Jó 2
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jó 2
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS Job 2 is a literary mirror image of Job 1. Job 2:1-3 is almost identical to Job 1:6-8. The test of Job's character turns from his possessions to himself personally. Job 1 and 2 set the historical, theological, and literary stage for the cycles of poems which follow (Job 3-27). This is where the tensions within traditional Wisdom Literature come into focus.
Jó 2:1-8
2:1 "sons of God" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SONS OF GOD IN GENESIS 6 and SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVENLY COUNCIL 2:2 Because of the modern theological movement called "Open Theism," this rhetorical question by God (a repeat from Job 1:7) must not be interpreted as YHWH seeking knowledge. In my opinion Open Theism is a theological extension of "Process Thought," which overemphasizes the human language used of Deity. SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (ANTHROPOMORPHISM) 2:3 "My servant" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT ▣ "And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause" Although Satan is the immediate cause of Job's trials, it is God who is the ultimate cause (cf. 1 Sam. 16:14; 1 Kgs. 22:20-22; Isa. 45:7). John Walton, NIV Application Commentary, p. 109, asserts that "without cause" (BDB 236) is a key thought. in Job 1:9 it is used by "the accuser," meaning "without cost" (cf. Num. 11:5) in Job 2:3 it is used by God, meaning, "without reason/cause" (cf. Job 9:17; 22:6) He says, "The characters concentrate on these, but the book will eventually contend that these are the wrong questions. But for now, they hold center stage and frame the coming discussions." ▣ "although you incited Me against him" This anthropomorphism must not be taken literally. One hopes and prays that evil cannot influence God. Also hopefully, faithful followers' prayers can influence God. See SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER. It is verses such as this that make me see Job as a sage at the Judean court taking an ancient story about an innocent sufferer and elaborating it into a drama to teach theological truth think that the main issue of Job is the character of YHWH and the Mosaic covenant's emphasis on "the two ways" (cf. Deut. 30:15,19; Psalm 1); it almost seems that Job 1 and 2 were written to intensify the issue of YHWH's character! ▣ NASB, NJB, REB "to ruin" NKJV, NRSV, LXX. JPSOA "to destroy" This is literally "to swallow" (BDB 118, KB 134, Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT). This VERB was used in a literal sense – i.e., Exod. 7:12; Job 7:19 in a figurative sense of destruction – 2 Sam. 20:20; Job 8:18; 10:8; 37:20 in a way of referring to a personified Sheol swallowing people – Num. 16:30,32,34; Deut. 11:6 in a sense of defeat – i.e., 2 Sam. 17:16; Job 20:15,18 SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?, I. B. 2:4 "Skin for skin" This is a proverb of uncertain meaning; however, the second line of this verse seems to explain it. The implication is that just taking a person's possessions is not the real test, for a person will give anything in place of his/her own life. ▣ "life" This is nephesh (BDB 659), which denotes an air breathing creature on this planet. See full note online at Gen. 35:18 and Lev. 17:11. SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH 2:8 "And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes" This may relate to the type of disease that culturally required self-exile. The exact form of Job's physical problem is uncertain; some see leprosy, others see some other kind of infectious skin disease. "Ashes" (BDB 68) is used in several senses. literal – the LXX translates it as "dunghill," which would denote a dumping area outside of town/village (i.e., the place lepers lived) figurative worthlessness or insignificance – Job 13:12; 30:19; Gen. 18:27; Lam. 3:16; Ezek. 28:18 part of mourning rites (i.e., put on one's head) – 2 Sam. 13:19; Esther 4:1,3; Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 27:30 sign of mourning for sin – Job 42:6 In context #1 is best. ▣ "to scrape" This term (BDB 173, KB 202, Hithpael INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) is found only here in the OT, but the same root in other Semitic cognate languages denotes a "scraping" process.
Jó 2:9-10
There has been much discussion among commentators as to the motive of Job's wife. Most Christian commentators have held her in unfavorable light (i.e., Chrysostom, Augustine, Calvin). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration) 2:10 "You speak. . ." This is an INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 180, KB 210), which was Semitic grammatical feature denoting intensification. ▣ "one of the foolish women" Job's response to his wife is not aggressive, but measured. She, too, has lost everything but her health. SPECIAL TOPIC: FOOLISH PEOPLE ▣ "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity" Job's comment is an act of his faith/trust in YHWH. But behind it are several theological issues. It ignores "the two ways" (i.e., obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings cursing). It denotes a deterministic (i.e., Islamic) view of life—whatever happens is God's will. How does the doctrine of the sovereignty of God relate to human choices, or does it? (Calvinism, see SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE). Does this saying simply recognize the reality of a fallen world (i.e., evil, suffering, war, unfairness, etc.; for a good book see J. W. Wenham, The Goodness of God. ▣ "In all this Job did not sin with his lips" The rabbis say he did not sin with his lips but with his heart. This is what Job feared his children may have done in Job 1:5.
Jó 2:11-13
2:11-12 Not being a native Hebrew speaker, it is difficult to know when an ancient author is using sound plays purposefully, In Job 2:11-12 there is a series of words that begin with "N." sympathize, Job 2:11 – BDB 626, KB 678 comfort, Job 2:11 – BDB 636, KB 688 lifted, Job 2:12 – BDB 669, KB 724 recognize, Job 2:12 – BDB 647, KB 699 raised, Job 2:12 – same as #3 2:11 "Now when Job's three friends heard" The Septuagint has "kings" (from a Jewish legend). ▣ "to sympathize. . .comfort" These two words are common. sympathize – BDB 626, KB 678, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, which denotes a moving back and forth (i.e., swaying) as an outward sign of identifying with one's grief, cf. Job 2:11; 42:11; Jer. 15:5; 16:5; 22:10 comfort – BDB 636, KB 688, Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, which denotes an attempt to console someone's grief, cf. Gen. 37:35; 50:21; Job 2:11; 7:13; 21:34; 29:25; of God in Ps. 23:4; 71:21; 119:76,82 ▣ "Eliphaz the Temanite" This man seems to be a descendant of Esau because the term "Teman" (BDB 412) equals "south" (cf. Gen. 36:4,11,15; 1 Chr. 1:35-36). The nation of Edom was famous for its wisdom (cf. Jer. 49:7). ▣ "Bildad the Shuhite" This seems to be a descendant of Abraham who moved to the East (i.e., "Shuah," BDB 1001, cf. Gen. 25:2,6; 1 Chr. 1:32). ▣ "Zophar the Naamathite" In the Septuagint he is mentioned in Gen. 36:11 and 1 Chr. 1:36. The Septuagint also calls him the "king of the Mineans," which is a Semitic tribe in South Arabia. 2:12-13 These three men seem to be very sincere and caring towards Job and his trials. SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES 2:13 "for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him" Some see this as a period of mourning for the dead (cf. Gen. 50:10; 1 Sam. 31:13) relating to the Talmud's statement that no one can speak to a mourner until the mourner first speaks (cf. Job 3:1) one more sign of mourning related to Lam. 2:10-11