UNIT – I PROSE THE BOOK OF JOB
UNIT – I PROSE
THE BOOK OF JOB
CHAPTER-WISE DETAILED SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF JOB
Chapter 1 – The Character and Testing of
Job
Job is introduced as a man of complete
integrity—“perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil.” He
lives in the land of Uz and possesses immense wealth, including seven sons,
three daughters, thousands of livestock, and numerous servants. Job regularly
sanctifies his children, offering burnt sacrifices on their behalf, fearing
that they might have sinned in their hearts. This shows his spiritual
sensitivity and his concern for holiness not just personally, but also for his
family.
In a heavenly scene, the "sons of
God" present themselves before the LORD, and Satan (the adversary) appears
among them. God praises Job’s righteousness, but Satan claims Job serves God
only because of his prosperity and protection. To test Job’s integrity, God
permits Satan to take away all that he has. In a single day, Job loses his
oxen, asses, camels, servants, and all his children. Despite the devastating
loss, Job tears his robe, shaves his head, falls to the ground, and worships
God saying, “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name
of the LORD.” In all this, Job does not sin or charge God foolishly.
Chapter 2 – Further Testing and the Arrival
of Job’s Friends
In this chapter, the heavenly scene repeats.
Again, the “sons of God” come to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan
is among them. God reiterates Job’s integrity, declaring that even though Satan
incited Him to destroy Job without cause, Job “still holdeth fast his
integrity.” Satan responds that Job remains faithful only because his body has
not been afflicted—“Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for
his life.” God then permits Satan to afflict Job physically but spares his
life. Satan strikes Job with painful boils from head to foot, and Job sits in
ashes, scraping himself with a potsherd.
Job's wife, witnessing his suffering,
challenges his perseverance, saying, “Dost thou still hold fast thine
integrity? Curse God, and die.” Job rebukes her, calling her words foolish and
reminding her that both good and evil are received from God. Despite
everything, Job does not sin with his lips. Three of Job’s friends—Eliphaz the
Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—hear of his troubles
and come to offer comfort. When they see Job from a distance, they are shocked
and grieve with him in silence for seven days and nights, seeing how great his
suffering is.
Chapter 3 – Job’s Lament: A Cry Against the
Day of His Birth
After seven days of silent grief, Job finally
speaks. In this deeply emotional chapter, Job curses the day of his birth,
lamenting that he was ever born. He does not curse God, but he does wish the
day he was born had been a day of darkness, not recorded in the calendar of
time. He longs for that day to be blotted out and for it never to have brought
joy or light. Job wishes he had died at birth or had never been conceived at
all. He sees death as a place of peace where the weary are at rest and kings
lie in equality with servants.
Job continues his lament by questioning why
life is given to those in misery. He feels tormented and compares himself to
someone searching for death like hidden treasure. He asks, “Why is light given
to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?” His grief is raw—he
speaks of his fears coming upon him, and that he has no peace, no rest, but
only trouble. Chapter 3 serves as the emotional opening to the poetic dialogues
of the book, revealing Job’s inner turmoil and his first verbal response to his
suffering.
Chapter 4 – Eliphaz the Temanite: The First
Speech Against Job
Eliphaz, the first of Job’s friends to speak,
begins his argument with caution but quickly shifts to firm accusation. He
reminds Job that he has once taught and strengthened others, but now he faints
in his own trouble. Eliphaz implies that Job must have sinned, suggesting, “Who
ever perished, being innocent?” He draws from personal observation and a
mystical vision to argue that man cannot be pure or just before God. In the
vision, a voice reminds him that no mortal can be more righteous than his
Maker.
He emphasizes that suffering is the result of
human imperfection and divine justice, declaring that those who sow trouble
reap the same. Eliphaz’s speech introduces the central argument of the friends:
that suffering is a direct result of sin. He frames his words as kind advice,
telling Job to accept God’s correction and trust in divine discipline. In the
end, Eliphaz states that God delivers the afflicted, redeems from famine, and
ultimately blesses the penitent. Thus, he implies that Job’s restoration is
possible—if only Job admits his guilt and repents.
Chapter 5 – Eliphaz Continues: The Justice
and Correction of God
Eliphaz continues his speech by urging Job to
consider the fate of the foolish. He claims that the foolish man is eventually
crushed, and his household is left in ruin. He reinforces the idea that
affliction is not random, stating, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks
fly upward.” Eliphaz insists that Job should appeal to God, who does great and
unsearchable things. God, according to Eliphaz, sets the lowly on high and
brings down the schemes of the crafty.
He continues by extolling the benefits of divine
discipline. Eliphaz sees suffering as corrective and medicinal: “Happy is the
man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the
Almighty.” He assures Job that if he submits to God, He will heal, redeem,
protect, and bless him. Eliphaz closes with a confident declaration that what
he has said is true and that Job should accept it. However, his entire argument
rests on the assumption that Job has erred, continuing the pattern of wrongly
attributing guilt to Job’s suffering.
Chapter 6 – Job Responds: The Weight of His
Grief and His Disappointment in Friends
Job responds to Eliphaz’s accusations by
defending the intensity of his grief. He declares that his sorrow and suffering
are too heavy to be weighed—"Oh that my vexation were but weighed... it
would be heavier than the sand of the seas." He suggests that his words
may seem rash, but they stem from overwhelming agony. Job feels pierced by “the
arrows of the Almighty,” describing his anguish as divine terror. He expresses a
desire that God would grant him death, as a mercy, so that he would not have to
endure further pain.
Job then turns his frustration toward his
friends. He accuses them of failing him in his time of need, likening their
support to a dried-up brook that deceives the thirsty. He challenges them to
point out any wrongdoing or error in his speech. Job does not deny the power
and justice of God but defends his right to cry out in suffering. He pleads for
understanding rather than judgment, setting the stage for a long defense of his
innocence in the coming chapters.
Chapter 7 – Job’s Despair Deepens: The
Misery of Human Life and a Plea to God
Job continues his response, this time turning
more directly toward God. He compares human life to forced labor—brief,
burdensome, and filled with restlessness. Job reflects on his sleepless nights,
saying, “When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone?” He
describes his body as covered in sores and his days as swifter than a weaver’s
shuttle, quickly coming to an end without hope. His speech reveals both deep
physical agony and spiritual anguish.
In a striking tone of complaint, Job addresses
God, questioning why He would focus His attention so intently on a fragile man.
Job asks, “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him… and try him every
moment?” He cannot comprehend why God should constantly test him. Feeling
condemned, Job asks God to forgive him and let him be at peace before he dies.
The chapter presents Job as a man overwhelmed not only by suffering but by the
mystery of divine scrutiny and seeming abandonment.
Chapter 8 – Bildad Speaks: God Is Just, the
Wicked Perish
Bildad the Shuhite responds to Job’s lament with
a sharp rebuke. He is offended by Job’s bold words and asks, “Doth God pervert
judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?” Bildad insists that Job’s
children must have died because of their sin and that Job should seek God and
implore His mercy. He believes that if Job is pure and upright, God will surely
restore him to a state of prosperity. Bildad’s theology is rigid—he sees
prosperity as a reward for righteousness and calamity as the result of
wickedness.
To support his view, Bildad draws on the wisdom
of the ancients. He describes how the hope of the ungodly quickly fades,
likening them to plants that wither without water or houses built on a spider’s
web. Though they may flourish for a time, they are soon destroyed. In contrast,
God does not reject the blameless, nor does He uphold evildoers. He ends with
an optimistic prediction: if Job returns to righteousness, “he shall yet fill
thy mouth with laughter, and thy lips with shouting.” However, Bildad’s speech,
like Eliphaz’s, wrongly assumes that Job's suffering must be deserved.
Chapter 9 – Job’s Reply: The
Incomprehensibility of God’s Power and Justice
Job responds to Bildad with a mixture of
agreement and despair. He acknowledges that no man can be just before God and
that no one can contend with the Almighty successfully. Job praises God’s
unmatched power, describing His control over nature—the shaking of the earth,
the movement of the sun, the spreading of the heavens. He highlights the
majesty of God as one who performs wonders past understanding, such as the
creation of constellations like the Bear and Orion. Job feels overwhelmed by
the idea that God acts beyond human comprehension and without being questioned.
Despite this reverence, Job struggles with the
notion of divine justice. He says that even if he were innocent, he could not
answer God or persuade Him. Job laments that God destroys both the blameless
and the wicked and that misfortunes fall upon the earth indiscriminately. He
feels that no advocate or mediator exists between him and God—a theme that will
echo throughout the book. Job ends the chapter by wishing there were someone to
"lay his hand upon us both" so that he could speak to God without
terror. He feels powerless, unheard, and condemned without cause.
Chapter 10 – Job’s Bold Plea to God: “Why
Have You Made Me?”
Continuing his reply, Job turns his full
attention to God with a bold and anguished appeal. He asks God not to condemn
him without revealing the reason for His judgment. Job questions why God
bothers to examine and test him so severely, even though he is made of dust. He
reflects on the frailty of humanity and expresses deep confusion about why he
was created only to suffer. In tender and vivid imagery, Job recalls how God
shaped him like clay, clothed him with flesh, and granted him life. Yet now it
feels as though God watches him only to find fault.
Job accuses God of hunting him like a lion and
renewing His attacks continually. He wonders if God enjoys tormenting him, even
though He knows that Job is not wicked. Feeling broken and bitter, Job
questions why he was even born. If he had to be born, then why could he not
have died at birth or been left alone for a little peace before death? Job ends
the chapter with a desperate plea: for God to look away from him and let him
have a moment of relief before he enters the land of darkness and the shadow of
death. This chapter captures Job’s deepest emotional and spiritual despair so
far.
Chapter 11 – Zophar Speaks: A Harsh Rebuke
and a Call to Repentance
Zophar the Naamathite, the third friend, speaks
for the first time—and with more severity than Eliphaz or Bildad. He criticizes
Job’s many words, calling them “a multitude of words” and rebuking him for
claiming innocence before God. Zophar asserts that Job should be punished even
more than he is, for he believes Job’s sins must be great. He expresses outrage
that Job says he is pure in God’s eyes and suggests that Job’s speech mocks
divine wisdom.
Zophar then launches into praise of God's
incomprehensible knowledge. He insists that no one can fully grasp the depths
of God's understanding, and no mortal can be truly just before Him. Yet, Zophar
offers Job a path to hope: if Job repents and removes iniquity from his life,
he will be restored, his life will shine brighter than noonday, and he will
rest securely. However, the chapter ends with a warning that the wicked shall
fail, and their only hope shall be “as the giving up of the ghost.” Like the
other friends, Zophar wrongly assumes that Job’s suffering proves his guilt.
Chapter 12 – Job’s Sarcastic Response:
God’s Power and Human Misjudgment
Job responds sharply to Zophar’s rebuke with
sarcasm and frustration. He begins by mocking his friends, saying, “No doubt
but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you,” implying they are
arrogant and presumptuous. Job insists he is not inferior to them and expresses
disbelief that his friends, who should comfort him, mock him instead. He points
out that even when a righteous man suffers, he becomes a laughingstock to
others who are at ease. Job argues that the success of the wicked often goes
unchallenged, undermining their claim that suffering always follows sin.
Job then turns to affirm God’s immense wisdom
and power, agreeing that everything—including suffering—comes from God. He says
all creation testifies to God’s sovereignty: animals, birds, fish, and the
earth itself understand that the hand of the LORD governs all. God, according
to Job, holds wisdom, might, counsel, and understanding. He tears down nations,
deprives leaders of judgment, and reveals the deep things of darkness. In
emphasizing God’s control, Job highlights that divine wisdom far surpasses
human judgment—especially that of his so-called friends.
Chapter 13 – Job Appeals to God for Justice
and Challenges His Friends
Job continues speaking, directing his words both
to his friends and to God. He insists again that he is not inferior to them and
that he, too, understands wisdom. He accuses them of speaking falsely on God’s
behalf, calling them “forgers of lies” and “physicians of no value.” Job
rebukes them for showing partiality in judgment, warning that God will surely reprove
them for their hypocrisy. He desires to argue his case directly with God, not
through the faulty logic of his accusers. He is confident that even if God
slays him, he will still maintain his integrity: “Though he slay me, yet will I
trust in him.”
Turning to God in a prayerful tone, Job pleads
for two things—relief from divine punishment and the chance to present his
case. He longs to understand what sins have brought on his suffering. Job
accuses God of treating him like an enemy, even putting his feet in stocks and
watching all his paths. He questions why God scrutinizes him so severely,
especially since he is made of dust and his life is fleeting. In this chapter,
Job expresses both defiance and deep longing—for vindication and for a hearing
before God.
Chapter 14 – Job Reflects on the Frailty of
Life and the Hope Beyond Death
In this final chapter of his response, Job
offers a solemn meditation on the brevity and sorrow of human life. He
describes man as “born of a woman… few of days, and full of trouble.” He speaks
of life as like a flower that withers or a shadow that passes and asks why God
would focus so much attention on such a frail creature. Job questions why God
would judge humans so severely when they are inherently weak and short-lived,
shaped from dust and destined for decay.
Yet, in the middle of his despair, Job considers
the possibility of hope after death. He wonders if a man could live again after
dying and yearns for the chance to wait in the grave until God's wrath is past.
He expresses a longing that God might one day “remember” him and restore him.
However, Job concludes that man dies and is gone—like waters that evaporate or
rivers that dry up. In the end, he returns to the pain of the present: human
life is filled with sorrow, and even in death there is no relief if God's anger
continues. This chapter blends human hopelessness with a glimmer of spiritual
yearning.
Chapter 15 – Eliphaz’s Second Speech: A Renewed
Accusation Against Job
Eliphaz the Temanite speaks again, and this time with sharper criticism.
He accuses Job of speaking vain and irreverent words, calling them “windy
knowledge” and implying that Job’s words do more harm than good. Eliphaz
accuses Job of undermining reverence for God and piety by justifying himself
over divine judgment. He suggests that Job’s own speech condemns him, revealing
arrogance rather than innocence. Eliphaz then questions whether Job believes he
has greater insight than the elders or the heavenly beings.
He restates the traditional belief that suffering is the portion of the
wicked, describing the torment of a man who defies God: constant fear,
distress, and ultimate ruin. Eliphaz paints a bleak picture of such a man’s
fate—he may live in wealth for a while, but eventually destruction will come.
He insists that deceitful people will not prosper, for God will not allow them to
escape judgment. Though not naming Job directly, Eliphaz’s message is clear:
Job must be one of these wicked men to be experiencing such intense suffering.
The speech again reflects the flawed retribution theology held by Job’s
friends.
Chapter 16 – Job’s Reply: “Miserable Comforters
Are Ye All”
Job responds to Eliphaz’s renewed accusations with strong sarcasm and
anguish. He calls his friends “miserable comforters,” criticizing them for
offering no real help. He remarks that if their roles were reversed, he could
easily heap words of judgment on them, but instead, he would try to strengthen
and comfort them. Job expresses the depth of his suffering—God has worn him
out, shriveled his body, and torn him in wrath. His thin and broken body stands
as evidence of the violence he believes has come from God.
Job turns his appeal heavenward, seeking an advocate or witness in
heaven who can plead on his behalf before God. He compares himself to a man
nearing death whose friends mock him while he suffers. “My friends scorn me:
but mine eye poureth out tears unto God,” he says. He longs for a heavenly
intercessor who can mediate between him and the Almighty, much like one might
plead for a friend. Despite his suffering, Job continues to hope for
justice—even if it must come after death. His words are a mix of lament and
faith, frustration and longing.
Chapter 17 – Job’s Hopelessness Deepens:
“Where Then Is My Hope?”
In this chapter, Job plunges into a deeper sense
of despair. He begins by stating that his spirit is broken, his days are
extinguished, and the grave is near. He feels mocked and misunderstood by his
friends, who, instead of supporting him, have turned against him. Job pleads
with God to ensure that someone will vouch for him since his friends are blind
to truth and understanding. He suggests that God has withheld wisdom from them,
which explains their misguided counsel. Job laments how people now spit at him
and ridicule him openly, and he describes himself as a byword and a shadow of
the man he once was.
He appeals once more for a fair hearing,
believing that righteous people would be appalled at his treatment but would
still hold firm in the path of integrity. However, Job struggles to find real
hope, exclaiming, “Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see
it?” He believes his only future lies in the grave, in darkness, where he
expects to lie in corruption. With this grim view, Job's voice reflects total
hopelessness and emotional exhaustion. Still, even amid such despair, his
continued effort to speak out shows a flickering determination to be heard and
vindicated.
✅ Chapter 18 – Bildad’s
Second Speech: The Fate of the Wicked
Bildad the Shuhite replies again, impatient with
Job’s words and implying that Job is arrogant and disruptive. He accuses Job of
thinking the world revolves around him and suggests Job is viewing his personal
suffering as unjustified. Bildad then begins a grim description of what happens
to the wicked. He outlines a traditional, retributive view: the wicked are
snared by their own schemes, terror pursues them, and disease consumes their
strength. He claims their memory perishes from the earth and their name is
forgotten, leaving neither descendant nor legacy.
Bildad’s speech is filled with vivid, harsh
images—burning sulfur, skin devoured by disease, and fear on every side. Though
he doesn’t mention Job by name, it is clear he is applying these images to him.
By painting such a picture, Bildad is reinforcing the central accusation: Job’s
suffering is due to hidden wickedness. In his view, Job’s cries of innocence
are hollow, and his downfall matches that of all evildoers. The speech shows no
compassion, offering no room for mystery or innocence in suffering. Bildad’s
understanding of divine justice leaves no space for Job’s experience to be
righteous.
Chapter 19 – Job’s Cry for Justice and His
Hope in a Redeemer
Job responds with deep pain and indignation at
the continued accusations of his friends. He pleads with them to stop
tormenting him and asks how long they will continue to break him with words.
Job feels isolated and mistreated—not only by his friends but also by God. He
describes how God has “put me in the wrong,” hedged up his way, and stripped
him of honor. His household, relatives, servants, and even his wife now turn
away from him. He cries out, “Have pity upon me, O ye my friends,” highlighting
how deeply wounded he is not just by affliction, but by rejection.
In a dramatic turn, however, Job utters one of
the most powerful declarations of hope in the book. He longs for his words to
be recorded forever and declares, “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Job expresses a belief that,
even though his body is destroyed, he will somehow see God in his flesh. This
sudden glimpse of hope amid despair gives Chapter 19 a unique significance.
Despite being overwhelmed by suffering and abandonment, Job clings to the idea
that someone—perhaps divine—will ultimately vindicate him and reveal his
innocence.
Chapter 20 – Zophar’s Second Speech: The
Brief Triumph of the Wicked
Zophar the Naamathite responds to Job again,
this time with even greater urgency and intensity. He claims that his own thoughts
compel him to speak, stirred by what he considers Job’s insulting replies.
Zophar passionately defends the idea that the triumph of the wicked is
short-lived and their joy only momentary. Though the wicked may reach the
heavens in pride, they will perish like their own dung, and those who knew them
will say, “Where is he?” He insists that the wicked will vanish swiftly and be
forgotten.
Zophar vividly describes the downfall of the
wicked: they may enjoy wealth for a moment, but it will turn to poison within
them. Though evil tastes sweet in their mouth, it becomes venom in their
stomach. He claims they will be forced to give up all they have swallowed in
greed—“That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it
down.” Zophar asserts that God’s anger will rain upon the wicked, even when
they think themselves secure. This speech, though rich in imagery, once again
wrongly assumes that Job's suffering must be divine retribution for sin.
Chapter 21 – Job’s Response: The Prosperity
of the Wicked
Job answers Zophar with controlled frustration,
asking his friends to listen carefully before they continue judging him. He
challenges their assumption that the wicked always suffer by presenting a
counterargument: in reality, the wicked often live long, grow mighty in power,
and see their children established. Their homes are safe, their cattle
multiply, and they enjoy music, prosperity, and peace. Job points out the irony
that even though they say to God, “Depart from us,” they still flourish.
Job acknowledges that God's justice is real but
questions the timing and visibility of it. He observes that the wicked may die
in ease while others die in bitterness, yet both lie in the dust. He accuses
his friends of trying to comfort him with empty falsehoods, built on a flawed
view of divine justice. Job’s speech directly counters Zophar’s, showing the
inconsistency of the idea that earthly success or suffering directly reflects
one’s moral state. In this chapter, Job powerfully defends the complexity of life
and exposes the limits of human understanding about divine justice.
Chapter 22 – Eliphaz’s Final Speech: Direct
Accusation and a Call to Repentance
In his third and final speech, Eliphaz the
Temanite abandons subtlety and directly accuses Job of serious sins. He insists
that Job cannot be righteous before God and suggests that God gains nothing
from human goodness. Eliphaz then lists a series of hypothetical but severe
charges: Job withheld water and bread from the needy, oppressed widows, and
crushed the arms of the fatherless. Although these accusations are baseless,
Eliphaz uses them to justify Job’s suffering as deserved punishment from God.
He urges Job to return to God and abandon
wickedness so that he may be restored. Eliphaz promises that if Job humbles
himself and removes iniquity, he will find peace and prosperity again. “Thou
shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee,” Eliphaz declares. He
even suggests that Job, once repentant, could intercede for others. However,
the flaw in Eliphaz’s speech is that it’s based on assumptions rather than
facts—he never truly listens to Job’s defense. This chapter highlights the
rigid and moralistic worldview of Job’s friends, which leaves no space for
innocent suffering.
Chapter 23 – Job’s Longing for a Divine
Audience: Faith in God’s Justice
Job responds not to Eliphaz's accusations but
turns inward with a reflective and deeply personal desire to meet with God. He
expresses a longing to find God’s presence and present his case directly. If
only he knew where to find Him, Job believes he could lay out his arguments and
understand God's reasoning. He is confident that God would not overwhelm him
with power but would hear his side fairly: “He would give heed unto me.”
Although Job cannot perceive God’s presence in
any direction—forward, backward, left, or right—he declares with quiet faith,
“He knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as
gold.” Job affirms his commitment to God’s commands and treasures His words
more than food. Still, he is filled with dread at God's hidden purposes,
acknowledging that God's sovereign will is unsearchable and unstoppable. This
chapter marks a turning point where Job, though still struggling, expresses
trust in God’s justice even if he cannot understand it yet.
Chapter 24 – Job’s Protest: Why Do the
Wicked Seem to Prosper Unpunished?
Job continues by questioning why the wicked seem
to escape divine judgment. He observes that those who rebel against God are not
swiftly punished. Instead, they remove landmarks to steal land, exploit the
poor, take away the widow’s ox as a pledge, and mistreat the needy. Job lists a
series of social injustices—orphans are driven away, the poor go naked and
hungry, and they glean in fields that are not theirs. He emphasizes how the
downtrodden suffer in silence while the wicked live securely.
Job also notes that some commit even darker
crimes: murderers lie in wait, adulterers prowl at twilight, and thieves
operate by night. Despite their evil, these people are often unpunished. Job
marvels that while such sinners deserve to be broken like clay, they continue
to thrive in society. He challenges the simplistic idea that evil always brings
immediate ruin. Though he affirms that judgment will eventually come, he
insists that it is not always immediate or obvious. This chapter deepens Job’s
argument that human justice is not a reliable reflection of divine judgment in
the present world.
Chapter 25 – Bildad’s Brief Final Speech:
God's Majesty and Man’s Unworthiness
In this shortest speech of the book, Bildad the
Shuhite gives a final and concise reply. He exalts God's dominion and
awe-inspiring power, stating that God makes peace in His high places and that
no one can number His armies. Bildad’s emphasis is on God's transcendence and
majesty, implying that Job’s demand to be justified before God is presumptuous
and futile.
He then turns to humanity’s position before
such a holy God, asserting that even the moon and stars are not pure in His
sight—how much less man, who is described as a “worm” and “maggot.” Bildad's
speech lacks compassion or new insight and reiterates the same belief his
friends have expressed: man is too impure to ever stand justified before God.
It’s a speech that seeks to silence Job’s questioning rather than understand
his suffering. Its brevity and repetitiveness reflect the weakening position of
Job’s friends in the ongoing debate.
Chapter 26 – Job Praises God’s Power: Human
Wisdom Falls Short
Job replies to Bildad’s final speech with irony
and sarcasm. He mockingly asks how Bildad has helped the powerless or
enlightened the ignorant. Clearly frustrated by the unhelpful counsel of his
friends, Job shifts the focus to proclaim the greatness of God’s power. He
describes God's rule over the realm of the dead, where even Sheol and Abaddon
lie exposed before Him. Job reflects on God's power in nature: the stretching
out of the north over empty space, the suspension of the earth upon nothing,
and the containment of waters in clouds without bursting.
He speaks of God’s control over the seas, the
skies, and the celestial bodies. The pillars of heaven tremble at His rebuke,
and He stills the sea with His power. The serpent is pierced by His hand—a
reference to God’s victory over cosmic chaos. Yet despite all these wonders,
Job states that these are but “the outskirts of His ways.” What humanity
perceives of God’s power is only a whisper compared to the thunder of His true
might. This chapter reveals Job’s awe of God and his awareness of human
limitation before divine majesty, even as he still seeks justice for his
suffering.
Chapter 27 – Job’s Final Defense of His
Integrity and a Warning to the Wicked
Job continues his discourse with a solemn oath,
affirming his unwavering commitment to truth. He declares, “As God liveth… my
lips shall not speak unrighteousness.” Despite his suffering, he will hold fast
to his righteousness and never falsely admit guilt just to appease his friends.
Job insists that his conscience does not reproach him for any hidden sin. His
integrity, he says, is more precious than life itself. This opening section
marks one of the most powerful affirmations of personal innocence in the entire
book.
He then turns to deliver a stern warning about
the fate of the wicked. Job describes the judgment awaiting evildoers: their
children are destined for the sword, their houses will be desolate, and their
wealth will vanish. Though they may heap up silver like dust, the innocent will
divide it. Terror and sudden death will overtake them, and storms will carry
them away in the night. In this way, Job ironically uses the same arguments as
his friends—but to show that he is not one of the wicked, despite appearances.
The chapter becomes both a reaffirmation of Job’s righteousness and a bold
declaration of divine justice.
Chapter 28 – The Mystery of Wisdom: Its
Value and Divine Source
In this poetic and philosophical chapter, Job
reflects on the nature of wisdom and where it can be found. He begins by
acknowledging humanity’s remarkable ability to mine the earth for treasures
like silver, gold, iron, and sapphires. People search deep into dark and
dangerous places for hidden minerals, overturning mountains and damming rivers
in the process. Yet, despite all these efforts to uncover earthly riches,
wisdom remains elusive. “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the
place of understanding?”
Job emphasizes that true wisdom cannot be
bought with gold, silver, or precious stones. It is not found in the land of
the living, nor in the depths of the sea. Even death and destruction confess,
“We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.” Job concludes that only God
understands the way to wisdom, for He alone sees everything under heaven. It
was God who established wisdom at the time of creation. Finally, Job declares:
“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is
understanding.” This chapter stands apart from the legal and emotional debates,
offering a timeless meditation on divine wisdom as the highest and rarest
treasure.
Chapter 29 – Job Remembers His Former Glory
and Respect
In this chapter, Job begins a reflective and
nostalgic speech, longing for the days when he felt close to God and honored in
his community. He recalls a time when God’s candle shone upon his head and he
walked in divine favor. During those days, his children surrounded him, his
steps were bathed in butter, and his presence commanded respect. Job enjoyed
health, prosperity, and spiritual fellowship. God's friendship was over his
tent, and everything around him flourished.
He also remembers how deeply respected he was
in society. Young men stepped aside, elders stood in his presence, and nobles
silenced themselves to hear his counsel. Job helped the poor, cared for the
orphan, and supported widows. He wore righteousness like a robe and justice
like a crown. He was an advocate for the oppressed and blind, a father to the
needy, and a challenger of the wicked. His words and actions were trusted and
appreciated. In recalling this golden past, Job paints a sharp contrast to his
current state of humiliation and isolation, preparing the reader for the lament
in the next chapter.
Chapter 30 – Job’s Humiliation and Present
Misery
After reminiscing about his former honor in
Chapter 29, Job now contrasts it with the depths of his current degradation. He
laments that he is mocked by those younger than him—men whose fathers he would
not have even employed among his sheepdogs. These outcasts, driven from society
and living among rocks, now ridicule him with songs and spit in his face. Job
feels overwhelmed by their scorn and helpless against their cruelty. God, he
believes, has unstrung his bow and humbled him, leaving him vulnerable to this
disgrace.
Job then vividly describes the torment he
suffers physically and emotionally. Pain seizes his bones, his skin blackens
and peels, and he writhes in agony. He cries to God for help, but receives no
answer. Instead of comfort, God seems to have turned against him, tossing him
into the storm. Job says he has become like dust and ashes, and he mourns among
wild creatures. He concludes the chapter by noting the cruel irony of his
situation: though he once showed kindness and wept for others in pain, now no
one shows mercy to him. His joy has turned to sorrow, and his strength to
weakness.
Chapter 31 – Job’s Final Oath of Innocence
and Moral Integrity
In this powerful conclusion to his defense, Job
delivers a long, solemn oath asserting his personal righteousness. He lists
various potential sins—lust, deceit, adultery, injustice to servants, neglect
of the poor, greed, idolatry, and secret hypocrisy—and declares himself
innocent of them all. Job begins by stating he made a covenant with his eyes
not to look lustfully at a maiden, and he proclaims that God surely sees all
his ways. He describes how he has been just to his servants, cared for the
needy, shared his food and clothing, and never rejoiced at an enemy’s downfall.
Job continues by defending his integrity in
financial dealings and public behavior. He denies trusting in gold, worshiping
the sun or moon, or hiding sin from fear of others. He even opens himself to
divine punishment if any of his claims prove false. In closing, Job calls for
God to answer him and affirms that his land and possessions will testify to his
justice. The chapter ends with, “The words of Job are ended.” This final
testimony is a passionate plea of innocence and a declaration that he has lived
a life of moral discipline, ethical generosity, and personal accountability
before God.
Chapter 32 – Elihu Enters: Anger at Job and
His Friends
With “the words of Job ended,” a new character—Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite—steps
forward to speak. This chapter introduces Elihu as a younger man who has been
silently listening to the debate between Job and his three friends. Out of
respect for their age, he had remained quiet. However, Elihu’s anger is now
kindled against both Job and his companions: against Job for justifying himself
rather than God, and against the three friends because they failed to answer
Job convincingly but still condemned him.
Elihu begins by declaring that true wisdom does
not belong only to the aged, but is given by the breath of the Almighty. He
claims that he is full of words and the spirit within him constrains him, like
new wine in sealed bottles. He must speak, he says, to find relief. He promises
to show no favoritism and to flatter no man, for he knows that if he did, his
Maker would soon take him away. This chapter sets the stage for Elihu’s
upcoming speeches, which will offer a new perspective—one that neither fully
defends Job nor aligns with his friends.
Chapter 33 – Elihu Appeals to Job: God
Speaks Through Suffering
Elihu begins addressing Job directly, asking him
to listen patiently and assuring him that he speaks with sincerity and is
guided by the Spirit of God. He claims to be just like Job—a man formed from
clay—and thus not terrifying to face. Elihu urges Job not to consider himself
guiltless before God and criticizes him for saying, “I am clean without
transgression.” Elihu asserts that God is greater than man and that He does not
owe anyone an explanation for His actions.
Elihu then argues that God speaks in various
ways—through dreams, visions, and suffering—but people often fail to perceive
it. He describes how affliction can be used by God as a form of correction, to
turn people away from pride and destruction. Suffering, then, is not always
punishment—it can be redemptive. Elihu tells how a “messenger” or mediator may
intercede on a man’s behalf, and if God is gracious, the man will be restored
to health and rejoice in God. He appeals to Job to consider these insights,
ending the chapter by inviting Job to respond if he has anything to say, or to
listen in silence so Elihu can teach him more wisdom.
Chapter 34 – Elihu Defends God’s Justice
Against Job’s Complaints
In Chapter 34, Elihu continues his discourse,
now addressing both Job and the listening audience. He invites wise men to hear
his reasoning and then quotes Job as saying, “I am righteous: and God hath
taken away my right.” Elihu sharply criticizes Job for suggesting that God
treats the righteous and the wicked alike. He argues that such claims dishonor
God’s character and justice. Elihu insists that the Almighty cannot do
wickedness or pervert justice, for He repays every man according to his deeds
and watches all his ways.
Elihu further asserts that God’s rule is just,
even though He answers to no one. If God were to withdraw His spirit and
breath, all life would perish. He condemns Job for speaking “without knowledge”
and for adding rebellion to his sin by challenging God’s fairness. Elihu
maintains that God is impartial—He does not favor princes or the rich over the
poor—and He punishes the wicked without delay. The chapter ends with Elihu
expressing that Job’s arguments deserve strong rebuttal, not because Job is
evil, but because he has spoken foolishly. Elihu positions himself as a defender
of divine justice and suggests that Job’s suffering must have a purpose beyond
what he understands.
Chapter 35 – Elihu’s Rebuke: Man’s
Righteousness Does Not Bind God
Elihu continues his argument by addressing a
central question Job has implied: “What advantage will it be unto thee?… what
profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin?” Elihu accuses Job of
treating righteousness and wickedness as though they make no difference to God.
He asserts that while human behavior affects other people, it does not
manipulate or compel God, who remains sovereign and self-sufficient.
Righteousness benefits others, and wickedness harms others—but God is not
diminished or enriched by either.
He then explains why the cries of the afflicted
may sometimes seem unanswered. People cry out in pain, but not necessarily out
of reverence for God. They do not seek Him as their Maker, the one who gives
songs in the night and teaches more than beasts. Elihu insists that God may
remain silent—not because He is unjust, but because the cries are not born of
true humility or faith. He says Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies
words without knowledge. This chapter reinforces Elihu’s theme: divine justice
may not always be immediately visible, but it remains perfect and beyond human
manipulation.
Chapter 36 – Elihu Proclaims God’s
Greatness and the Purpose of Suffering
Elihu continues his speech with confidence,
claiming to speak on God’s behalf and to bring perfect knowledge from afar. He
stresses that God is mighty, yet does not despise any person. God upholds
justice and does not allow the wicked to prosper indefinitely. Elihu insists
that if the afflicted turn to God, listen to His correction, and serve Him,
they will prosper again. But if they refuse to learn from suffering, they will
perish. In this framework, suffering is seen not as punishment alone, but as
instruction—a means of drawing people back to righteousness.
Elihu describes God’s supreme power and control
over nature. He speaks of the rain, thunder, lightning, and the way God governs
the clouds. These displays of natural majesty, he says, are evidence of God’s
wisdom and purpose. He warns Job not to be lured into rebellion by his
suffering and not to desire death to escape affliction. Instead, he should
consider the greatness of God’s works. Elihu presents God as both just and
gracious—He exalts the humble and teaches through trials. This chapter sets the
stage for the divine voice that will soon follow from the whirlwind.
Chapter 37 – Elihu Concludes: God’s Glory
in the Storm
In his final speech, Elihu reflects on the
majesty of God as revealed through nature—especially the storm. He describes
the thunder of God’s voice as awe-inspiring, reaching far across the skies.
Lightning flashes at His command, and snow and rain are sent to the earth by
His will. Elihu emphasizes that these mighty forces are not random but
purposeful, whether for correction, blessing, or demonstration of divine power.
“He causeth it to come,” Elihu says, “whether for correction, or for his land,
or for mercy.”
Elihu urges Job to pause and consider the
wondrous works of God, asking if he understands how clouds are balanced or how
lightning is dispersed. He reminds Job that God's greatness exceeds human
understanding and that His justice is never perverted. The chapter closes with
a powerful statement about God's glory: He is clothed in terrible majesty and
cannot be approached with human wisdom. Elihu’s speeches end with a call to
humility, urging Job to recognize that God's ways are beyond man's grasp. This
prepares the way for the voice of God Himself to enter the conversation in the
next chapter.
Chapter 38 – God Answers Job from the
Whirlwind: The Mystery of Creation
At last, the LORD answers Job out of the whirlwind.
God does not address Job’s accusations directly, nor does He offer a
justification for Job’s suffering. Instead, He questions Job: “Who is this that
darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” God challenges Job to prepare
himself like a man and respond if he can. Then, in a series of majestic and
rhetorical questions, God speaks of His role in the creation of the world. He
asks where Job was when the foundations of the earth were laid, who measured
it, who shut in the sea with doors, and who commanded the morning since its
days began.
The chapter continues with God pointing to His
control over natural phenomena—snow, hail, lightning, stars, clouds, and the
deep mysteries of the cosmos. He describes His knowledge of the animal world
and its rhythms: the lion’s hunt, the ravens crying for food, and the
boundaries of the sea. The implied message is clear: if Job cannot comprehend
or control the natural world, how can he question divine justice or presume to
understand the full purposes of the Almighty? This chapter introduces the first
part of God’s speech, shifting the focus from Job’s suffering to the grandeur
and mystery of divine wisdom.
Chapter 39 – God Continues: The Wisdom Seen
in the Animal Kingdom
God continues His response to Job by turning his
attention to the animal kingdom, challenging Job’s understanding of how nature
functions. God describes wild animals and their behaviors—creatures that live
freely without human intervention but thrive under divine care. He asks Job if
he knows when mountain goats give birth or who watches over the calving of
deer. He illustrates how these animals roam wild, beyond man's control, yet
live and flourish because of God’s design.
God then highlights other surprising examples:
the wild ass, free from man’s burdens; the wild ox, untamed and unwilling to
plow human fields; the ostrich, which neglects her eggs yet runs with
incredible speed. The chapter climaxes with majestic creatures like the horse,
whose strength, fearlessness, and excitement in battle are described with awe.
God also describes the hawk and the eagle, who soar high and nest on cliffs—far
above man's reach. The lesson is implicit: if Job cannot understand or command
even these natural beings, how can he grasp the depth of God’s governance? God
uses these images to humble Job and to illustrate the vast gap between divine
and human wisdom.
Chapter 40 – God Challenges Job Again and
Describes Behemoth
The LORD pauses and directly addresses Job,
asking if he, the one who contends with the Almighty, will correct or accuse
God. Job responds humbly, acknowledging his unworthiness: “Behold, I am of
small account; what shall I answer thee?” He places his hand over his mouth and
declares he will speak no further. But God is not finished. Speaking again from
the whirlwind, He commands Job to “gird up thy loins like a man” and face more
questions. God challenges Job to try and match His power, to humble the proud
and bring justice—if he truly wishes to discredit divine judgment.
God then describes Behemoth, a colossal and mysterious beast, as a display
of His creative power. Behemoth eats grass like an ox but has immense strength
in his loins and muscles. His bones are like bronze and iron, and he moves with
majestic force. Though Behemoth lives peacefully by the river, no one dares
confront him. He is called “the chief of the ways of God,” made by the Creator
Himself. The description serves not only to illustrate divine might but also to
humble Job by showcasing a creature that only God can control—yet another example
of how limited human strength and knowledge truly are.
Chapter 41 – God Describes Leviathan: The
Terror of the Deep
God continues His speech by introducing Leviathan, a fearsome sea creature, as
another example of His unmatched power and creative might. He challenges Job:
“Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook?” The answer is clearly no. God
describes the futility of trying to capture or tame such a beast. No one dares
to rouse Leviathan, and if no one can stand before him, how can anyone stand
before the Creator who made him?
The chapter offers a vivid, poetic description
of Leviathan’s terrifying appearance and strength. His scales are his
pride—tightly sealed and impenetrable. Fire and smoke come from his mouth; his
eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Weapons are useless against him—he
laughs at spears, arrows, and javelins. His underparts are sharp like
potsherds, and he leaves a glistening trail in the sea, making it appear as
though it boils. Leviathan is portrayed as the pinnacle of untamable power. God
closes with the declaration: “Upon earth there is not his like.” This
awe-inspiring creature symbolizes uncontrollable chaos—only God can master it.
The message is unmistakable: if Job cannot contend with Leviathan, he cannot
contend with God.
Chapter 42 – Job Repents and Is Restored by
God
Job replies to the LORD with deep humility and
repentance. He acknowledges God's omnipotence and admits that he has spoken of
things too wonderful for him to understand. “I had heard of thee by the hearing
of the ear,” Job confesses, “but now mine eye seeth thee.” Overwhelmed by the
divine revelation, Job despises himself and repents in dust and ashes. This is
not an admission of guilt for secret sin, but a humble acknowledgment of his
limited perspective and of God’s unsearchable wisdom.
God then turns His attention to Job’s three
friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—and rebukes them for not speaking rightly
about Him as Job has. He commands them to offer sacrifices, and Job is to pray
for them. When Job prays for his friends, the LORD restores Job’s
fortunes—twice as much as he had before. His family and friends return to
comfort him, and he receives even more livestock, wealth, and a new family,
including seven sons and three beautiful daughters. Job lives 140 more years,
sees four generations of his descendants, and dies “old and full of days.” The
story ends with divine vindication and restoration, affirming Job’s integrity
and God’s justice.
*****
1. What was Job's initial reaction after losing his children and
possessions?
(A) He blamed Satan
(B) He cursed God
✔️ (C) He worshipped God and did not sin
(D) He demanded justice from God
🧠 Reason: Job responded with reverence—he fell to the ground and
worshipped, saying, “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be
the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:20–22)
2. What affliction did Satan bring upon Job with God's permission?
(A) Blindness
✔️ (B) Sores from head to foot
(C) Loss of memory
(D) Fever
🧠 Reason: In Job 2:7, Satan “smote Job with sore boils from the
sole of his foot unto his crown.”
3. What advice did Job’s wife give him during his suffering?
(A) "Repent and pray."
✔️ (B) "Curse God, and die."
(C) "Run away from Uz."
(D) "Ask the priests for help."
🧠 Reason: Job’s wife, in despair, told him, “Dost thou still
retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.” (Job 2:9)
4. How long did Job’s friends sit in silence with him?
(A) Three days
✔️ (B) Seven days and nights
(C) One month
(D) Until he spoke
🧠 Reason: Job’s friends sat with him silently “seven days and
seven nights” because his grief was very great. (Job 2:13)
5. In Chapter 3, Job curses the day of his:
(A) Misfortune
(B) Marriage
✔️ (C) Birth
(D) Illness
🧠 Reason: Job cursed the day he was born, saying, “Let the day
perish wherein I was born.” (Job 3:3)
6. Who was the first of Job’s friends to speak?
(A) Zophar
(B) Bildad
(C) Elihu
✔️ (D) Eliphaz
🧠 Reason: Eliphaz the Temanite is the first friend to respond to
Job’s lament. (Job 4:1)
7. Eliphaz’s first speech is largely based on:
✔️ (A) A vision he had
(B) Job’s family history
(C) A legal tradition
(D) Bildad’s opinion
🧠 Reason: Eliphaz describes a night vision to argue that man
cannot be righteous before God. (Job 4:12–21)
8. According to Eliphaz, why does suffering occur?
(A) God tests the righteous
(B) It is accidental
✔️ (C) It is a result of human sin
(D) Satan causes all suffering
🧠 Reason: Eliphaz insists suffering is divine punishment for
sin. (Job 4:7–9)
9. How does Job describe his friends in Chapter 6?
(A) Rivers of joy
✔️ (B) Brooks that run dry
(C) Birds without direction
(D) Stones without warmth
🧠 Reason: Job compares his friends to deceitful
brooks—disappointing and unreliable. (Job 6:15–17)
10. What question does Job pose in Chapter 7 about humanity?
✔️ (A) “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify
him?”
(B) “Can a mortal be just before God?”
(C) “Shall the judge of all the earth do right?”
(D) “Why is life given to the bitter?”
🧠 Reason: Job reflects on human insignificance before God’s
scrutiny. (Job 7:17–18)
11. What key belief does Bildad promote in Chapter 8?
(A) God rewards both the wicked and righteous equally
✔️ (B) God will not cast away the blameless
(C) Human sin is of no consequence
(D) Job’s suffering is unique
🧠 Reason: Bildad affirms that God will uphold the righteous and
punish the wicked. (Job 8:20)
12. In Chapter 9, what does Job wish for between himself and God?
(A) A priest
(B) A sacrifice
✔️ (C) A mediator
(D) An angel
🧠 Reason: Job longs for a “daysman” (mediator) to stand between
him and God. (Job 9:33)
13. In Chapter 10, Job compares God’s watchfulness to:
(A) A shepherd over sheep
✔️ (B) A lion stalking prey
(C) A father correcting a child
(D) A potter shaping clay
🧠 Reason: Job says God hunts him “as a fierce lion.” (Job
10:16)
14. What metaphor does Bildad use in Chapter 8 to describe the hope of
the hypocrite?
(A) A tree with no root
✔️ (B) A spider’s web
(C) A chariot with no wheel
(D) A dried-up well
🧠 Reason: Bildad says the wicked's confidence is like a house
built on a spider’s web—fragile and doomed. (Job 8:14)
15. In Chapter 12, Job says even animals know:
(A) How to suffer
(B) How to rejoice
✔️ (C) That the hand of the LORD governs all
(D) That man rules the earth
🧠 Reason: Job says all creation knows that “the hand of the LORD
hath wrought this.” (Job 12:9)
16. According to Job in Chapter 13, what kind of physicians are his
friends?
(A) Healers of hope
(B) Bearers of truth
✔️ (C) Physicians of no value
(D) Prophets of God
🧠 Reason: Job sarcastically calls them “physicians of no value”
because their advice offers no real healing or help. (Job 13:4)
17. What metaphor does Job use in Chapter 14 to describe human life?
(A) A broken pot
(B) A winding river
✔️ (C) A shadow
(D) A fading rainbow
🧠 Reason: Job compares man’s life to a fleeting shadow,
highlighting its brevity and fragility. (Job 14:2)
18. What is Eliphaz’s main accusation in Chapter 15?
✔️ (A) Job speaks in vain and lacks fear of God
(B) Job secretly curses God
(C) Job envies the wicked
(D) Job refuses to mourn properly
🧠 Reason: Eliphaz claims Job speaks “vain knowledge” and
disregards reverence toward God. (Job 15:2–4)
19. In Chapter 16, Job sarcastically calls his friends:
(A) Wise men of the East
✔️ (B) Miserable comforters
(C) Friends in disguise
(D) Watchers in vain
🧠 Reason: Job says, “Miserable comforters are ye all,”
criticizing their lack of sympathy. (Job 16:2)
20. What powerful statement of hope does Job declare in Chapter 19?
(A) “My soul is weary of life.”
✔️ (B) “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”
(C) “The just perish with the wicked.”
(D) “Though He slay me, I will die in silence.”
🧠 Reason: Job affirms his belief in a Redeemer who will one day
vindicate him. (Job 19:25)
21. What is Zophar’s argument about the wicked in Chapter 20?
✔️ (A) Their triumph is short and soon forgotten
(B) They escape punishment
(C) They find peace at death
(D) They often live long lives
🧠 Reason: Zophar insists the wicked’s joy is momentary and
destruction comes quickly. (Job 20:5)
22. In Chapter 21, Job challenges what belief about the wicked?
(A) That they never suffer
✔️ (B) That they are always punished in this life
(C) That they die young
(D) That they understand God
🧠 Reason: Job argues that many wicked people live long,
prosperous lives without facing immediate judgment. (Job 21:7–13)
23. What is the central question posed in Chapter 28?
(A) “Who shall deliver me?”
(B) “How shall the just be saved?”
✔️ (C) “Where shall wisdom be found?”
(D) “What is man’s reward?”
🧠 Reason: Chapter 28 is a poetic meditation on the search for
wisdom. (Job 28:12)
24. What oath does Job take in Chapter 31?
(A) To challenge God again
(B) To punish the wicked
✔️ (C) That he has not sinned in thought or deed
(D) To reject his friends forever
🧠 Reason: Job declares his innocence in matters of lust,
justice, idolatry, and hypocrisy. (Job 31:1–40)
25. According to Elihu in Chapter 33, why might God allow suffering?
(A) To express wrath
(B) To bring death sooner
(C) To confuse the proud
✔️ (D) To warn and correct a person
🧠 Reason: Elihu says suffering may be a form of divine
instruction and mercy. (Job 33:14–30)
26. In Chapter 34, Elihu accuses Job of:
(A) Lying about his wealth
(B) Claiming God is not real
✔️ (C) Saying that righteousness is unprofitable
(D) Denying sin exists
🧠 Reason: Elihu rebukes Job for asserting that his righteousness
brought him no benefit. (Job 34:9)
27. According to Elihu in Chapter 35, what effect do man’s sins have on
God?
✔️ (A) They do not affect Him at all
(B) They sadden Him deeply
(C) They weaken His power
(D) They make Him angry like men
🧠 Reason: Elihu stresses that man’s behavior neither harms nor
helps God—it impacts only fellow humans. (Job 35:6–8)
28. In Chapter 36, Elihu describes God as:
✔️ (A) Mighty and just
(B) Forgetful of the wicked
(C) Distant and passive
(D) Silent and vengeful
🧠 Reason: Elihu calls God mighty, wise, and just—who does not
despise any. (Job 36:5)
29. What natural elements does Elihu describe in Chapter 37 to
illustrate God's power?
(A) Stars, sand, and grass
(B) Earthquakes, fire, and volcanoes
✔️ (C) Thunder, lightning, snow, and rain
(D) Plagues, winds, and famine
🧠 Reason: Elihu describes storm phenomena as examples of God's
majestic voice and works. (Job 37:2–13)
30. In Chapter 38, how does God first respond to Job?
(A) With blessings
(B) With silence
✔️ (C) With questions from the whirlwind
(D) Through Eliphaz
🧠 Reason: God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, asking
rhetorical questions. (Job 38:1–3)
31. In God’s speech, what does He say about Job’s knowledge of the
earth’s foundations?
✔️ (A) “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations
of the earth?”
(B) “Were you with Me in the beginning?”
(C) “Have you set the sun in its course?”
(D) “Speak, if you built the world.”
🧠 Reason: God asks Job a foundational question to emphasize
human limitation. (Job 38:4)
32. What animal is used in Chapter 39 to symbolize wild freedom?
(A) The eagle
(B) The ox
✔️ (C) The wild ass
(D) The camel
🧠 Reason: God describes the wild ass as roaming freely, unlike
tame animals. (Job 39:5–8)
33. What is unique about the ostrich, according to God’s description in
Chapter 39?
(A) She attacks lions
(B) She sings at night
✔️ (C) She is careless with her eggs but runs
swiftly
(D) She feeds her young with wisdom
🧠 Reason: The ostrich forgets her eggs but is swift of
foot—highlighting divine paradox. (Job 39:13–18)
34. In Chapter 40, how does Job first respond when God challenges him
directly?
(A) He argues back
✔️ (B) He is silent and humbled
(C) He curses his friends
(D) He asks for a second chance
🧠 Reason: Job places his hand on his mouth and admits he has
nothing to say. (Job 40:3–5)
35. What creature is described as “the chief of the ways of God” in
Chapter 40?
✔️ (A) Behemoth
(B) Leviathan
(C) Eagle
(D) Wild ox
🧠 Reason: Behemoth, possibly a poetic image of strength and
stability, is called God's foremost creation. (Job 40:19)
36. What is Leviathan described as in Chapter 41?
(A) A gentle giant
(B) A domesticated beast
✔️ (C) A fearsome sea creature beyond human control
(D) A mythic lion of the forest
🧠 Reason: Leviathan is portrayed as untamable, terrifying, and
unmatched in strength—only God can subdue it. (Job 41:1–34)
37. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Leviathan
mentioned in Chapter 41?
(A) His scales are tightly sealed
(B) His breath kindles coals
(C) His heart is soft as wax
✔️ (D) His heart is firm as a stone
🧠 Reason: Leviathan’s heart is said to be like a stone, not
soft. (Job 41:24)
38. In Chapter 42, what does Job say after God’s speeches?
✔️ (A) “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and
ashes.”
(B) “I still demand my answer.”
(C) “You have dealt unjustly with me.”
(D) “I was right all along.”
🧠 Reason: Job responds with humility, admitting his limited
understanding and repenting. (Job 42:6)
39. What does God say about Job’s three friends in Chapter 42?
✔️ (A) “Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is
right.”
(B) “Your words were true and just.”
(C) “You comforted Job well.”
(D) “You judged rightly in my name.”
🧠 Reason: God is angry with Eliphaz and the others for
misrepresenting Him. (Job 42:7)
40. What act of Job brings about his restoration?
(A) Fasting in ashes
(B) Denying his earlier speeches
✔️ (C) Praying for his friends
(D) Offering sacrifices
🧠 Reason: Job’s fortunes are restored after he prays for his
friends. (Job 42:10)
41. How much did God restore to Job compared to what he had before?
(A) The same
✔️ (B) Twice as much
(C) Less than before
(D) Only spiritual peace
🧠 Reason: The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. (Job
42:10)
42. How many daughters did Job have after his restoration?
(A) Two
✔️ (B) Three
(C) Four
(D) Seven
🧠 Reason: Job had three daughters, noted for their beauty. (Job
42:13–15)
43. What is unusual about Job’s daughters in the final chapter?
(A) They were priests
(B) They lived apart from the family
✔️ (C) They received an inheritance with their
brothers
(D) They led worship in the temple
🧠 Reason: Job gave his daughters an inheritance alongside their
brothers—rare for the time. (Job 42:15)
44. How long did Job live after his restoration?
(A) 100 years
(B) 40 years
(C) 70 years
✔️ (D) 140 years
🧠 Reason: Job lived 140 more years and saw four generations. (Job
42:16)
45. What phrase describes Job’s final state at death?
✔️ (A) “Old and full of days”
(B) “Returned to dust”
(C) “Forgiven and forgotten”
(D) “Worthy of praise”
🧠 Reason: The book closes by saying Job died “old and full of
days.” (Job 42:17)
46. What is Job’s wish in Chapter 3 regarding the day of his birth?
✔️ (A) That it be erased from the calendar
(B) That it be celebrated differently
(C) That he was born at night
(D) That it be remembered by the stars
🧠 Reason: Job wishes the day of his birth had never existed—“Let
that day perish.” (Job 3:3–6)
47. What does Eliphaz appeal to as the basis of his argument in Chapter
4?
(A) Scripture
✔️ (B) A vision in the night
(C) Natural law
(D) Temple teachings
🧠 Reason: Eliphaz describes a fearful vision that questioned man’s
purity before God. (Job 4:12–21)
48. What does Job claim about his record in Chapter 6?
(A) It is sealed by angels
(B) His tears are his defense
✔️ (C) His grief outweighs the sand of the sea
(D) God has erased his memory
🧠 Reason: Job describes his grief as heavier than all the sand
of the sea. (Job 6:2–3)
49. What does Job call the grave in Chapter 17?
(A) A place of silence
(B) The rest of the weary
✔️ (C) His house
(D) A waiting room
🧠 Reason: Job says, “the grave is mine house.” (Job 17:13)
50. What does Job long for in Chapter 14 regarding the afterlife?
(A) A fiery judgment
✔️ (B) To be hidden in the grave until God remembers
him
(C) Reincarnation
(D) Eternal sleep without awakening
🧠 Reason: Job wishes God would “hide me in the grave…until thy
wrath be past.” (Job 14:13)
51. What does Elihu claim about God’s role as a teacher?
✔️ (A) He teaches through suffering
(B) He teaches only the righteous
(C) He teaches with thunder
(D) He teaches only prophets
🧠 Reason: Elihu says God instructs and warns through pain and
dreams. (Job 33:14–30)
52. What metaphor does Job use in Chapter 7 to describe human life?
(A) A fast-fading light
✔️ (B) A weaver’s shuttle
(C) A burning coal
(D) A ship without anchor
🧠 Reason: Job compares life to “a weaver’s shuttle,” quickly
passing. (Job 7:6)
53. Why does Bildad say Job’s children died?
(A) Because they were cursed
✔️ (B) Because of their transgression
(C) Because they angered Job
(D) Because of famine
🧠 Reason: Bildad says God “cast them away for their
transgression.” (Job 8:4)
54. What idea does Job challenge in Chapter 9?
(A) God’s mercy is not real
✔️ (B) That man can argue fairly with God
(C) That Satan rules the earth
(D) That angels understand suffering
🧠 Reason: Job insists no one can contend with God or question
Him successfully. (Job 9:3–12)
55. In Chapter 11, what does Zophar urge Job to do?
(A) Run from his enemies
✔️ (B) Prepare his heart and stretch out his hands to
God
(C) Travel to a holy city
(D) Offer sacrifices at the altar
🧠 Reason: Zophar encourages Job to repent and pray so that peace
may return. (Job 11:13)
56. What does Job accuse his friends of being in Chapter 13?
(A) True messengers of God
✔️ (B) Forgers of lies
(C) Comforters of the wise
(D) Seekers of justice
Reason: Job says, “Ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no
value.” (Job 13:4)
57. In Chapter 10, Job compares himself to what creation?
(A) A crumbling wall
(B) A wild donkey
✔️ (C) Clay shaped by God
(D) A broken mirror
Reason: Job says, “Thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me
into dust again?” (Job 10:9)
58. According to Elihu in Chapter 34, how does God rule?
✔️ (A) He is just and shows no partiality
(B) He ignores injustice
(C) He favors kings and princes
(D) He delights in punishing the poor
Reason: Elihu emphasizes that God does not respect the rich more than
the poor, for all are His creation. (Job 34:19)
59. In Chapter 30, what kind of people mock Job?
(A) Kings and nobles
✔️ (B) Younger men, sons of outcasts
(C) Religious leaders
(D) Prophets of the land
Reason: Job laments that even the lowest men, younger than him and once
despised, now mock him. (Job 30:1–8)
60. What natural imagery does God use in Chapter 38 to show His power?
(A) Thunder and mountains
(B) Fire and whirlwind
✔️ (C) Sea, light, snow, and stars
(D) Volcanoes and hail
Reason: God asks Job about creation—where light dwells, who commands
snow, and who set boundaries for the sea. (Job 38:8–22)
61. What does Job long for in Chapter 16?
✔️ (A) An intercessor in heaven
(B) Riches to be restored
(C) Death to come quickly
(D) The defeat of his enemies
Reason: Job says, “My witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.” (Job
16:19)
62. What theme does Chapter 28 focus on?
(A) Suffering and judgment
✔️ (B) The mystery and value of wisdom
(C) Friendship and loyalty
(D) Healing and restoration
Reason: Chapter 28 is a poetic meditation on the search for wisdom and
concludes that “the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom.” (Job 28:28)
63. In Chapter 17, what does Job say has become his home?
✔️ (A) The grave
(B) The city of Uz
(C) His house of mourning
(D) The desert
Reason: Job says, “If I wait, the grave is mine house.” (Job 17:13)
64. What is one of the sins Job denies committing in Chapter 31?
✔️ (A) Lustfully looking upon a maid
(B) Offering improper sacrifices
(C) Cursing his neighbor
(D) Defrauding kings
Reason: Job begins the chapter by saying he made a covenant with his
eyes not to look on a maid. (Job 31:1)
65. What does God say about Job’s speech in contrast to his friends’?
(A) Job was foolish and ignorant
(B) Job spoke out of bitterness
✔️ (C) Job spoke what was right about God
(D) Job’s words were hollow
Reason: God tells Eliphaz, “Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is
right, as my servant Job hath.” (Job 42:7)
66. What image does Job use to describe the swiftness of his days in
Chapter 9?
(A) A chariot in the wind
✔️ (B) A swift messenger
(C) A shooting star
(D) A shepherd’s staff
Reason: Job says, “My days are swifter than a post.” (Job 9:25)
67. What argument does Elihu give in Chapter 35 about unanswered
prayers?
✔️ (A) People cry out without truly seeking God
(B) God is too high to hear men
(C) Satan blocks the answer
(D) Only the righteous are allowed to pray
Reason: Elihu explains that though people cry under oppression, they do
not say, “Where is God my maker?” (Job 35:9–10)
68. According to Chapter 5, what is Eliphaz’s advice to Job?
(A) Seek protection in Egypt
✔️ (B) Despise not the chastening of the Almighty
(C) Offer more sacrifices
(D) Isolate and fast
Reason: Eliphaz encourages Job not to despise the Lord’s correction,
asserting that God wounds and heals. (Job 5:17–18)
69. What does Job say about his skin in Chapter 30?
✔️ (A) It is blackened and peeling
(B) It glows with fever
(C) It has become as iron
(D) It is dried like parchment
Reason: Job says, “My skin is black upon me.” (Job 30:30)
70. Who is said to "pierce the fleeing serpent" in Job 26?
(A) Satan
✔️ (B) God
(C) Leviathan
(D) Michael the Archangel
Reason: Job praises God's power, saying, “By his hand he hath pierced
the fleeing serpent.” (Job 26:13)
71. What does Job claim about the success of the wicked in Chapter 21?
✔️ (A) They live long and their houses are safe
(B) They are always hunted
(C) Their wealth burns in the night
(D) Their sons are cursed
Reason: Job argues that the wicked often prosper and die peacefully. (Job
21:7–13)
72. What does God challenge Job to do in Chapter 40 to prove his
strength?
✔️ (A) Humble the proud and tread down the wicked
(B) Travel to the edge of the seas
(C) Rebuke Satan in public
(D) Create a creature from dust
Reason: God says if Job can abase the proud, He would acknowledge Job’s
power. (Job 40:11–14)
73. What feature of Leviathan causes fear among even the mighty?
✔️ (A) His scales and fire-breathing
(B) His wings and speed
(C) His hypnotic gaze
(D) His roar in the wilderness
Reason: Leviathan is described with impenetrable scales and fire from
his mouth—causing terror. (Job 41:14–21)
74. Why does Elihu say God may speak in dreams or pain?
✔️ (A) To keep man from pride and the pit
(B) To fulfill prophecy
(C) To awaken the prophets
(D) To confuse the wicked
Reason: Elihu says God speaks to turn man from destruction and preserve
his soul from the pit. (Job 33:15–18)
75. What emotion does Job feel seeing God's greatness in Chapter 42?
(A) Joy and relief
✔️ (B) Humility and repentance
(C) Confusion and fear
(D) Anger and silence
Reason: Job says, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job
42:6)
76. In Chapter 18, what metaphor does Bildad use for the wicked’s
downfall?
✔️ (A) A lamp put out
(B) A house struck by lightning
(C) A tree uprooted
(D) A net of flies
Reason: Bildad says, “The light of the wicked shall be put out.” (Job
18:5)
77. In Chapter 24, what injustice does Job highlight?
(A) Prophets are persecuted
✔️ (B) The wicked prosper while oppressing the poor
(C) Angels are silent when the wicked rise
(D) The sun shines only on evildoers
Reason: Job lists crimes of the wicked, including stealing from the poor
and evading justice. (Job 24:2–12)
78. What unique statement does Elihu make about the breath of God?
(A) It calms the storms
✔️ (B) It gives understanding
(C) It brings fire from heaven
(D) It lifts the earth
Reason: Elihu says, “There is a spirit in man... the inspiration of the
Almighty giveth them understanding.” (Job 32:8)
79. How does Job describe his treatment by friends in Chapter 19?
(A) They pray constantly for him
✔️ (B) They have forsaken him and abhor him
(C) They brought him food and gifts
(D) They rebuked the devil
Reason: Job laments, “My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends
have forgotten me.” (Job 19:14)
80. What does Job say about God’s knowledge in Chapter 23?
(A) God sees only the outside
✔️ (B) He knows the way that I take
(C) He forgets the just
(D) He listens only in storms
Reason: Job says, “He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried
me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
81. What physical suffering does Job mention in Chapter 7?
✔️ (A) Worms, clods of dust, and broken skin
(B) Blindness and deafness
(C) Burning lungs
(D) Brittle bones
Reason: Job describes his body being clothed with worms and clods of
dust. (Job 7:5)
82. What reason does Eliphaz give in Chapter 22 for Job’s afflictions?
✔️ (A) Hidden sins, like withholding from the poor
(B) Lack of prayer
(C) Blaspheming in youth
(D) Envy toward his friends
Reason: Eliphaz accuses Job of many imagined sins like refusing bread to
the hungry. (Job 22:5–9)
83. What does God challenge Job to explain in Chapter 38?
(A) The behavior of angels
✔️ (B) The foundations of the earth and control of
natural forces
(C) The laws of sacrifice
(D) The origin of evil
Reason: God asks Job where he was when the foundations of the earth were
laid. (Job 38:4–11)
84. What does the eagle represent in Chapter 39?
(A) Weakness in the heavens
✔️ (B) A symbol of God’s providential design
(C) The fall of kings
(D) A prophecy of war
Reason: God asks Job if it is by his wisdom that the eagle soars and
builds its nest high. (Job 39:27–30)
85. In Chapter 8, what does Bildad recommend Job should do?
✔️ (A) Seek God and make supplication
(B) Flee to a sanctuary
(C) Offer sacrifices to the poor
(D) Challenge God in court
Reason: Bildad tells Job to seek God early and He will restore him. (Job
8:5–6)
86. In Chapter 6, what does Job say he would prefer instead of prolonged
suffering?
(A) More wealth to ease the pain
✔️ (B) That God would crush him
(C) That his friends would defend him
(D) That Satan would leave him
Reason: Job says, “Oh that it would please God to destroy me; that he
would let loose his hand, and cut me off!” (Job 6:8–9)
87. What does Job accuse God of in Chapter 7?
✔️ (A) Watching him like a guard over a prisoner
(B) Ignoring his pleas
(C) Sending angels to confuse him
(D) Blessing the wicked instead
Reason: Job asks, “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him?... and try
him every moment?” (Job 7:17–18)
88. In Chapter 26, how does Job describe man’s understanding of God’s
ways?
(A) As vast as the heavens
(B) As full of secrets
(C) As written in the stars
✔️ (D) As just the outskirts of His ways
Reason: Job says, “Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a
portion is heard of him?” (Job 26:14)
89. According to Job in Chapter 29, what marked the peak of his former
life?
✔️ (A) God's presence and the respect of all
(B) His vast wealth alone
(C) His strength in battle
(D) His authority over kings
Reason: Job recalls, “The secret of God was upon my tabernacle… when the
young men saw me, they hid themselves.” (Job 29:4–8)
90. What major complaint does Job raise in Chapter 10?
✔️ (A) Why God made him only to destroy him
(B) Why his friends turn on him
(C) Why the wicked rule
(D) Why animals suffer
Reason: Job questions, “Hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh
that I had given up the ghost.” (Job 10:18)
91. What lesson does Elihu emphasize in Chapter 36?
(A) God punishes to destroy
✔️ (B) God uses suffering to teach and deliver
(C) Angels carry man's griefs
(D) Wisdom belongs only to prophets
Reason: Elihu says God opens ears through affliction and turns men from
pride. (Job 36:8–10)
92. In Chapter 32, why does Elihu say he waited before speaking?
✔️ (A) Because he was younger than the others
(B) He feared God would strike him
(C) He wasn’t sure of Job’s guilt
(D) He needed more evidence
Reason: Elihu says, “I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was
afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.” (Job 32:6)
93. What does Job accuse God of in Chapter 16?
✔️ (A) Tearing him in wrath and using him as a target
(B) Ignoring his innocence
(C) Favoring the wicked
(D) Silencing the just
Reason: Job says, “He teareth me in his wrath… he cleaveth my reins
asunder.” (Job 16:9–13)
94. In Chapter 22, what does Eliphaz suggest Job should do to be
restored?
(A) Appeal to kings
✔️ (B) Acquaint himself with God and return to Him
(C) Flee to a sacred land
(D) Ask angels to mediate
Reason: Eliphaz says, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace.” (Job
22:21)
95. According to Chapter 14, what hope does Job express for man after
death?
✔️ (A) That God may remember him after wrath is past
(B) That the soul travels to heaven
(C) That angels will escort the dead
(D) That the sea gives up the dead
Reason: Job prays, “O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave… until thy
wrath be past.” (Job 14:13)
96. What does Job say about wisdom’s origin in Chapter 28?
✔️ (A) It is with God and cannot be found in the land
of the living
(B) It grows like a tree of life
(C) It is hidden in the heavens
(D) It lies in the hearts of kings
Reason: Job says, “Man knoweth not the price thereof… it is hid from the
eyes of all living.” (Job 28:13–21)
97. How is God’s power described in Chapter 37 during the storm?
(A) As a whisper in the wind
✔️ (B) As thunder that roars wondrously
(C) As a mist that covers the earth
(D) As fire in the temple
Reason: Elihu says, “God thundereth marvellously with his voice.” (Job
37:5)
98. How does God illustrate Job’s inability to save himself in Chapter
40?
✔️ (A) By asking if Job can humble the proud and
save himself
(B) By asking Job to climb the heavens
(C) By testing him with plagues
(D) By making Job answer Leviathan
Reason: God challenges Job to adorn himself with majesty and bring down
the proud—then He would admit Job’s strength. (Job 40:10–14)
99. What detail shows Job’s final restored life was blessed?
✔️ (A) He lived 140 more years and saw four
generations
(B) He was crowned king over Uz
(C) He wrote a book of lamentations
(D) He became high priest
Reason: The text says Job lived 140 years after his restoration and saw
his descendants to the fourth generation. (Job 42:16)
100. What is the final statement about Job in the Book of Job?
✔️ (A) He died, old and full of days
(B) He prophesied before his death
(C) He became a judge in Israel
(D) He disappeared like Enoch
Reason: The book concludes, “So Job died, being old and full of days.” (Job
42:17)
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