Job's dramatic shift from defending his righteousness to confessing ignorance marks the only instance where he explicitly repents, transforming from legal defendant to humbled worshiper.
Job 42
Job's Second Response and Repentance
1Then Job answered the LORD:
2“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained.
3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ therefore I have uttered that which I didn’t understand, things too wonderful for me, which I didn’t know.
4You said, ‘Listen, now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’
5I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.
6Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job's Restoration and Vindication
7It was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.
8Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”
9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the LORD commanded them, and the LORD accepted Job.
10The LORD restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. The LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that the LORD had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
12So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
13He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations.
17So Job died, being old and full of days.
Font Size 17pt
Line Spacing
Theme
Job responds to God's speeches with profound humility and repentance, acknowledging God's sovereignty and his own limited understanding. God vindicates Job by rebuking his three friends for their incorrect theology and requiring them to offer sacrifices while Job intercedes for them. The Lord then restores Job's fortunes twofold, blessing him with greater prosperity, a new family, and a long life of 140 additional years.
Context
This final chapter resolves the entire narrative following God's overwhelming speeches from the whirlwind in chapters 38-41.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-6 Job's Humble Response to God Job acknowledges God's omnipotence and repents of his presumptuous words, confessing his limited understanding.
- 7-9 God Rebukes Job's Friends The Lord condemns Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for their false theology and requires Job to intercede for them.
- 10-17 Job's Complete Restoration God restores Job's health, doubles his wealth, gives him a new family, and grants him 140 more years of life.
Job's Second Response and Repentance
42:1–42:6 wisdom prayer solemn
Job responds with complete repentance, acknowledging God's unlimited power and his own ignorance about divine matters. He contrasts his previous secondhand knowledge of God with his present direct encounter, leading to genuine repentance.
person_contrast
Job's dramatic shift from defending his righteousness to confessing ignorance marks the only instance where he explicitly repents, transforming from legal defendant to humbled worshiper.
Job's Restoration and Vindication
42:7–42:17 wisdom narration joyful
God vindicates Job against his friends, requiring them to offer sacrifices while Job intercedes for them, then restores Job's fortunes with double his previous wealth and a new family. The narrative concludes with Job's long and blessed life, demonstrating divine justice and mercy.
person_contrast
Job transforms from defendant to intercessor when God commands his accusatory friends to seek forgiveness through the very man they condemned, reversing the entire moral dynamic of the dialogue.
Insights
Job transforms from defendant to intercessor when God commands his accusatory friends to seek forgiveness through the very man they condemned, reversing the entire moral dynamic of the dialogue.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Job 42:3 2 references
Job 42:7 5 references
Lexicals 5
Job 2:11 Lexical
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the…
Job 32:3 Lexical
Also his wrath was kindled against his three friends, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
Job 32:2 Lexical
Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was ki…
Job 15:1 Lexical
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Job 4:1 Lexical
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Job 42:8 5 references
Lexicals 5
Numbers 23:1 Lexical
Balaam said to Balak, “Build here seven altars for me, and prepare here seven bulls and seven rams for me.”
Numbers 23:29 Lexical
Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here.”
Leviticus 23:18 Lexical
You shall present with the bread seven lambs without defect a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be a bu…
Numbers 29:36 Lexical
but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven m…
Numbers 28:19 Lexical
but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lam…
Job 42:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
Job 2:11 Lexical
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the…
Job 20:1 Lexical
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
Job 11:1 Lexical
Then Zophar, the Naamathite, answered,
Job 25:1 Lexical
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
Job 8:1 Lexical
Then Bildad the Shuhite answered,
Job 42:10 1 reference
Job 42:12 5 references
Lexicals 5
Job 1:3 Lexical
His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female do…
Genesis 12:16 Lexical
He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkey…
Genesis 24:35 Lexical
The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, m…
Ezra 2:67 Lexical
their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty.
2 Chronicles 29:33 Lexical
The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep.
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
v. 11
v. 12
v. 13
v. 14
v. 15
v. 16
v. 17
Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages