Scofield Reference Bible Notes/Job

by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield

Book Introduction - Job

Read first chapter of Job
Job is in form a dramatic poem. It is probably the oldest of the Bible books, and was certainly written before the giving of the law. It would have been impossible, in a discussion covering the whole field of sin, of the providential government of God, and man's relation to Him, to avoid all reference to the law if the law had then been known. Job was a veritable personage (Ezekiel 14:20; James 5:11), and the events are historical. The book sheds a remarkable light on the philosophic breadth and intellectual culture of the patriarchal age. The problem is, Why do the godly suffer?
Job is in seven parts:

• Prologue, 1:1-2:8.
• Job and his wife, 2:9,10.
• Job and his three friends, 2:11-31:40.
• Job and Elihu, 32:1-37:24.
• Jehovah and Job, 38:1-41:34.
• Job's final answer, 42:1-6.
• Epilogue, 42:7-17.

The events recorded in Job cover a period within 1 year.

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1

land of Uz
A region at the south of Edom, and west of the Arabian desert, extending to Chaldea.
Uz See Jeremiah 25:20.
fear (See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

Verse 6

sons of God
This scene is in heaven. Cf. Job 2:1-7.

Verse 8

feareth
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

Verse 9

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

CHAPTER 2

Verse 1

Satan
See Job 2:2,3,6,7; Psalms 109:6; Genesis 3:1; Revelation 20:10.

Verse 3

feareth
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

CHAPTER 3

Verse 9

dawning
Heb. "the eyelids of the morning." Job 41:18.

CHAPTER 4

Verse 1

Eliphaz
Eliphaz is a religious dogmatist whose dogmatism rests upon a mysterious and remarkable experience Job 4:12-16. Did a spirit ever pass before Job's face? Did Job's hair of his flesh ever stand up? Then let him be meek while one so superior as Eliphaz declares the causes of his misfortunes. Eliphaz says many true things (as do the others), and often rises into eloquence, but he remains hard and cruel, a dogmatist who must be heard because of one remarkable experience.

Verse 9

breath
i.e. by His anger, as Isaiah 30:33; Exodus 15:8; Job 1:19; Job 15:30; Isaiah 11:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

Verse 18

trust (See Scofield "Psalms 2:12").
fear (See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

CHAPTER 5

Verse 20

redeem (See Scofield "Exodus 14:30") , See Scofield "Isaiah 59:20".

CHAPTER 6

Verse 14

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9").

Verse 23

redeem
See note; Exodus 14:30; Isaiah 59:20. (See Scofield "Exodus 14:30") See Scofield "Isaiah 59:20"

CHAPTER 7

Verse 9

grave
Heb. "Sheol." Habakkuk 2:5. (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5").

CHAPTER 8

Verse 1

Bildad
Bildad is a religious dogmatist of the superficial kind, whose dogmatism rests upon tradition (e.g.) Job 8:8-10 and upon proverbial wisdom and approved pious phrases. These abound in all his discourses. His platitudes are true enough, but then every one knows them. ; Job 9:1,2; 13:2 nor do they shed any light on such a problem as Job's.

Verse 14

trust
(See Scofield "Psalms 2:12")

CHAPTER 9

Verse 9

Arcturus
Heb. Ash, Cesil, and Cimah.

CHAPTER 11

Verse 1

Zophar
Zophar is a religious dogmatist who assumes to know all about God; what God will do in any given case, why He will do it, and all His thoughts about it. Of all forms of dogmatism this is most irreverent, and least open to reason.

CHAPTER 14

Verse 13

grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5").

CHAPTER 15

Verse 15

trust
(See Scofield "Psalms 2:12")

CHAPTER 17

Verse 16

grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5")

CHAPTER 18

Verse 1

grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5")

CHAPTER 19

Verse 25

redeemer
Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type). (See Scofield "Isaiah 59:20").

CHAPTER 21

Verse 13

grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5")

Verse 19

iniquity
i.e. the punishment of his iniquity.

CHAPTER 22

Verse 30

island
i.e. coast.

CHAPTER 23

Verse 1

island
i.e. coast.

CHAPTER 24

Verse 19

grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5")

CHAPTER 26

Verse 6

hell
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5"). Also, Psalms 139:8,11; Proverbs 15:11; Hebrews 4:13.

CHAPTER 27

Verse 2

vexed
Heb. made my soul bitter.

CHAPTER 28

Verse 28

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9")

CHAPTER 29

Verse 1

fear
(See Scofield "Psalms 19:9")

CHAPTER 32

Verse 1

So these three
Despite minor differences, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar have one view of the problem of Job's afflictions. He is a hypocrite. Outwardly good, he is, they hold, really a bad man. Otherwise, according to their conception of God, Job's sufferings would be unjust. Job, though himself the sufferer, will not so accuse the justice of God, and his self-defence is complete. Before God he is guilty, helpless, and undone, and there is no daysman (Job 32:9). Later, his faith is rewarded by a revelation of a coming Redeemer, and of the resurrection (Job 32:19). But Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar are sinners also as before God, and yet they are not afflicted. Job refutes the theory of the three that he is a secret sinner as against the common moralities, but the real problem, Why are the righteous afflicted remains. It is solved in the last chapter.

Verse 2

Elihu
Elihu has a far juster and more spiritual conception of the problem than Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because he has an infinitely higher conception of God. The God of Eliphaz and the others, great though they perceive Him to be in His works, becomes in their thought petty and exacting in His relations with mankind. It is the fatal misconception of all religious externalists and moralizers. Their God is always a small God. Elihu's account of God is noble and true, and it is noteworthy that at the last Jehovah does not class him with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (cf) Job 42:7 but he is still a dogmatist, and his eloquent discourse is marred by self-assertiveness (e.g) ; Job 32:8,9; 33:3. Jehovah's judgment of Elihu is that he darkened counsel by words Job 38:2 the very charge that Elihu had brought against Job. ; Job 34:35; 35:16. Furthermore, the discourse of Jehovah is wholly free from the accusations of Job with which even Elihu's lofty discourse abounds.
himself Heb. his soul.

CHAPTER 38

Verse 1

The Lord answered Job
The words of jehovah have the effect of bringing Job consciously into His presence. Job 42:5. Hitherto the discussions have been about God, but He has been conceived as absent. Now Job and the Lord are face to face. It is noteworthy that Job does not answer Elihu. Despite his harsh judgment he has spoken so truly about God that Job remains silent. Job 38:1 might be paraphrased, "Then Jehovah answered for or on behalf of Job."

Verse 7

sons of God
(See Scofield "Hebrews 1:4").

CHAPTER 39

Verse 6

barren land
Heb. "salt places."

CHAPTER 40

Verse 15

behemoth
Or, the elephant, as some think.

CHAPTER 41

Verse 26

habergeon
Or, breastplate.

Verse 30

sharp stones
Heb. sharp pieces of potsherd.

CHAPTER 42

Verse 6

Wherefore I abhor myself
The problem, of which the book of Job is the profound discussion, finds here its solution. Brought into the presence of God, Job is revealed to himself. In no sense a hypocrite, but godly and possessing a faith which all his afflictions could not shake, Job was yet self-righteous and lacking in humility. Chapter 29 fully discloses this. But in the presence of God he anticipates, as it were, the experience of Paul. Philippians 3:4-9 and the problem is solved. The godly are afflicted that they may be brought to self-knowledge and self-judgment. Such afflictions are not penal for their sins, but remedial and purifying. The book of Job affords a sublime illustration of the truth announced in ; 1 Corinthians 11:31,32; Hebrews 12:7-11. Best of all, such self-knowledge and self-judgment is the prelude to greater fruitfulness. ; Job 42:7-17; John 15:2. Cf. ; Joshua 5:13,14; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 2:1-3; Daniel 10:5-11; Revelation 1:17-19.
repent (See Scofield "Zechariah 8:14").