Job 27

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

27:1 Job continued speaking, no longer responding to the three friends but returning to the themes of his opening statement (3:1-26).

Verse 2

27:2 The Bible permits a vow by the living God (Ruth 3:13; 1 Sam 20:21; 25:26; 1 Kgs 17:1; 18:15; Jer 4:2), although sometimes it is done foolishly or falsely (1 Sam 14:39, 45; Jer 5:2). • Elihu later criticized Job for saying that God had taken away his rights (Job 34:5). • embittered . . . soul (7:11; 10:1; 21:25): Cp. Naomi (Ruth 1:20-21) and the widow from Shunem after the loss of her son (2 Kgs 4:27).

Verse 5

27:5-6 Job considered it profane and reprehensible to concede that his friends were right. Condemning the innocent, as they were doing to him, was an abomination (Exod 23:7; Prov 6:16-19; 17:15).

Verse 9

27:9-23 Some interpreters see a new speech here and ascribe it to Zophar because otherwise Zophar has no speech in this cycle.