A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Job's comforters

Usage

People who mean well, but make someone suffering feel worse.

Definition

Job is a righteous man who is allowed by God to suffer the loss of family, possessions and health. His friends argue that as God is just, he must deserve his suffering. Job argues that suffering is not always deserved, and is not in his case.

Bible References

Job 2:11; Job 16:2

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. ²And the Lord said to Satan, From where have you come? Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it. ³And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason. ⁴Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. ⁵But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. ⁶And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life. ⁷So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. ⁹Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die. ¹⁰But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips. ¹¹Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. ¹²And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. ¹³And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

¹Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. ²And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. ³And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. ⁴And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. ⁵But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. ⁶And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. ⁷So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. ⁸And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. ⁹Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. ¹⁰But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. ¹¹Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. ¹²And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. ¹³So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Then Job answered and said: ²I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all. ³Shall windy words have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? ⁴I also could speak as you do, if you were in my place; I could join words together against you and shake my head at you. ⁵I could strengthen you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain. ⁶If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me? ⁷Surely now God has worn me out; he has made desolate all my company. ⁸And he has shriveled me up, which is a witness against me, and my leanness has risen up against me; it testifies to my face. ⁹He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me. ¹⁰Men have gaped at me with their mouth; they have struck me insolently on the cheek; they mass themselves together against me. ¹¹God gives me up to the ungodly and casts me into the hands of the wicked. ¹²I was at ease, and he broke me apart; he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces; he set me up as his target; ¹³his archers surround me. He slashes open my kidneys and does not spare; he pours out my gall on the ground. ¹⁴He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior. ¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin and have laid my strength in the dust. ¹⁶My face is red with weeping, and on my eyelids is deep darkness, ¹⁷although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. ¹⁸O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. ¹⁹Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. ²⁰My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, ²¹that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor. ²²For when a few years have come I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

¹Then Job answered and said, ²I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. ³Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? ⁴I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. ⁵But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief. ⁶Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? ⁷But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. ⁸And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face. ⁹He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. ¹⁰They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me. ¹¹God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. ¹²I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. ¹³His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground. ¹⁴He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant. ¹⁵I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust. ¹⁶My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; ¹⁷Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. ¹⁸O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. ¹⁹Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. ²⁰My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. ²¹O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! ²²When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

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