Job 27:1 (KJV)
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
There is something happening here that I had never really considered.
Job has finished answering Bildad. According to the pattern of the debate, Zophar should speak next. But he doesn’t. Neither does Eliphaz or Bildad. The three friends who had been so certain that Job’s suffering was evidence of some hidden sin suddenly have nothing more to say.
Gill suggests an intriguing possibility. Perhaps they had concluded that Job was simply too stubborn to convince. But he offers another possibility. Perhaps Job had convinced them.
Later Elihu tells us, Job 32:3 (KJV)
“Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.”
They had condemned Job.
But they had found no answer.
I wonder if they had become convinced that Job was not the man they had thought him to be. I wonder if they had begun to realize that they had judged him wrongly. I wonder if they repented. The Bible does not specifically tell us that they did, at least not here. But something has clearly changed. These men had not been shy about accusing Job. They had pressed their case repeatedly. Now, when it was Zophar’s turn to answer, there was no answer.
Eventually God Himself settles the matter.
Job 42:7 (KJV)
“And it was so, that, after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.”
Then God instructed them to offer a sacrifice and said,
Job 42:8 (KJV)
“...my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept...”
Could there be a connection? Could it be that these men had already come under conviction concerning the things they had said about Job? Could they even have repented? And could that be part of the reason God instructed Job to pray for them?
I don’t know that we can say for certain.
There is still more to the account. Job isn’t finished speaking. We haven’t heard from Elihu. Most importantly, we haven’t heard from God. But I find the possibility fascinating. Perhaps Job 27:1 records more than Job continuing his argument. Perhaps Job had convinced his friends that they were wrong. And perhaps, before this book is finished, we are seeing the first evidence that they were willing to admit it.
#DailyVisitWithGod #BookOfJob #BibleStudy #BiblicalConviction #KJVBible
Did Job’s Friends Repent? A Fascinating Possibility
What do you think? Could Job’s friends have become convinced that they had judged him wrongly—and perhaps even repented? Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d especially like to hear what you see in Job 27:1 and Job 32:3.
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