Study notes

Job 9

Introducing JobWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

4:1–31:40 Section

Eliphaz and Bildad each spoke three times. Zophar spoke twice. All of their speeches are recorded as long poems.

Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar explained the reason why they thought Job was suffering. Throughout his life, Eliphaz had noticed that trouble came to foolish people. Suffering was how they were taught as well as punished for their sins. Eliphaz believed that this was a pattern for how things work in the world. He believed that it was happening in Job’s case.

Bildad had noticed that God didn’t bring judgement against people who hadn’t sinned. This was a lesson that people had taught for hundreds of years. Bildad believed it was a pattern for how things work in the world. So he thought that Job and his family were being punished for their sins.

Zophar was sure that ungodly people are always punished. He believed that this is how things had always been in the world. He was sure that God was bringing judgement on Job for sins Job had committed.

Job answered Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar each time after they spoke. Job was sad and angry because his friends said things that weren’t helpful. Many of the things they said were true. But the patterns they noticed in life didn’t apply to Job’s case. Job hadn’t sinned in secret. Job didn’t claim to have never sinned. But he knew that God wasn’t punishing him for his sins. Job knew that he had lived the way God wanted people to live. His friends didn’t understand him. They accused him falsely.

Job believed that God did understand him. Job believed that God knew that he wasn’t guilty of secret sins. Job wanted God to explain why his life had become so difficult. Job was very confused by God and angry at him. But Job continued to have respect for God and to avoid evil. He did this even though he was suffering terribly. This showed that Job had wisdom and understanding.

9:1–35

Job answered Bildad by describing God's universal and legal power. His speech resembles a complex legal case.

It includes:

  1. A summons and response (9:3, 14–16, 19b, 32).

  2. The risk of proving himself guilty (9:20).

  3. A "mediator" (9:33–34).

  4. A question of accusation (9:12).

  5. A legal sentence (9:22).

  6. A declaration of guilt (9:28–30).

9:3

If one wished to contend with God: Job later wished to meet God in court (13:3, 15, 23; 23:4).

9:9

  • Job 38:32 mentions the Bear. It is often identified as "Arcturus." It might also refer to the constellations (star patterns) "Ursa Minor" or "Leo."

  • the Pleiades is a group of seven stars, referenced at 38:31 and Amos 5:8.

9:13

the helpers of Rahab: Job described the power of demons as mythical sea monsters that represented chaos. This kind of imagery appears in other parts of the Bible as well (26:12; Psalm 89:11; Isaiah 51:9).

9:17

with a tempest: The words translated as “with a tempest” (bis’arah) might also mean besa‘arah (“for a hair,” meaning “for the smallest thing”). This would parallel "without cause."

9:28

The word "You" shows this is a prayer, even though, "O God," is not plainly stated in Hebrew.

9:32–33

A mediator does not judge God and man. Instead, the mediator helps bring them together (see 16:19–21).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources