Heaven
1:6-12

Heaven
2:1-6

Heaven and Earth Meet
38:1-42:9

Earth
1:1-5

Earth
1:13-22

Earth
2:7-37:24

Earth
42:10-17

Eliphaz is the first to address Job. He is not accusatory in his first speech, rather he attempts to reason with Job so that he may win over his friend.

Eliphaz points out Jobs noble past and wonders why Job is not acting consistent with his reputation. He then goes on to introduce us to his theology. Simply put, Eliphaz holds that:

It is not innocent people who perish, rather only those who "plow evil" are destroyed by the blast of God's anger.

Eliphaz continues by arguing that no one escapes God's retribution. Even the mighty lion and the angels are judged by the Almighty. Therefore, surely God is able to deal rightly with those who live in houses of clay. (i.e. humans) Surely Job won't escape the retribution of God. Eliphaz includes several personal "experiences" in his opening speeches. This appears to be an attempt to come along side of Job in his suffering.

In chapter 5 Eliphaz appeals to Job, "But if it were I, I would appeal to God" For God can raise you up Job. In verse 17 Eliphaz instructs Job saying "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty." He is telling Job that 'If you trust in God you will laugh at famine and your tent will be secure. You will be blessed again!' Finally Eliphaz concludes by saying "We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to youself."

In chapter 6, Job speaks to his friends. In chapter 7, he directs his speech to God. Job begins this speech by reminding his friends of the greatness of his grief. He then reveals who he thinks is responsible for his suffering. In 6:4 Job says,

"For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; My spirit drinks in their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me." In 7:20 Job asks, "What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, so that I am a burden to myself?"

Job also desires that God would crush him so that he could at least take comfort in his integrity (6:10). It is God who is doing the testing and Job wants the test to end.

Job also points out something very helpful in 6:21. Job says to his friends "For now you are nothing, you see terror and are afraid." What would make Job say something like this? Perhaps his friends were afraid that if something like this could happen to Job (a man who is said to be blameless and upright) then how could they be sure that this sort of thing wouldn't happen to them? In other words, Job's friends may have asked themselves, "If this kind of suffering can happen to an upright man like Job, perhaps it can happen to us too!"

Rather than accept that sort of thinking, his friends hold firm to their theology that God blesses the righteous and curses those who do evil. Hence the continued insistence upon's Job's error.

Apparently Bildad took Job's words as an attack on the justice of God. For he retorts, "Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?" He knows that Job recognizes God's hand in this suffering, however Bildad is baffled by Job's lack of insight into the most obvious theological truth! Namely that God punishes the wicked and blesses the righteous. An attack on the actions of God (in this case the implication that God has attacked Job without cause) is equal to an attack on the very justice of God.

Bildad makes this bold assertion that Job's children got what they deserved and that if Job would just repent, God would restore him to abundance.

He then argues that the testimony of tradition bears witness with him in that the righteous are blessed and the fool is cursed. Bildad finishes his speech with a plea to Job to repent. If Job does repent, Bildad assures him that God will fill his mouth with laughing and shame will come to all who hate Job.

Once again, Job first speaks to his friends (chapter 9) and then addresses God (chapter 10).

Job assures Bildad that he is well aware of God's sovereignty over all creation. He also understands that God is all-wise and all-knowing. Job recognizes that he could never win a debate with God, yet he continues to maintain that he is blameless and that God has afflicted him without a cause (9:17, 21-24).

Job contends that if there were only a mediator between he and God, then he would speak and not fear God; rather he would defend his integrity openly before God (9:35).

Interestingly enough, Job continues to comment on how much he despises his own life. When he begins to address God he says "My soul loathes my life." In Job's mind, he has nothing more to lose so he gives full vent to the "bitterness" of his soul. In that bitterness, he demands a reason for why God is afflicting him. Job feels trapped in a curse that he neither knows the reason for or the way out of.

Job speaks at length of a paradox:

• God intricately created man
• God afflicts the work of His own hand

Job preferred to not be created in the first place. He tells God to leave Him alone so that he might have a little peace before he dies.

Zophar indicates his disapproval of Job's claim to "pure doctrine". He is so indignant that he tells Job that God has paid back Job "less that your iniquity deserves"! In other words, Zophar is saying to Job "God is being nice to you compared to what you actually deserve" (11:6).

In verses 7-12 Zophar points out that God is much deeper than what Job knows (as if Job didn't already know that)! After pointing out the obvious, Zophar urges Job to repent of his obvious wrongdoing.

Finally Zophar promises Job that if he repents, God will forget his iniquity and put up a hedge of protection around him again. Job would no longer need to fear if he would simply repent and cast away his iniquity.

Job opens chapter 12 by insisting that he is not inferior to his friends in knowledge. In this response, Job mocks his friends with greater force than before. He mockingly says "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!" (12:1)

Job thinks that his friend should comfort him even if he has done something to offend God (6:14). But what angers him most is the fact that his friends have accused him without evidence of wrongdoing. Therefore Job tries to make his case again that he is not guilty of wrongdoing.

In 12:7-25 Job affirms Gods complete soveriegnty over everything. He mocks his friends by saying that even the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea know this! In other words, all of creation knows that God is in control of everything, yet you don't think that I know this?

In verses 1-3 of chapter 13, Job transitions from the obviousness of God's omnipotence to his desire to defend himself before God.