ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Job 42

Job 42:1–6 In response to the Lord’s rebuke, Job confesses that the Lord’s power and purposes will not fail, and that he has spoken of things beyond his knowledge.

Job 42:3–4 In each of these verses, Job quotes the Lord’s questions (see 38:2–3; also 40:7) before responding to them.

Job 42:6 The Lord has already been merciful to Job. His rebukes and questions have been for Job’s own good. I despise myself. That is, “I recognize the ignorance behind my own words.” God’s mercy is pictured further in Job’s humble posture. In dust and ashes Job finally enjoys the comfort that his friends had withheld from him. Repent translates a form of the same word used of the friends’ intention to “comfort” Job in 2:11 (see esv footnote).

Job 42:7–17 Epilogue: The Vindication, Intercession, and Restoration of Job. The final section of the book reveals on earth what the prologue had stated: Job’s suffering was not a consequence of sin (see 1:1–2:13).

Job 42:7–9 In God’s presence, Job finds the righteous judge for whom he had longed.

Job 42:7 not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Job’s words certainly expressed deep anguish and frustration, but God does not count these words as sinful. This is probably because Job never lost his earnest desire to appear before God.

Job 42:8 for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. The friends had been so sure they were defending wisdom against Job’s “folly,” only to find out they were totally mistaken. By interceding for his friends, Job exhibits the character of the Lord (slow to anger, abounding in love and mercy). He embodies the very mercy he himself had received. By doing so, he also continues the intercessory role he had faithfully performed for his family (see 1:5).

Job 42:10–17 Now that he has surrendered to God and has been reconciled with his friends, Job experiences restoration. He is still broken and bereaved, but as the restoration proceeds, his previous possessions of livestock are doubled (v. 12; compare 1:3), and 10 more children are born to him (42:13; compare 1:2).

Job 42:11 After he was restored, Job’s siblings and other friends came to him and showed him sympathy and comforted him, which corrected a loss that Job had earlier lamented (see 19:13–19). This was the original intention of the three friends (see 2:11), but Job ends up receiving comfort primarily through his matured relationship with the Lord (see 42:6).

Job 42:14 Jemimah . . . Keziah . . . Keren-happuch. The name of the first daughter means “dove”; the second, “a kind of perfume”; and the third, “a type of eye shadow.”

Job 42:16 Job lived 140 years. His long life (compare Ps. 90:10) was another sign of restoration (Job 42:10).