Job 42:7

KJV

¶ And it was [so], that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me [the thing that is] right, as my servant Job [hath].

KJV (with Strong's)

And it was so, that after {H310} the LORD {H3068} had spoken {H1696} these words {H1697} unto Job {H347}, the LORD {H3068} said {H559} to Eliphaz {H464} the Temanite {H8489}, My wrath {H639} is kindled {H2734} against thee, and against thy two {H8147} friends {H7453}: for ye have not spoken {H1696} of me the thing that is right {H3559}, as my servant {H5650} Job {H347} hath.

Complete Jewish Bible

After ADONAI had spoken these words to Iyov, ADONAI said to Elifaz the Teimani, "My anger is blazing against you and your two friends, because, unlike my servant Iyov, you have not spoken rightly about me.

Berean Standard Bible

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has.

American Standard Version

And it was so, that, after Jehovah had spoken these words unto Job, Jehovah said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Job 42:7 marks the climactic turning point in the book, immediately following Job's humble submission to God's majestic self-revelation. In this pivotal verse, God directly addresses Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, expressing His righteous anger against them for misrepresenting His character and ways, particularly in their counsel to Job. Simultaneously, God unequivocally affirms Job as His "servant" who has spoken "rightly" of Him, thereby initiating Job's full vindication and setting the stage for his restoration and the friends' necessary atonement.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as the dramatic resolution to the lengthy dialogues that comprise the bulk of the Book of Job. Chapters 3-31 detail the exchanges between Job and his three friends, where they attempt to explain Job's suffering through a rigid retribution theology. Chapters 32-37 introduce Elihu, who offers a different perspective, emphasizing God's pedagogical use of suffering. The climax arrives in Chapters 38-41 with God's awe-inspiring speeches from the whirlwind, which silence Job and lead him to humble repentance in [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job's Repentance and Submission"). Job 42:7, therefore, is the divine verdict on the entire preceding debate, validating Job's ultimate posture and condemning the friends' flawed theological framework. It directly precedes God's command for the friends to offer a sacrifice and for Job to intercede for them, leading to Job's complete restoration in [Job 42:10-17](/job/42-10 "Job's Restoration and Blessings").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Book of Job is set in the land of Uz, a location not precisely identified but generally understood to be outside Israel, perhaps in Edom or northern Arabia. This "wisdom literature" often transcends specific historical periods, focusing on universal human questions about suffering, justice, and the nature of God. The friends' arguments reflect a common ancient Near Eastern wisdom tradition that posited a direct, mechanistic link between sin and suffering, and righteousness and prosperity. This worldview, while containing elements of truth (e.g., [Proverbs 11:3](/proverbs/11-3 "Proverbs 11:3 - Integrity Guides the Upright")), was misapplied by the friends to Job's unique situation, failing to account for divine sovereignty, tests of faith, or suffering for purposes beyond human comprehension. The practice of offering sacrifices for sin, as commanded by God in this verse, was a widely understood act of atonement in the ancient world, signifying a desire to appease divine wrath and restore right relationship.
* **Key Themes:** Job 42:7 powerfully reinforces several core themes of the book. Firstly, it underscores the **Sovereignty and Incomprehensibility of God**, demonstrating that human attempts to fully grasp or dictate God's ways are inherently limited and often flawed. The friends' "right" speech was anything but, because it presumed to know God's hidden purposes. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **True Piety and Righteousness**, not as adherence to rigid theological formulas, but as a humble, honest, and ultimately submissive relationship with God, even amidst profound suffering and questioning, as exemplified by Job's journey (see [Job 1:1](/job/1-1 "Job's Blameless Character")). Thirdly, the verse introduces the theme of **Intercession**, as Job, the one who suffered unjustly, is appointed by God to pray for his misguided friends, foreshadowing the role of a mediator. Finally, it culminates the theme of **Divine Vindication**, as Job, despite his earlier complaints, is publicly affirmed by God, contrasting sharply with the divine rebuke directed at his accusers. This vindication sets the stage for Job's ultimate restoration, emphasizing God's justice and faithfulness to His true servant.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Wrath (Hebrew, _ḥārôn'_):** This term denotes a "burning" or "kindling" of anger, often used to describe God's intense displeasure or indignation. In this context, it signifies God's righteous fury against the friends for their theological misrepresentations and their failure to offer true comfort to Job. It is not a capricious outburst but a just response to their "unright" speech about His character and actions.
* **Right (Hebrew, _nekhonah'_):** Derived from the root _kun_, meaning "to be firm, established, correct, true." When God states that the friends "have not spoken of me the thing that is right," it means their words were not accurate, truthful, or properly established concerning His nature and dealings. Conversely, Job's speech, despite his lamentations, ultimately reflected a more accurate understanding of God's sovereignty and justice, especially in his final posture of humility and trust (cf. [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job's Repentance")).
#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And it was [so], that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job":** This clause firmly establishes the chronological and theological sequence. God's majestic speeches from the whirlwind (Job 38-41) and Job's subsequent humble response (Job 42:1-6) are the immediate backdrop. The divine verdict on the friends comes *after* Job's transformation, indicating that Job's renewed posture of faith and submission is the correct response, contrasting with the friends' persistent, flawed arguments.
* **"the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends":** God directly addresses Eliphaz, likely as the eldest and primary spokesman among the friends. The declaration of "My wrath is kindled" is a severe divine indictment. It underscores the gravity of their error, which was not merely a philosophical disagreement but a profound offense against God's character. Their counsel, though perhaps well-intentioned, was based on a distorted view of God's justice and sovereignty, causing further distress to Job and misrepresenting the Almighty.
* **"for ye have not spoken of me [the thing that is] right, as my servant Job [hath].":** This is the core of the divine accusation and vindication. The friends are condemned for their "unright" speech about God, meaning their theological assertions were incorrect and misaligned with divine truth. Their error lay in presuming to know God's hidden purposes for Job's suffering and in reducing God's justice to a simple, mechanistic formula. In stark contrast, Job, despite his earlier desperate complaints and questions, is affirmed as God's "servant" who *has* spoken rightly. This "right" speech refers to Job's ultimate submission to God's incomprehensible wisdom and his refusal to curse God, even in the face of immense suffering, reflecting a deeper, more accurate understanding of God's true nature than the friends' rigid theology.
#### Literary Devices
Job 42:7 is rich in literary devices that amplify its dramatic and theological impact. The most prominent is **Divine Speech**, as God Himself directly intervenes to deliver the final verdict, lending absolute authority to the pronouncement. This direct address creates a powerful sense of resolution and judgment. There is profound **Irony** in the fact that the friends, who presumed to speak *for* God and defend His justice, are precisely the ones against whom God's wrath is kindled for misrepresenting Him. Conversely, Job, who had earlier expressed bitter complaints and questioned God's justice, is now affirmed as the one who spoke "rightly," highlighting a dramatic **Contrast** between human theological rigidity and humble, honest faith. The verse also employs **Vindication**, where Job, previously suffering under the friends' accusations and divine silence, is finally cleared and affirmed by God Himself, marking the reversal of his fortunes and the restoration of his honor.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse is a profound theological statement on the nature of truth, divine justice, and human understanding of God. It teaches that even well-intentioned theological discourse can be deeply flawed and offensive to God if it misrepresents His character, presumes to know His hidden purposes, or lacks humility. God's wrath against the friends underscores the seriousness of speaking untruth about Him, even if done in defense of His honor. Conversely, Job's vindication highlights that true faith is not necessarily about having all the answers or maintaining perfect theological precision under duress, but about a posture of honest wrestling, ultimate humility, and unwavering trust in God's sovereignty, even when His ways are inscrutable. This passage calls believers to a profound humility in their theological formulations and a compassionate discernment in their interactions with those who suffer, prioritizing truth and grace over rigid dogmatism.

* [Proverbs 3:5-6](/proverbs/3-5 "Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord")
* [Romans 11:33-36](/romans/11-33 "Romans 11:33-36 - The Depths of God's Wisdom")
* [1 Corinthians 13:12](/1_corinthians/13-12 "1 Corinthians 13:12 - Knowing in Part")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 42:7 serves as a powerful reminder that our understanding of God, however sincere, must always be held with humility and openness to divine revelation. It challenges us to examine our own theological frameworks: do they allow for the mystery of God's ways, or do they attempt to confine Him to human logic? When we encounter suffering, are we quick to offer simplistic explanations or to attribute blame, or do we approach with compassion, acknowledging the limits of our knowledge and the sovereignty of God? This verse encourages us to cultivate a "right" speech about God, which is characterized by truth, humility, and reverence, rather than by rigid dogma or judgmental pronouncements. It also highlights the transformative power of genuine repentance and submission, as seen in Job, which ultimately leads to divine vindication and restoration. We are called to be those who, like Job, ultimately trust in God's goodness and wisdom, even when His path is unclear, and to speak of Him in ways that honor His true character, not our preconceived notions.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, like Job's friends, be tempted to offer simplistic or judgmental explanations for suffering, rather than embracing the mystery of God's purposes?**
* **How does my "speech" about God—both to others and in my private thoughts—reflect His true character, or does it inadvertently misrepresent Him?**
* **What does it mean to have "right" speech about God, especially when I am struggling with difficult circumstances or unanswered questions?**
* **How can I cultivate a posture of humility and trust in God's sovereignty, even when His ways are beyond my comprehension?**

### FAQ
**Why was God angry with Job's friends?**

Answer: God was angry with Job's friends because "ye have not spoken of me [the thing that is] right" (Job 42:7). Their error was not merely a lack of empathy, but a theological misrepresentation of God's character and His ways. They rigidly applied a retribution theology, asserting that Job's immense suffering must be a direct punishment for some hidden sin. This view limited God's sovereignty, failed to account for His purposes beyond human understanding (like testing faith), and essentially accused an innocent man. Their words added to Job's distress and presented a distorted picture of a just and loving God.

**What did Job do "right" that the friends did not?**

Answer: While Job certainly expressed bitter complaints and questioned God's justice throughout his ordeal, his "right" speech refers to his ultimate posture of humility, submission, and refusal to curse God. Even in his deepest despair, Job maintained his integrity and a fundamental faith that God was sovereign, even if incomprehensible (e.g., [Job 13:15](/job/13-15 "Job 13:15 - Though He Slay Me")). Crucially, after God's majestic speeches from the whirlwind, Job repented of his presumption and acknowledged God's omnipotence and his own limited understanding (see [Job 42:1-6](/job/42-1 "Job's Repentance and Submission")). This humble submission and trust in God's ultimate wisdom, even without full comprehension, was deemed "right" by God, contrasting sharply with the friends' rigid and ultimately false theological assertions.

**Does this passage imply that honest questioning or lament is better than rigid theology?**

Answer: Yes, in a significant way. The Book of Job, culminating in this verse, strongly suggests that an honest, even agonizing, wrestling with God's ways, coupled with ultimate submission and trust, is more pleasing to God than a rigid, human-devised theology that misrepresents His character. Job's laments, though sometimes bordering on presumption, were authentic expressions of his pain and questions to God directly. The friends, in contrast, offered "comfort" based on a flawed, impersonal system that God Himself condemns. This highlights that genuine faith often involves grappling with mystery and suffering, and that humility before God's incomprehensible wisdom is paramount, as seen in [Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts are Higher").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 42:7, with its themes of divine judgment, vindication, and intercession, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Job, as the "servant" who spoke "rightly" and was vindicated by God, foreshadows the ultimate Servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Unlike Job, who wrestled with his own limited understanding, Jesus perfectly spoke of the Father, declaring, "I always do what pleases him" ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Pleases the Father")). He is the true and faithful witness to God's character, perfectly embodying "right" speech and action. Furthermore, just as Job was commanded to intercede for his friends, Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest and ultimate Intercessor, who "always lives to intercede for them" ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Jesus Our Intercessor")). Through His perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection, Christ takes away the wrath of God from those who believe, not by their own "right" speech or merit, but by His perfect obedience and sacrifice. Believers are declared righteous and vindicated in Him, becoming "servants" of God who are enabled to speak truth about Him through the Spirit, even as we await the full revelation of His wisdom (cf. [Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.