Job 16:1

JOB 16

JOB'S FIFTH DISCOURSE:

JOB'S REPLY TO ELIPHAZ AND THE OTHER "COMFORTERS"

Eliphaz had just finished blasting Job with his allegations that, "If Job had been as good as he claimed to be, he would never have had all those troubles. Since the troubles came, they meant, of course, that Job was wicked; and now that he would not even admit it, he was, in addition to everything else, a hardened hypocrite."[1] It is difficult to imagine a more unjust, unfeeling or more evil personal assault upon a suffering human brother than was this devil-inspired diatribe by Eliphaz against Job.

"There was absolutely nothing new in the speech that Eliphaz had just concluded, if we except the bitterness and invective in it."[2] "Eliphaz was merely repeating what he and the others had already said; but, instead of being silent as Job had begged them to be (Job 13:5),"[3] they were merely adding to his troubles by forcing their words upon him.

JOB'S REJECTION OF THEIR SO-CALLED "COMFORTING"

Job 16:1-5

"Then Job answered and said,

I have heard many such things:

Miserable comforters are ye all.

Shall vain words have an end?

Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

I also could speak as ye do;

If your soul were in my soul's stead,

I could join words together against you,

And shake my head at you,

But I would strengthen you with my mouth,

And the solace of my lips would assuage your grief."

"Miserable comforters are ye all" (Job 16:2). Job in these words rejected the speeches of his friends as worthless to him.

"Shall vain words have an end" (Job 16:3)? This was Job's way of asking if they were ever going to shut up!

"I could speak as ye do ... but I would strengthen you ... assuage your grief" (Job 16:4-5). Job promised here, that if their roles should be reversed, he would comfort instead of torment them, as they were doing him.