BF)
11 Does not the ear test words
    as the tongue tastes food?(BG)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?(BH)
    Does not long life bring understanding?(BI)

13 “To God belong wisdom(BJ) and power;(BK)
    counsel and understanding are his.(BL)
14 What he tears down(BM) cannot be rebuilt;(BN)
    those he imprisons cannot be released.(BO)
15 If he holds back the waters,(BP) there is drought;(BQ)
    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(BR)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(BS)
    both deceived and deceiver are his.(BT)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(BU)
    and makes fools of judges.(BV)
18 He takes off the shackles(BW) put on by kings
    and ties a loincloth[c] around their waist.(BX)
19 He leads priests away stripped(BY)
    and overthrows officials long established.(BZ)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
    and takes away the discernment of elders.(CA)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(CB)
    and disarms the mighty.(CC)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(CD)
    and brings utter darkness(CE) into the light.(CF)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(CG)
    he enlarges nations,(CH) and disperses them.(CI)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(CJ)
    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(CK)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(CL)
    he makes them stagger like drunkards.(CM)

13 “My eyes have seen all this,(CN)
    my ears have heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.(CO)
3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty(CP)
    and to argue my case with God.(CQ)
4 You, however, smear me with lies;(CR)
    you are worthless physicians,(CS) all of you!(CT)
5 If only you would be altogether silent!(CU)
    For you, that would be wisdom.(CV)

Footnotes
  1. Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame
  2. Job 12:6 Or those whose god is in their own hand
  3. Job 12:18 Or shackles of kings / and ties a belt
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse

11 Then (A)Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

2 “Should (B)a multitude of words go unanswered,
    and a man full of talk be judged right?
3 Should your babble silence men,
    and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
4 For (C)you say, ‘My (D)doctrine is pure,
    and I am clean in God's[a] eyes.’
5 But oh, that God would speak
    and open his lips to you,
6 and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
    For he is manifold in (E)understanding.[b]
Know then that God (F)exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

7 (G)“Can you find out the deep things of God?
    Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
8 It is (H)higher than heaven[c]—what can you do?
    Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
9 Its measure is longer than the earth
    and broader than the sea.
10 If he (I)passes through and (J)imprisons
    and summons the court, who can (K)turn him back?
11 For he knows (L)worthless men;
    when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
12 But a stupid man will get understanding
    when (M)a wild donkey's colt is (N)born a man!

13 “If you (O)prepare your heart,
    you will (P)stretch out your hands toward him.
14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
    and let not injustice dwell in your tents.
15 Surely then you will (Q)lift up your face without (R)blemish;
    you will be secure and will not fear.
16 You will (S)forget your misery;
    you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
17 And your life will be (T)brighter than the noonday;
    its darkness will be like the morning.
18 And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
    you will look around and (U)take your rest in security.
19 You will (V)lie down, and none will make you afraid;
    many will (W)court your favor.
20 But (X)the eyes of the wicked will fail;
    all way of escape will be lost to them,
    and their hope is (Y)to breathe their last.”

Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This

12 Then Job answered and said:

2 “No doubt you are the people,
    and wisdom will die with you.
3 But I have (Z)understanding as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Who does not know (AA)such things as these?
4 I am (AB)a laughingstock to my friends;
    I, who (AC)called to God and he answered me,
    a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
5 In the thought of one who is (AD)at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
    it is ready for those whose feet slip.
6 (AE)The tents of robbers are at peace,
    and those who provoke God are secure,
    who bring their god in their hand.[d]

7 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
    the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8 or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;[e]
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
    that (AF)the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In (AG)his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not (AH)the ear test words
    as the palate tastes food?
12 Wisdom is with (AI)the aged,
    and understanding in length of days.

13 (AJ)“With God[f] are wisdom and might;
    he has counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, none can rebuild;
    if he (AK)shuts a man in, none can open.
15 If he (AL)withholds the waters, they dry up;
    if he (AM)sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him are strength and (AN)sound wisdom;
    the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads (AO)counselors away stripped,
    and (AP)judges he makes fools.
18 He (AQ)looses the bonds of kings
    and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
19 He leads priests away stripped
    and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
    (AR)and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He (AS)pours contempt on princes
    and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He (AT)uncovers the deeps out of darkness
    and brings (AU)deep darkness to light.
23 He (AV)makes nations great, and he destroys them;
    he enlarges nations, and (AW)leads them away.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
    and (AX)makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They (AY)grope in the dark without light,
    and he makes them (AZ)stagger like a drunken man.

Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

13 “Behold, my eye has seen all this,
    my ear has heard and understood it.
2 (BA)What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
3 (BB)But I would speak to the Almighty,
    and I desire to (BC)argue my case with God.
4 As for you, (BD)you whitewash with lies;
    (BE)worthless physicians are you all.
5 Oh that you would (BF)keep silent,
    and it would be your wisdom!

Footnotes
  1. Job 11:4 Hebrew your
  2. Job 11:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  3. Job 11:8 Hebrew The heights of heaven
  4. Job 12:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Job 12:8 Or or speak to the earth, and it will teach you
  6. Job 12:13 Hebrew him
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Zophar's shallow wisdom (11:1-12:5)

Zophar's words contain much truth. Job is a sinner, for all men have sinned. God knows all men's hearts. No one can fathom the mysteries of God. Zophar confidently states that if Job devotes his heart to God and puts away sin, then all his troubles will disappear. This is not necessarily true. Zophar does not know about Satan's treachery, nor does he fathom the mysteries of God. He is a man at ease who has contempt for those suffering misfortune (5).

2. Job longs to speak to the Almighty (12:6-13:5)

Job knows everything Zophar knows and more. He knows that God is sovereign; that he holds in his hand the life of every creature (1

); that to him belong wisdom and power and counsel and understanding. What God tears down cannot be rebuilt; he makes nations great and destroys them. But academic knowledge does not satisfy Job; he wants to know God and talk with him personally.

Prayer: Lord, help me to accept your sovereignty and talk with you personally.

One Word: Know about God; know God