TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Commentary on Job 21 verses 1–6
Job here recommends himself, both his case and his discourse, both what he suffered and what he said, to the compassionate consideration of his friends. 1. That which he entreats of them is very fair, that they would suffer him to speak (Job 21:3) and not break in upon him, as Zophar had done, in the midst of his discourse. Losers, of all men, may have leave to speak; and, if those that are accused and censured are not allowed to speak for themselves, they are wronged without remedy, and have no way to come at their right. He entreats that they would hear diligently his speech (Job 21:2) as those that were willing to understand him, and, if they were under a mistake, to have it rectified; and that they would mark him (Job 21:5), for we may as well not hear as not heed and observe what we hear. 2. That which he urges for this is very reasonable. (1.) They came to comfort him. "No," says he, "let this be your consolations (Job 21:2); if you have no other comforts to administer to me, yet deny me not this; be so kind, so just, as to give me a patient hearing, and that shall pass for your consolations of me." Nay, they could not know how to comfort him if they would not give him leave to open his case and tell his own story. Or, "It will be a consolation to yourselves, in reflection, to have dealt tenderly with your afflicted friend, and not harshly." (2.) He would hear them speak when it came to their turn. "After I have spoken you may go on with what you have to say, and I will not hinder you, no, though you go on to mock me." Those that engage in controversy must reckon upon having hard words given them, and resolve to bear reproach patiently; for, generally, those that mock will mock on, whatever is said to them. (3.) He hoped to convince them. "If you will but give me a fair hearing, mock on if you can, but I believe I shall say that which will change your note and make you pity me rather than mock me." (4.) They were not his judges (Job 21:4): "Is my complaint to man? No, if it were I see it would be to little purpose to complain. But my complaint is to God, and to him do I appeal. Let him be Judge between you and me. Before him we stand upon even terms, and therefore I have the privilege of being heard as well as you. If my complaint were to men, my spirit would be troubled, for they would not regard me, nor rightly understand me; but my complaint is to God, who will suffer me to speak, though you will not." It would be sad if God should deal as unkindly with us as our friends sometimes do. (5.) There was that in his case which was very surprising and astonishing, and therefore both needed and deserved their most serious consideration. It was not a common case, but a very extraordinary one. [1.] He himself was amazed at it, at the troubles God had laid upon him and the censures of his friends concerning him (Job 21:6): "When I remember that terrible day in which I was on a sudden stripped of all my comforts, that day in which I was stricken with sore boils, - when I remember all the hard speeches with which you have grieved me, - I confess I am afraid, and trembling takes hold of my flesh, especially when I compare this with the prosperous condition of many wicked people, and the applauses of their neighbours, with which they pass through the world." Note, The providences of God, in the government of the world, are sometimes very astonishing even to wise and good men, and bring them to their wits' end. [2.] He would have them wonder at it (Job 21:5): "Mark me, and be astonished. Instead of expounding my troubles, you should awfully adore the unsearchable mysteries of Providence in afflicting one thus of whom you know no evil; you should therefore lay your hand upon your mouth, silently wait the issue, and judge nothing before the time. God's way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters. When we cannot account for what he does, in suffering the wicked to prosper and the godly to be afflicted, nor fathom the depth of those proceedings, it becomes us to sit down and admire them. Upright men shall be astonished at this, Job 17:8. Be you so."
40. For he that when he said Hear, added, I pray you, shows how humbly he speaks, whilst he entreats persons, swelling with pride against him, to bring back their thought to the teaching of saving truth. But whereas holy men, within the pale of the Universal Church, are not only ready to teach what is right, but also to undergo things that are done against them, they do not dread being laughed at.
For when good people speak, there are two points that they regard in their discourse (viz., that they should be of use to themselves and their hearers, or to themselves alone), if they are unable to be of use to their hearers. For when the good things they deliver are heard with good purpose, they benefit both themselves and their hearers. But even when they are turned to ridicule by the hearer, doubtless they were of use to themselves, by no longer consenting to the sin of silence. And so let blessed Job, that he might serve both himself and his hearers, speak the words, “Hear, I pray you, my speech, and practice repentance.” In order that he may discharge himself of the obligation that he owes, even if he is unable to avail his hearers, he adds, “Suffer me that I speak; and after my words, if it shall seem so, laugh.” I observe that whereas he added, “and practice repentance,” he first premised, “Hear,” but when he added the words “and after my words, if it shall seem so, laugh,” he premised, “Permit me to speak”; for “hearing” is of one who acts of free will, but “bearing” of one who acts against his own inclination. And so if his friends desire to be taught, let them “hear,” but if they are ready to mock, let them “suffer” the things that are said seeing that to a proud mind instruction in humility is a grievous and onerous weight.
Continue studying Job 21:2 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Job 21:2 serves as a deeply poignant and ironically charged opening to Job's third and final discourse, specifically directed at Zophar and his companions. In this verse, Job makes a desperate and direct plea for his friends to genuinely listen to his words, implying that the only true "consolation" they can offer him is the simple, yet profound, act of attentive and empathetic hearing, rather than their continued, unhelpful pronouncements of conventional wisdom. It powerfully underscores Job's profound frustration with their judgmental and unsympathetic approach, highlighting their abject failure to provide authentic comfort amidst his immense and inexplicable suffering.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 21:2 initiates Job's final and most comprehensive response to his three friends, specifically following Zophar's second discourse in Job 20. The overarching structure of the Book of Job is a series of intricate poetic dialogues where Job and his friends engage in a profound debate concerning the nature of suffering, divine justice, and human righteousness. Throughout these cycles of speeches, Job's friends consistently adhere to the rigid retribution principle—that suffering is a direct consequence of sin—while Job vehemently denies this simplistic correlation in his own case, maintaining his innocence. This verse marks a critical turning point where Job, exasperated by their repetitive, accusatory, and ultimately unhelpful "comfort," makes a direct, almost desperate appeal for a true hearing. This plea sets the stage for his powerful and challenging arguments in the subsequent verses of Job 21, where he will present evidence of the prosperity of the wicked, further complicating their neat theological framework and emphasizing the mysterious ways of God.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, the role of friends and comforters for one in mourning or severe suffering was a highly significant social and religious obligation. It was customary to offer solace, often through expressions of sympathy, lament, and theological explanations that sought to make sense of the tragedy within a prevailing worldview. However, the dominant wisdom tradition, particularly in ancient Israel, often strongly linked prosperity and well-being to righteousness, and suffering or misfortune to sin. This principle, often termed the "retribution principle," is prominently featured in parts of Proverbs and the Deuteronomic covenant blessings and curses found in Deuteronomy 28. Job's friends represent this conventional wisdom, applying it rigidly and dogmatically to Job's situation without room for nuance or exception. Job 21:2, therefore, highlights a cultural expectation of comfort that is being profoundly and tragically unmet. Job's plea for "diligently" hearing suggests a scathing critique of their cultural performance as comforters, indicating that their rigid theological framework has overridden their capacity for genuine empathy and active listening, which would have been a more appropriate and truly comforting form of solace.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes that are central to the Book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the theme of true versus false comfort. Job's friends offer what they believe to be comfort, but their words are rooted in a flawed theological premise that only exacerbates Job's pain, making their counsel "physicians of no value," as Job later laments in Job 13:4. Secondly, it highlights the inadequacy of human wisdom when confronted with profound suffering and divine mystery. The friends' neat theological formulas fail to account for Job's inexplicable experience, forcing a deeper exploration of God's ways beyond simplistic retribution. Thirdly, and perhaps most poignantly, the verse emphasizes the critical importance of empathetic listening. Job's plea for his friends to "hear diligently" is a desperate call for a listening that transcends mere auditory reception, demanding an understanding and compassionate engagement with his plight. This theme resonates deeply with wisdom literature's call for attentive ears and patient understanding, as seen in passages like Proverbs 18:13, which warns against answering before hearing.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Job 21:2 is Irony. Job's request for "consolations" is deeply ironic, as his friends' previous attempts at comfort have only exacerbated his suffering and proven utterly devoid of true solace. He is not genuinely seeking their comfort but rather highlighting their profound failure to provide it, suggesting that the most they can offer is the mere act of listening to him. This irony serves to underscore the profound disconnect between Job and his friends, emphasizing their lack of empathy and the inadequacy of their conventional wisdom in the face of inexplicable suffering. Additionally, the verse functions as a direct Plea or Supplication, a fervent and earnest request from Job to his companions, revealing his emotional state of desperation and his desire for a fundamentally different kind of interaction. The phrase also contains an element of Rhetorical Challenge, subtly questioning the value and authenticity of their previous "consolations" and challenging them to respond in a more meaningful, empathetic way.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 21:2 resonates deeply with the biblical emphasis on true empathy, the nature of genuine comfort, and the limitations of human wisdom when confronting divine mystery. While Job's friends fail spectacularly to provide genuine solace, the Scriptures consistently portray God as the ultimate source of comfort and call believers to extend that comfort to others, reflecting His character. This verse highlights that true comfort often begins not with ready answers or theological explanations, but with the humble, patient, and loving act of listening and bearing witness to another's pain. It challenges any simplistic theology that reduces suffering to a direct consequence of sin, urging a more nuanced, compassionate, and humble understanding of God's complex ways and the profound depths of human experience. The inability of Job's friends to truly hear him underscores the inherent limitations of human wisdom and the profound mystery of divine providence, which cannot be neatly contained within human categories or rigid theological formulas.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 21:2 serves as a timeless and powerful reminder of the profound importance of empathetic listening, especially when interacting with those who are suffering or in distress. In a world often quick to offer solutions, judgments, or pat theological explanations, Job's desperate plea calls us to a deeper, more compassionate, and humble engagement. It challenges us to resist the pervasive urge to "fix" or "explain away" another's pain and instead to offer the invaluable gift of our authentic presence and our undivided attention. True comfort, as Job implicitly teaches, often lies not primarily in what we say, but in our willingness to simply be with someone in their distress, to hear their story without interruption, to validate their experience, and to bear witness to their suffering. This verse compels us to examine our own listening habits: Do we truly hear, or do we merely wait for our turn to speak, formulating our rebuttal before the other person has finished? Are we quick to offer simplistic answers, or are we patient enough to sit with complexity, mystery, and unresolved pain, trusting that God is at work even when we don't understand?
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Job's request for his friends to "hear diligently" so significant?
Answer: Job's request is profoundly significant because it highlights his deep frustration with his friends' previous responses. They have been quick to speak, to judge, and to offer conventional wisdom, but they have consistently failed to truly listen to Job's experience or his arguments. The term "diligently" implies a listening that is attentive, empathetic, non-prejudicial, and open to understanding—a quality of hearing that seeks to grasp the speaker's perspective rather than merely waiting for an opportunity to rebut. Job is asking for the basic human courtesy of being heard and validated, something his "comforters" have consistently denied him, instead imposing their own rigid theological framework upon his suffering.
What is the powerful irony in Job saying, "and let this be your consolations"?
Answer: The powerful irony lies in the stark contrast between the friends' stated purpose and their actual impact. Job's friends came to "console" him, but their words have only deepened his anguish and added to his burden. Their "comfort" has been accusatory and unhelpful, based on a rigid theological framework that blames Job for his suffering. By saying, "let this be your consolations," Job is sarcastically suggesting that the only true "comfort" they can offer him, or perhaps the only meaningful contribution they are capable of making, is the simple act of listening to him speak without interruption or immediate condemnation. It's a stinging indictment of their failure to provide genuine solace and underscores the vast gap between their intentions and Job's desperate need for true empathy and understanding.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job's desperate plea for a true hearing and genuine consolation finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Job's friends proved to be "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2), Jesus is the perfect Comforter, the one who truly hears, understands, and enters into the depths of human suffering. Unlike Job's friends, who offered simplistic theological explanations and judgment from a distance, Christ entered into the full scope of human pain, misunderstanding, and abandonment. He is our sympathetic High Priest, who "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15), meaning He fully comprehends our weaknesses, sorrows, and the profound mystery of suffering. When Job cried out for someone to truly listen, he unknowingly foreshadowed the one who would invite all who are weary and burdened to "come to me, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). The Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised as "another Helper" or "Comforter" (Greek: Paraclete) (John 14:16), is the ultimate divine answer to Job's longing for true solace, providing abiding presence and understanding. In Christ, we find not only a listening ear but also perfect empathy, redemptive suffering on our behalf, and the promise of eternal comfort that transcends all earthly pain and misunderstanding, offering true peace that surpasses all comprehension (Philippians 4:7).