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Job 32:11-12
11 Behold, I waited [yachal] for your words [dabar]; I
gave ear ['azan] to your reasons [tabuwn], whilst ye searched out [chaqar] what to say [millah].
12 Yea, I attended [biyn] unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced
[yakach] Job ['Iyowb], or that answered [`anah]
his words ['emer]: KJV-Interlinear
11 'Behold, I waited for your
words, I listened to your reasonings, While you pondered what to say. 12 'I even paid close attention to you, Indeed,
there was no one who refuted Job, Not one of you who answered his words. NASB
First a quick review of the backgrounds of Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar, from our study of Job 2:11.
Eliphaz is the first of the three
friends. His name means 'God is fine
gold,' or 'God of strength,' with emphasis on the earthly nature of these
meanings. Eliphaz is the most prominent
of the three friends. His speeches
demonstrate greater weight and originality.
He is a Temanite, which means southerner. His arguments represent the best wisdom of the
world. His wisdom is described as the
result of ages of thought and experience, Job 15:17-19, of long and ripened
study, 5:27, and he claims the ability of revelation.
Bildad, is the second of the three
friends. His name means, 'son of
contention,' or 'Bel has loved.' Bel
means, 'wisdom of the distant East.'
Though the location of his homeland is not known, it apparently is east
of Job's home. Bildad's speeches
generally echo the words of Eliphaz, but are delivered with more severity and
sternness.
The third friend is Zophar. Zophar means 'chirping' or 'to leap.' His home, too, is uncertain as to its
location, however Naamah was place to
the west of Arabia, near the place of the future Judah. He is the most impulsive and inflexible of
the three. He speaks only twice. His words are intense and are somewhat
reckless exaggerations. He will be the first to accuse Job of wickedness. Like the rest of the friends, Zophar promises
peace and restoration on condition of Job's repentance.
These three friends collectively express the wisdom of
human reason, from the point of view of age, from experience, and from
observation.
Now Elihu is going to thoroughly trounce their sources
of wisdom and their wisdom itself.
He, being younger than they, has a greater patience
than the friends, and he seems to have a great deal of concentration with
respect to listening to what is being said.
Elihu has been present throughout the entire
discussion. He heard everything that was
said. He heard every accusation, every
implication, every basis of reasoning.
Elihu heard all of Jobs responses as well as his every complaint and
lecture on divine viewpoint.
Elihu heard no valid response from any of the three
friends, and certainly no proof, with which they could validate their comments. And even though this study today will be a
short one, it will lay the groundwork for a very important principle of truth
which we will get to tomorrow.
Just remember that Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, represent
wisdom as seen through the eyes of the world.
Now is the time to post a prayer.
End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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