Job 21:1–6

In this reply to Zophar he shows that his spirit is still unbroken. He gives a decisive answer to what only looked like arguments. Job's reply follows the shape of Zophar's speech, and falls into seven parts: (1) The solemnity of his reply, which has to do with God (Job 21:1-6). (2) The prosperity of the wicked (verses 7-16). (3) Judgment seen only in their children (verses 17-21). (4) Varied experiences of the wicked (verses 22-26). (5) He charges the friends (verses 27-31). (6) The end in death (verses 32, 33). (7) Conclusion (verse 34).

Job now answers in chapter twenty-one. It was a great relief to the man under trial to speak out. He had failed completely to win their sympathy, but Job still chose to speak plainly, and he had no trouble answering anything they said.

One translation of verse 2 reads, "Hear attentively my speech, and let this replace your consolations." Calling the speeches of the three friends "consolations" was of course sarcasm. What he really thought of their words is plain at the end of the next verse. There he told them that once he had spoken, they could "mock on!"

Job does not reply in the same argumentative spirit his friends had used. He appeals to them calmly to weigh what he is saying. His self-control should have impressed them enough to make them take him seriously. He asked them to bear with him in his speaking to them, and after he has had his say, to continue their mocking (vv.2-3). He had little hope that they would change their minds, no matter how solemnly he speaks.

As for himself, he says he no longer expects any fair judgment from man — and rightly so, if man were all he had to hope in. This implies he has turned to God, and that in itself shows the faith at the bottom of his heart. But his difficulties have not gone away. They have good reason to be astonished, because he himself trembles to speak of what he is about to set before them.

They had good reason to keep quiet, because they were not speaking for God — the God who had allowed (or caused) his terror and trembling (v.6). If they had truly cared about Job, could they not have prayed to God about how to help this suffering man? They probably never thought of praying for him, because they were sure they had the right answers for God and needed no prayer.

What made Job tremble so much when he saw wickedness prosper? He asks here, "Why do the wicked live?" He is saying, 'I can follow it so far. I can well understand God casting down wicked men — that is only what they deserve. But that is not the fact, for most of them appear to flourish in their wickedness for the time being.'... "Their houses are safe from fear." A robber breaks into many a godly man's house. Many a godly man's house burns down over his head. Yet there may be wicked men of the worst kind who never meet these troubles at all!

There is not the slightest sense here of God having chastening dealings with those He loves during this time of pilgrimage. Yet this is exactly what God does.

Verse 2 has been translated, "Hear attentively my speech, and let this replace your consolations." To sum up the speeches of the three friends as "consolations" was of course sarcasm. What he really thought of their words is plain at the end of the next verse. There he told them that after he had spoken they could "mock on!"

He begins with a plea that at least they will listen to him. This will at least take the place of the consolation which they refuse to give him. After that they can resume their taunts. For himself, he says he has stopped expecting any right judgment from people — and no wonder, if that were all his hope. This implies that he has turned to God, which is itself a sign of the faith at the bottom of his heart.

Job does not reply in the same argumentative spirit his friends had used. He appeals to them to weigh what he is saying. He controlled himself, and that alone should have impressed them enough to give him some serious consideration.

Job answers, "Keep listening to my words." From this point there seems to be a real improvement in Job... What marks the change more than a little is that from now on he grants whatever truth there was in what his friends had pressed on him. Hardly anything shows a man gaining the moral advantage over his opponents as much as this... You never bring a dispute to a good close until you admit whatever is true in the man who opposes you.

It was a great relief to this tried man to speak out. He had failed completely to win their sympathy. Still, Job preferred to speak plainly, and he had no trouble meeting anything they had to say. "And let this be your comfort. Bear with me, and I will speak; and after I have spoken, mock on." It was harsh, but it was no more than they deserved.

His three friends were clearly sincere in their care for the sufferer, and eager to help him in his hour of sorrow. But the cause of his suffering baffled them completely... They might have helped if his had been an ordinary case. But here was a truly righteous man, stripped of every earthly possession in a way no one had ever seen, and they had nothing to say. They did not understand God's ways with His own at all. So their false and unworthy suggestions only made Job feel how useless they were to him, and threw him back on God Himself. In the end he said, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you."

But we are told to act as He did, Whose mission was to comfort those who mourn: "Jesus wept." We are to "weep with those who weep", and not to pretend we know too much about the mysterious causes of their suffering. It is possible we may be mistaken in our judgments.

He begins by pleading that they will at least listen to him. That will take the place of the comfort they refuse to give him. After that they can go back to their taunts. As for himself, he says he has stopped expecting any fair judgment from man — and no wonder, if man were all his hope. This implies he has turned to God, which is itself a sign of the faith at the bottom of his heart.

One translation of verse 2 reads, "Listen carefully to my speech, and let this replace your consolations." To sum up the speeches of the three friends as "consolations" was of course sarcasm. How he really viewed their words is plain at the end of the next verse, when he told them that after he had spoken they might "mock on!" He felt the full force of what they said. They meant that he must have been guilty of terrible unrighteousness and sin, while all along looking like a man of great godliness.

It was severe, but it was no more than they deserved. Through all of this Job has a deep sense of dealing with God, and that is true godliness.

Job does not reply in the same argumentative spirit his friends had used. He appeals to them to weigh what he is saying. That self-control should have impressed them enough to give him a serious hearing. Yet he had little hope of changing their minds, however earnestly he spoke.

No one makes stranger mistakes than godly people who are not walking in dependence on God. Their very godliness gives them a stronger hatred of evil. They need the power of God's grace to guard them, and they need to feel that need. Without that, no one will be more severe and no one less just. This is a serious warning.

They could not understand why such a perfect and upright man as Job should be tried so severely. So they sat silent for seven days. Then their hints and misrepresentations drove that patient man to cry out from the bitterness of his soul, "Miserable comforters are you all." They might have been of help in an ordinary case. But when a deeply righteous man was stripped of every earthly possession in a way no one had ever seen, they had nothing to say. They did not understand God's ways with His own people at all. Their false and unworthy suggestions only made Job feel how useless they were to him, and threw him back on God Himself. In the end he said, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you."

"As for me, is my complaint to man?" In all of this he has the deep sense of having to do with God, and that is true godliness. "And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?" — that is, I do not understand it; that is the thing that makes it so terrible.

He is not complaining to man, or making his appeal to these human friends. He begins to look for another helper, even to God.

As for me, is my complaint to man? And why then should not my spirit be short?

His first point is this: his complaint was not to man but to God. If it had been to man, his spirit might well have been troubled, or "impatient." He reminded them that both he and they had to do with God.

For himself, he says he has ceased to expect any right judgment from man; and well he might, if that were all his hope. This implies that he has turned to God, which is in itself an indication of the faith at the bottom of his heart. But his difficulties have not vanished.

He asks them, "Is my complaint against man?" In fact, his complaint was against the way God was dealing with him... If it were men who were causing his suffering, he would have had plenty of reason to complain. But it was God who was dealing with him... If they had really cared about Job, could they not have prayed to God about how to help the poor sufferer? Probably they never thought of praying for him. They were sure they had the right answers for God, with no need of prayer.

God's word allows a groan, but never a grumble... Sadly, we as believers often discuss the failures of God's people among ourselves in a bitter spirit. Then the groaning becomes mere grumbling, or complaining about what God allows in His dealings with His people. Complaining words to one another may betray a hidden spirit of rebellion against God. Or they may be an effort to lift ourselves up by belittling others. It is good for us if we escape these traps. We escape them by pouring out the anguish of our spirits, and the exercises of our souls, before the LORD.

His first point is this: his complaint was not to man but to God. If it had been to man, his spirit might well have been troubled, or "impatient." He reminded them that both he and they were dealing with God. Given that fact, and looking at how God was dealing with him, they would do well to lay their hands on their mouths and stop condemning him. As for himself, he was afraid and trembled when he remembered it.

"As for me, is my complaint to man?" Through all of this he has a deep sense that he is dealing with God, and that is true piety. "And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?" That is, I do not understand it, and that is what makes it so terrible.

"Look at me," he says, "and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth" (v.5). They might well keep quiet. They were not answering for God — the God who had allowed (or caused) him to be terrified and trembling (v.6). If they had really cared about Job, could they not have prayed to God about how to help the poor sufferer? They probably never thought of praying for him. They were sure they already had the right answers for God, with no need of prayer.

But with great solemnity he calls them to hear something he admits made him shudder. It is an undeniable truth, and it flatly contradicts their narrow thoughts, their clever sayings and their unkind certainty: the wicked, instead of being cut down young, live on, grow old and become great in power, with their children settled around them.

They had assumed that, under God's government, no wicked man prospered and no righteous man could fail to prosper. There could not be a falser view of the world as it now is... But how did these pious men come to make such a strange mistake? No one makes stranger mistakes than pious people who are not walking in dependence on God. Their very piety gives them a stronger hatred of evil. And if they lack the power of grace and the sense of their need of grace, with God Himself guarding them, no one will be more severe and no one less just.

Job had wished to come near His seat, and plead his own cause. Now here He was, if Job could answer as boldly as he had rebuked. The only answer Job gives is to admit that he is vile. He had no answer to the divine challenge beyond the confession implied in laying his hand on his mouth... The folly of refusing to submit is now before his soul. He had spoken too much; silence was what suited him. It was for Jehovah to speak.

It was a great relief to the tried man to speak out. He had failed completely to win their sympathy. Still Job preferred to speak plainly, and had no trouble meeting anything they had to say... "As for me, is my complaint against man?" While all this was going on he has the deep sense of having to do with God, and that is true piety. "And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?" (ESV: "Why should I not be impatient?") — that is, I do not understand it; that is what makes it so terrible.

His difficulties have not vanished. They may well be astonished, for he himself trembles to speak of what he is now going to lay before them. What he will say disproves much of what Zophar had just set out so well.

Now what made Job tremble so when he saw wickedness prosper?... He says, "I can understand it so far. I can fully understand God casting down wicked men — it is only what they deserve. But that is not the fact. Most of them seem to flourish in their wickedness for the time."... A robber breaks into many a godly man's house. Many a godly man's house burns over his head. And here might be wicked men of the worst character, who do not come into these troubles at all!

"Look at me," he says, "and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth." They might well keep quiet. They were not answering for God — the God who had allowed (or caused) his terror and trembling. If they truly cared for Job, could they not have prayed to God about how to help the poor sufferer? Probably they never thought of praying for him. They felt sure they already had the right answers for God, with no need of prayer.

They had assumed that, under God's government, no wicked man prospered, and no righteous man could fail to prosper. No view of the world as it now is could be falser... But how did these godly men come to make such a strange mistake? There are none who make stranger mistakes than the godly when they are not walking in dependence on God. Their very godliness gives them a stronger hatred of evil. But if the power of grace is missing, and the sense of their own need of God's grace guarding them, none will be more severe, and none less just.

The wicked know nothing of the painful experiences Job had. They live their whole life without them, then die without suffering. Asaph observed this also, as he records in Psalm 73:3-9. He added in verses 16-17, "But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." He learned that God's accounts are not settled in this life: there is a future to be considered.