Job 11:6

11:1-6 Zophar attacked Job with great vehemence. He represented him as a man that loved to hear himself speak, though he could say nothing to the purpose, and as a man that maintained falsehoods. He desired God would show Job that less punishment was exacted than he deserved. We are ready, with much assurance, to call God to act in our quarrels, and to think that if he would but speak, he would take our part. We ought to leave all disputes to the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth; but those are not always right who are most forward to appeal to the Divine judgment.

Job 11:6 . That he would show thee the secrets of wisdom — The unsearchable depths of his wisdom in dealing with his creatures. That they are double to that which is — That they are far greater (the word double being used indefinitely for manifold, or plentiful) than that which is manifested. The secret wisdom of God is infinitely greater than that which is revealed to us by his word or works: the greatest part of what is known of God is the least part of those perfections that are in him. And therefore thou art rash in judging so harshly of his proceedings with thee, because thou dost not comprehend the reasons of them, and in judging thyself innocent, because thou dost not see thy sins: whereas, the all-knowing God sees innumerable sins in thee, for which he may utterly destroy thee. God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth — Or, as the Hebrew, ישׁה מעונךְ , jashe magnavoneka, may be rendered, gives, or forgives thee part of thine iniquity; doth not deal with thee according to the full demerit of it, but remits thee a part of the punishment due to thee: which he affirms, on an ungrounded persuasion that Job was an ungodly hypocrite. “Strange presumption, says Dr. Dodd, “thus to pronounce positively upon a point of which he could not possibly be a judge. But it happened here, as usual, that this speaker, who sets out with the greatest heat, is the first whose arguments are spent.

For, after this vehement speech, he makes but one reply, and it is over with him.” We may however, so far agree with Zophar, as to allow that when, and so far as the debt of duty is not paid, it belongs to justice to insist on the debt of punishment; and that whatever punishment is inflicted upon us in this world, it is less than our iniquities deserve, and that, therefore, instead of complaining of our troubles, we ought to be thankful that we are out of hell.

6 . shew thee the secrets of wisdom ] Wisdom here is God’s omniscience. Its secrets are not the things known to it, such, for example, as Job’s sins, but its own profound depths and insight. that they are double to that which is ] Or, that it (wisdom) is double in (true) understanding . By double or twofold in regard to true understanding is not meant, double of man’s wisdom or that of the creature in general, but rather, twofold what Job conceived of it, in other words, that, in regard to its true insight, it far exceeded all conception. This translation presents the smallest deviation from the A. V. and is simple. It is an objection to it that it makes “understanding” a quality of “wisdom,” while the former word (on which see note on ch. Job 5:12 ) would more naturally be but another name for the “wisdom,” as it is in Job’s reply to all this, ch. Job 12:16 , cf. Job 11:13 . Hence others assume that the word twofold means “many folds,” translating: that folds, complications, belong to (true) understanding,—that is, that (God’s) understanding is manifold. Know therefore ] i. e. then shouldst thou know. The imperative is a more vivid way of expressing the future, see on ch. Job 5:1 . exacteth of thee less , &c.] This gives the general sense, though the translation seems to rest both on a false etymology and a false idea of construction. Literally the words mean: God bringeth into forgetfulness for thee some of thy guilt , that is, remembereth not against thee all thy guilt.

Others (e.g. Hitz.): God causeth thee to forget thy guilt. The general meaning is, that if God would appear and speak and reveal His knowledge of Job’s sins, Job would be brought to know that he was guilty—perhaps even that his afflictions were far below his guilt. This is a harder word than has yet been uttered against Job.

And that he would shew thee the {c} secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. (c) Which is not to stand in justifying of yourself: he signifies that man will never be overcome while he reasons with another, and therefore God must break off the controversy, and stop man's mouth.

Verse 6. - And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! In God are "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid away" ( ἀπόκρυφοι Colossians 2:3 ). Zophar wishes that he would reveal to Job this wisdom, or a portion of it, as, in that case, all his pride and self-confidence would be confounded and fall away. That they are double to that which is! This phrase is very obscure. Some translate, "For he ( i.e. God) is twice as wise as thou;" others, "That it ( i.e. wisdom) is manifold in effectual working;" others, again, "That they ( i.e. the treasures of wisdom) are double (or manifold) in substance." Perhaps this last rendering is to be preferred. The treasures of wisdom that are hid away in God have many depths, secret and unexplored; they "lie, as it were, fold over fold, in unexpected complexities, defying the shallow and unscrutinizing gaze" (Professor Stanley Leathes). If they were revealed to Job, they would astonish, confound, silence, him. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. "Be sure," i.e. , "that God, so far from inflicting on thee a more severe punishment than thou deservest, in reality excuses much of thy guilt, and punishes thee less than is thy due." This is Zophar's conclusion from his general knowledge of God's dealings with man (comp. Ezra 9:13 ). Job 11:6

6. to that which is!—Rather, "they are double to [man's] wisdom" [Michaelis]. So the Hebrew is rendered (Pr 2:7). God's ways, which you arraign, if you were shown their secret wisdom, would be seen vastly to exceed that of men, including yours (1Co 1:25). exacteth—Rather, "God consigns to oblivion in thy favor much of thy guilt."

The secrets of wisdom, i.e. the unknown and unsearchable depths of God’s wisdom and counsels in dealing with his creatures. That they are double to that which is, i.e. that they are far more and greater (the word double being used indefinitely for manifold, or plentiful, as Isaiah 40:2 61:7 Jeremiah 17:18 Zechariah 9:12 ) than that which hath a being or existence, i.e. the secret wisdom of God is infinitely greater than that which is revealed to us by his word or works. The greatest part of what is known of God, is the least part of those perfections that are in him. And therefore thou dost rashly and foolishly in passing such a bold censure upon God’s ways, and judging so harshly of his proceedings with thee, because thou dost not comprehend the reasons of them, and in judging thyself innocent, because thou dost not see thy sins; whereas the all-knowing God sees innumerable sins in thee, for which he may utterly destroy thee, though thou discernest them not.

But the words are and must be rendered, either thus, that he hath double , i.e. abundant, wisdom, for so this Hebrew word signifies, Job 6:13 12:16 Proverbs 2:7 3:21 ; or, that they are double to, or in , that being or essence , to wit, to God, of whom he is here speaking; or, to the being , i.e. to God, who calls himself by the name I am , Exodus 3:14 , which signifies being ; and who appropriates being to himself, Isaiah 45:18 , I am, and there is none else besides me ; as elsewhere he is said to be the only wise , and only Potentate , and only immortal being, 1 Timothy 1:17 6:15,16 . God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth , Heb. God lends , or gives , or forgives , thee part of thine iniquity , or of thy punishment ; so far is he from dealing worse than thou deservest, as thou dost most falsely and wickedly accuse him.

And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom - The hidden things that pertain to wisdom. The reference here is to the wisdom of God himself. The sense is this, "you now think yourself pure and holy. You have confidence in your own wisdom and integrity. But this apprehension is based on a short-sighted view of God, and on ignorance of him. If he would speak and show you his wisdom; if he would express his sense of what purity is, you would at once see how far you have come from perfection, and would be overwhelmed with a sense of your comparative vileness and sin." That they are double to that which is - Noyes renders this," his wisdom which is unsearchable." Dr. Good, strangely enough, "for they are intricacies to iniquity." The expression, as it stands in our common version, is not very intelligible; and indeed it is difficult, to attach any idea to it. Of the words used in the Hebrew, the sense is not difficult. The word כפלים kı̂playı̂m, "double," is from כפל kâphal "to fold,"" to double;" and means a doubling Job 41:5; and then two folds, or double folds, and the sense here is, that the wisdom of God is "double-fold;" that is, complicated, inexplicable, or manifold. It is not spread out and plain, but is infolded, so that it requires to be unrolled to be understood. The word rendered "that which is" (תשׁיה tûshı̂yâh), means properly a setting upright, uprightness - from ישׁע yâsha‛.