Tyndale Open Study NotesJob 42

Job understood the message of God’s speeches: I know that You can do all things. Nothing is too hard for him (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26). Job says, No plan of Yours can be thwarted (Job 23:13; Isaiah 14:27; 46:10). Job realized how different he was from God.

now my eyes have seen You: Before this, Job had not seen God (see 23:8). Now, like the prophet Isaiah, he has been in God's presence and feels overwhelmed by how holy God is (Isaiah 6:1).

• Eliphaz the Temanite was the spokesperson for the friends, probably because of he was older. Eliphaz had a false claim that his advice came from visions of prophecy (4:12–16). Now God spoke to him, but not to support his message.

• Unlike his three friends, Job spoke accurately about God (compare 13:7–10). Job’s direct questions were more effective in finding out the truth about God than the friends’ shallow definitions of doctrine.

• The LORD made Job the "mediator" that Job had hoped to find for himself and that Elihu wanted to be (9:33; 16:19–21; 19:25; 32:1–37:24).

• go to My servant Job: God wanted Job’s friends to make peace with Job before they offered their gifts (Matthew 5:23–24).

• My servant Job will pray for you: He had also prayed for his children (1:5; compare James 5:16; 1 John 5:16).

• When the LORD accepted Job’s prayer, it ironically fulfilled Eliphaz’s promise (Job 22:26–30).

Job's fortunes probably included his health (42:16–17). God created humans to bless them, not to do them harm (curse).

• Even though God restored Job, he still needed comfort for the loss of his children. His family and former friends continued to support him, following Job's earlier practices, taking over where the three friends had stopped (4:4; 16:5; 2:11; compare 2 Corinthians 7:6).

• The money given to Job was not just charity to increase his wealth again. It was also to honor him and gain favor from an influential man (for example, Proverbs 18:16). It might also have been to ease any lack of favor (for example, Genesis 32:20; 33:10; 43:11; 1 Samuel 25:27).

• Women wore a gold ring in their nose (Genesis 24:47; Proverbs 11:22; Isaiah 3:21). Both men and women wore them on the ears (Genesis 35:4; Exodus 32:2–3; Judges 8:24).

When God blessed Job, it ironically fulfilled Bildad’s promise (8:7).

• The names of Job’s new daughters reflect his good fortune God had renewed:

• Jemimah means “dove” (see Song 2:14).

• Keziah means “cassia” or “cinnamon flower” (see Psalm 45:8).

• Keren-happuch means “horn of antimony,” which is a shiny container for make-up.

their father granted them an inheritance among their brothers: Daughters usually inherited only if there were no male children (Numbers 27; 36). Perhaps Job's unusual action indicated his great wealth. Only a rich man could give some wealth to the families into which his daughters would marry.

• Job lived for 140 more years, which was about twice as long as a normal life (Psalm 90:10). If God gave him double what he had before (Job 42:10), Job may have already been 70 years old, making his total life 210 years. This would fit the time of the early patriarchs in the Bible (see Genesis 25:7; 35:28; 47:28; 50:26; Deuteronomy 34:7; Joshua 24:29).

• to the fourth generation: God blessed Job by letting him live long enough to see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren grow up (Genesis 50:23; Psalm 128:6).

• The patriarchs ("first fathers") Abraham and Isaac also died at an old age (Genesis 25:8; 35:29). Job too lived a long, full life. This fulfilled Eliphaz’s promise (Job 5:26). His promise had its basis on God's general promise (Deuteronomy 6:2; Psalm 91:16).

• At the end of the book, the ancient Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) adds a note saying that Job will resurrect from the dead at the final resurrection. It also provides information about where and when Job and those who descended from him lived.