Job's friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar offered no true comfort during his suffering. From chapters 3 through 31 they debated Job, insisting his calamities stemmed from hidden sin as he defended his innocence. Their accusations grew from hints to outright charges based on assumptions from appearances and a narrow view of God's justice and nature. They urged confession and repentance under retributive justice. Elihu criticized them for failing to refute Job properly while condemning him. God later declares in the epilogue that they have not spoken what is right about Him, requiring a sacrifice of seven bulls and seven rams to atone. Also see sermons and articles about Job's Friends.

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playlist Go to the Job's Friends (topic) playlist
  • Job 42:7-9
    And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, 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, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.' So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job.
     
  • Job 32:1-3
    So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
     
  • Job 4:12
    "Now a word was secretly brought to me,
    And my ear received a whisper of it.
     
  • Job 4:17
    'Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
    Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
     
  • Job 4:1
    Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
     
  • Job 11:1
    Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said: