11 Now when Job's H347 three H7969 friends H7453 heard H8085 of all this evil H7451 that was come H935 upon him, they came H935 every one H376 from his own place; H4725 Eliphaz H464 the Temanite, H8489 and Bildad H1085 the Shuhite, H7747 and Zophar H6691 the Naamathite: H5284 for they had made an appointment H3259 together H3162 to come H935 to mourn H5110 with him and to comfort H5162 him.
Rejoice G5463 with G3326 them that do rejoice, G5463 and G2532 weep G2799 with G3326 them that weep. G2799
Concerning Edom, H123 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Is wisdom H2451 no more in Teman? H8487 is counsel H6098 perished H6 from the prudent? H995 is their wisdom H2451 vanished? H5628
Then came H935 there unto him all his brethren, H251 and all his sisters, H269 and all they that had been of his acquaintance H3045 before, H6440 and did eat H398 bread H3899 with him in his house: H1004 and they bemoaned H5110 him, and comforted H5162 him over all the evil H7451 that the LORD H3068 had brought H935 upon him: every man H376 also gave H5414 him a H259 piece of money, H7192 and every one H376 an earring H5141 of gold. H2091
And she bare H3205 him Zimran, H2175 and Jokshan, H3370 and Medan, H4091 and Midian, H4080 and Ishbak, H3435 and Shuah. H7744
A friend H7453 loveth H157 at all times, H6256 and a brother H251 is born H3205 for adversity. H6869
The troops H734 of Tema H8485 looked, H5027 the companies H1979 of Sheba H7614 waited H6960 for them.
These were dukes H441 of the sons H1121 of Esau: H6215 the sons H1121 of Eliphaz H464 the firstborn H1060 son of Esau; H6215 duke H441 Teman, H8487 duke H441 Omar, H201 duke H441 Zepho, H6825 duke H441 Kenaz, H7073
And G2532 many G4183 of G1537 the Jews G2453 came G2064 to G4314 Martha G3136 and G2532 Mary, G3137 G4012 to G2443 comfort G3888 them G846 concerning G4012 their G846 brother. G80
And all his sons H1121 and all his daughters H1323 rose up H6965 to comfort H5162 him; but he refused H3985 to be comforted; H5162 and he said, H559 For I will go down H3381 into the grave H7585 unto my son H1121 mourning. H57 Thus his father H1 wept H1058 for him.
A man H376 that hath friends H7453 must shew himself friendly: H7489 and there is H3426 a friend H157 that sticketh closer H1695 than a brother. H251
And it was so, that after H310 the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 these words H1697 unto Job, H347 the LORD H3068 said H559 to Eliphaz H464 the Temanite, H8489 My wrath H639 is kindled H2734 against thee, and against thy two H8147 friends: H7453 for ye have not spoken H1696 of me the thing that is right, H3559 as my servant H5650 Job H347 hath.
All my inward H5475 friends H4962 abhorred H8581 me: and they whom I loved H157 are turned H2015 against me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 2
Commentary on Job 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
We left Job honourably acquitted upon a fair trial between God and Satan concerning him. Satan had leave to touch, to touch and take, all he had, and was confident that he would then curse God to his face; but, on the contrary, he blessed him, and so he was proved an honest man and Satan a false accuser. Now, one would have thought, this would be conclusive, and that Job would never have his reputation called in question again; but Job is known to be armour of proof, and therefore is here set up for a mark, and brought upon his trial, a second time.
And in this that good man is set forth for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.
Job 2:1-6
Satan, that sworn enemy to God and all good men, is here pushing forward his malicious prosecution of Job, whom he hated because God loved him, and did all he could to separate between him and his God, to sow discord and make mischief between them, urging God to afflict him and then urging him to blaspheme God. One would have thought that he had enough of his former attempt upon Job, in which he was so shamefully baffled and disappointed; but malice is restless: the devil and his instruments are so. Those that calumniate good people, and accuse them falsely, will have their saying, though the evidence to the contrary be ever so plain and full and they have been cast in the issue which they themselves have put it upon. Satan will have Job's cause called over again. The malicious, unreasonable, importunity of that great persecutor of the saints is represented (Rev. 12:10) by his accusing them before our God day and night, still repeating and urging that against them which has been many a time answered: so did Satan here accuse Job day after day. Here is,
Job 2:7-10
The devil, having got leave to tear and worry poor Job, presently fell to work with him, as a tormentor first and then as a tempter. His own children he tempts first, and draws them to sin, and afterwards torments, when thereby he has brought them to ruin; but this child of God he tormented with an affliction, and then tempted to make a bad use of his affliction. That which he aimed at was to make Job curse God; now here we are told what course he took both to move him to it and move it to him, both to give him the provocation, else he would not have thought of it: thus artfully in the temptation managed with all the subtlety of the old serpent, who is here playing the same game against Job that he played against our first parents (Gen. 3), aiming to seduce him from his allegiance to his God and to rob him of his integrity.
Job 2:11-13
We have here an account of the kind visit which Job's three friends paid him in his affliction. The news of his extraordinary troubles spread into all parts, he being an eminent man both for greatness and goodness, and the circumstances of his troubles being very uncommon. Some, who were his enemies, triumphed in his calamities, ch. 16:10; 19:18; 30:1, etc. Perhaps they made ballads on him. But his friends concerned themselves for him, and endeavoured to comfort him. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Three of them are here named (v. 11), Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. We shall afterwards meet with a fourth, who it should seem was present at the whole conference, namely, Elihu. Whether he came as a friend of Job or only as an auditor does not appear. These three are said to be his friends, his intimate acquaintance, as David and Solomon had each of them one in their court that was called the king's friend. These three were eminently wise and good men, as appears by their discourses. They were old men, very old, had a great reputation for knowledge, and much deference was paid to their judgment, ch. 32:6. It is probable that they were men of figure in their country-princes, or heads of houses. Now observe,
They spoke not a word to him, whatever they said one to another, by way of instruction, for the improvement of the present providence. They said nothing to that purport to which afterwards they said much-nothing to grieve him (ch. 4:2), because they saw his grief was very great already, and they were loth at first to add affliction to the afflicted. There is a time to keep silence, when either the wicked is before us, and by speaking we may harden them (Ps. 39:1), or when by speaking we may offend the generation of God's children, Ps. 73:15. Their not entering upon the following solemn discourses till the seventh day may perhaps intimate that it was the sabbath day, which doubtless was observed in the patriarchal age, and to that day they adjourned the intended conference, because probably then company resorted, as usual, to Job's house, to join with him in his devotions, who might be edified by the discourse. Or, rather, by their silence so long they would intimate that what they afterwards said was well considered and digested and the result of many thoughts. The heart of the wise studies to answer. We should think twice before we speak once, especially in such a case as this, think long, and we shall be the better able to speak short and to the purpose.